The Traveling Vampire Show

“A couple of his friends, too,” Lee added.

“Well, if they’re no older than he is....”

“Maybe they’re around here someplace. They came out ahead of us, so they should’ve been here by now. Teenagers? A husky boy and a slender blonde girl?”

The man frowned slightly and shook his head. “Haven’t seen ’em. Nobody’s here but our crew.”

Turning her head in the general direction of the snack stand, Lee shouted, “SLIM? RUSTY?”

I watched the roof. Nobody popped a head up.

“If they do come along,” Lee said to the man, “would you let them know we were already here?”

“I’d be glad to.”

“Thanks. I told them that they were too young for a show like this. But they’re so fascinated by the whole subject of vampires....” She shook her head. “You know, teenagers.”

“I know exactly,” the man said. “I was one myself a few years ago. And fascinated by vampires.”

“They just had to come out here and see what it was all about. I’m sure they were hoping I’d somehow be able to work magic and buy tickets for them. They seem to think I can do anything. ”

“I’d like to be able to help you....”

“Lee,” she said, and offered her hand.

“Lee,” he said. He took it gently in his long fingers. “Pleased to meet you, Lee. I’m Julian.”

“And this is my brother, Dwight.”

Though I wished she hadn’t used our real names, I smiled and held out my hand. Julian let go of Lee’s hand and shook mine. His fingers felt warm and dry.

After releasing my hand, he faced Lee and asked, “Are you aware of what happens in our show?”

“Not really.”

He performed a mock-embarrassed cringe and shrug. “Well, there’s always a certain amount of blood-letting. Generally, quite a lot. In fact, it can get very gory. It looks worse than it is, but it can be shocking for people who aren’t used to it.”

“I see,” Lee said, nodding slightly, a concerned look on her face.

“Also, clothing often gets torn in the heat of battle. It’s not unusual for private parts to... become exposed.”

Lee broke out a smile. “Sounds more interesting all the time. ”

Julian chuckled softly. “Well, I just want you to understand why we try to keep kids away from the show.”

“I’m almost eighteen,” I said, almost telling the truth.

“How old are you?” Julian asked me.

“Seventeen.” I blushed as I said it. I hate lying.

“And your friends?”

“They’re both seventeen, too,” I said, and blushed even hotter because Slim, though sixteen like me and Rusty, looked more like fourteen.

I’m sure Julian knew I was lying. But he turned to Lee anyway, and said, “I might be able to make an exception for them if they’ll be accompanied by an adult.”

“Oh, I’d be coming with them,” she said.

“Then I suppose it’ll be all right.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful. Thank you, Julian. Let me get my purse.” She ducked into her truck and snatched her purse off the seat.

This has to be some kind of fake-out, I thought. She’s not really going to buy tickets.

Standing beside me again, she asked Julian, “How much will that be for four tickets?”

“They’re ten dollars each.”

“So forty dollars,” she said. She hung the purse from her shoulder, reached in and took out her wallet. Head down, she flipped through the bills.

I caught Julian staring at the front of her shirt.

He has the hots for her, I realized. That’s why he’s breaking the rules.

“Shoot,” Lee muttered. “I don’t seem to have forty in cash.”

So that’s it, I thought. She never did plan to buy any tickets. I felt relieved, but also a little disappointed.

But then she said, “You wouldn’t happen to take checks, would you?”

“From you,” said Julian, “of course.”

So she hauled out her checkbook and a ballpoint pen. With a smile at me, she nudged my arm. I realized what