Page 12 of My Road Trip with a Vampire: Season One
He pulls the car over to the side of the road, the place where the old railroad bridge used to be. As expected, there are two other cars here. Horny teenager haven.
Dennis puts the car in park and turns to look at me.
“You’re free to go if you choose. But I need you to give me this one chance to show you this is legit. Tell me now if you want to go home before our first job together, and I’ll compel you and your mother. Neither of you will remember a thing about meeting me.”
I consider it for a moment. I’m in a car with a very handsome, very dangerous stranger. It’s pretty much a nightmare, but I don’t feel scared. I feel excited. A logical response automatically bubbles in my throat, but I swallow it down.
I don’t feel like being logical tonight. And I’m not sure I want to forget.
“Show me it’s legit, old man.”
Dennis gets out first, and before I can even unbuckle he’s opening my door for me. I glance around at the teenagers parked nearby. They’re too preoccupied with kissing in the front seat to notice how fast he just moved.
“Which version of the legend did you learn growing up here?” he asks, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.
I consider for a moment that maybe he’s compelling me. But no, I’m just a sucker for anyone who looks that good in leather.
I blow on my hands to keep them warm, and Darling hangs back near the car. She doesn’t like it here.
“I’ve heard at least three different variations of the story. The only thing that always stays the same is that you’re supposed to park your car here and wait for something scary to happen.”
“Like what?” He starts walking toward the line of trees, his boots crunching over leaves. I don’t believe this particular story has merit, but that doesn’t make me feel any better about wandering around in the dark with someone who could very well be luring me to my death.
“Like leaves rustling or strange lights. If you roll your windows down, you’re supposed to hear screaming. Some people say you might see a creature.”
He stops walking.
“A creature?”
“Yeah, something big and hairy. I think kids get their urban legends mixed up. As I said, the whole Suscon Screamer thing is probably bullshit.”
I like to operate on facts. Sure, hauntings are hard to prove, but digging through the right sources at the library can make the task easier. I’ve never come across any evidence that the Suscon Screamer is based on anything real, and believe me, I’ve spent the last few years scouring my local history for spirits that might need to be put to rest. I’ve considered it my passion project ever since the accident.
“Not everything supernatural runs on logic, dear Beatrice.”
“Obviously. I don’t think either of us would be talking to each other right now if that was the case—”
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
My sentence is cut off by a high-pitched scream.Suscon Screamer.My heart slams against my ribs in a four-syllable rhythm.
“Shh,” Dennis grips my arm, steadying me as I scan the nearby area for any signs that a ghost is nearby.
A car door slams across the road, and a slim figure bolts towards the woods, a copper ponytail trailing behind her. Not a ghost, but a teenager.
“Fuck,” Dennis mutters. “A complication.”
8
SUSCON SCREAMER: PART 2
Iwatch the girl race toward the treeline and make a quick decision to go after her. Ghost hunting always has me flying by the seat of my pants.
I lunge in her direction, but Dennis grips my arm. His hold is strong, too strong to be human. I should have noticed it before.
“One second,” he whispers, but I’ve still got my eye on the girl. “She might be safer over there.”
“What?”
