the threat, not me.”
“No,” Wade said. “Schelsteder is not a threat to us anymore. He got what he wanted. Lilly, he’ll leave you alone now. I say, let the two freaks fight it out.”
“Your parents gave their lives to keep the Pyramidion Statuette away from him . If Schelsteder finds it, that would mean they died for nothing.”
“Oh, come on,” Wade said. “Don’t fall for his shit.”
“I lost Schelsteder in the woods and was unable to retrieve the letter,” Ben said. “Wade read it, so maybe we can work together and figure out what it said.”
Wade said, “Too bad I don’t remember a word of it.”
If he read it, Lilly knew he’d remember what it said. He remembered everything. Maybe they had a chance of finding the statuette before Schelsteder.
“If not, at least allow me to explain who I am and why my journey is so important,” Ben said. “I don’t want you to think of me as a monster.”
Her resolve melted completely to the touch of his hand on her arm. “I don’t,” she heard herself whisper.
“Lilly,” Wade pleaded. “Can we please get out of here?” He had lowered the gun to his side.
Lilly’s heart sank knowing that the fear and worry on his face was for her, and she tried to ignore his sigh of relief as she walked toward him. She stood in front of him, the trees rustling in the soft wind, and found the courage to say the words that she knew he wouldn’t want to hear. “Let’s hear him out. I’m confused and tired and scared but nothing’s really changed. My parents died to keep that pyramidion out of that guy’s hands, and now he has the letter.”
Wade put his hand to his mouth and moved it down to rest on his throat. “What are you doing? I know what I saw. I know how crazy ridiculous I sound, but you heard him yourself. He said the bullets wouldn’t hurt him! He is a monster. I... I don’t even believe in this sort of supernatural stupid crap, but I have a really really bad feeling about this guy. Why can’t you trust me?”
“I know. I know. All I’m asking is for you to hear him out. Afterwards, if you still don’t trust him, you don’t have to tell him anything. I promise, I won’t ask anything else of you.” She did give it some thought before saying the words, but if ever she needed his desire to please her… “For me?”
“What’s to stop him from doing that,” he pointed the gun at the dead guy on the ground, “to us?”
“Well, I think if he wanted to hurt us, he already would have. I really think he needs our help.”
“Whatever you want, Lilly,” Wade said no longer accepting her eye contact. “I give up. Can we at least get out of this dark, secluded park?”
***
Lilly scooted into the booth at the 24-hour diner. Wade immediately sat beside her, placing an apple and his pocketknife on the table. As Ben sat down across from them, Lilly couldn’t help but wonder if his face had always been so radiant; his eyes even seemed to sparkle. The thought that maybe it was because he had actually drunk that man’s blood made her drop her focus to the table. I’m letting Wade’s imagination get to me.
“All right, Dracula,” Wade said as soon as they gave their drink order. “What’s the deal? Why should I tell you what was in that letter?”
“What I seek is not only important to me but to mankind.”
Wade gave a low laugh and put his arm on the back of the chair behind Lilly. “Stop with the drama already, or I’m out of here.”
“First,” Ben said to Lilly, “I want to tell you who I am and how I came to be. My birth name is Ballahiram. I was born a king and adored as a deity by my people. I ruled Gubla until 2360 BC—”
“Gubba? BC?” Wade turned to Lilly. “Can you believe this guy? He doesn’t really expect us to believe he’s what? 5,000 years old? And a king, no less.”
Lilly said, “You’re the one who’s been trying to convince me that he’s a vampire, remember. Vampires do live
“No,” Wade said. “Schelsteder is not a threat to us anymore. He got what he wanted. Lilly, he’ll leave you alone now. I say, let the two freaks fight it out.”
“Your parents gave their lives to keep the Pyramidion Statuette away from him . If Schelsteder finds it, that would mean they died for nothing.”
“Oh, come on,” Wade said. “Don’t fall for his shit.”
“I lost Schelsteder in the woods and was unable to retrieve the letter,” Ben said. “Wade read it, so maybe we can work together and figure out what it said.”
Wade said, “Too bad I don’t remember a word of it.”
If he read it, Lilly knew he’d remember what it said. He remembered everything. Maybe they had a chance of finding the statuette before Schelsteder.
“If not, at least allow me to explain who I am and why my journey is so important,” Ben said. “I don’t want you to think of me as a monster.”
Her resolve melted completely to the touch of his hand on her arm. “I don’t,” she heard herself whisper.
“Lilly,” Wade pleaded. “Can we please get out of here?” He had lowered the gun to his side.
Lilly’s heart sank knowing that the fear and worry on his face was for her, and she tried to ignore his sigh of relief as she walked toward him. She stood in front of him, the trees rustling in the soft wind, and found the courage to say the words that she knew he wouldn’t want to hear. “Let’s hear him out. I’m confused and tired and scared but nothing’s really changed. My parents died to keep that pyramidion out of that guy’s hands, and now he has the letter.”
Wade put his hand to his mouth and moved it down to rest on his throat. “What are you doing? I know what I saw. I know how crazy ridiculous I sound, but you heard him yourself. He said the bullets wouldn’t hurt him! He is a monster. I... I don’t even believe in this sort of supernatural stupid crap, but I have a really really bad feeling about this guy. Why can’t you trust me?”
“I know. I know. All I’m asking is for you to hear him out. Afterwards, if you still don’t trust him, you don’t have to tell him anything. I promise, I won’t ask anything else of you.” She did give it some thought before saying the words, but if ever she needed his desire to please her… “For me?”
“What’s to stop him from doing that,” he pointed the gun at the dead guy on the ground, “to us?”
“Well, I think if he wanted to hurt us, he already would have. I really think he needs our help.”
“Whatever you want, Lilly,” Wade said no longer accepting her eye contact. “I give up. Can we at least get out of this dark, secluded park?”
***
Lilly scooted into the booth at the 24-hour diner. Wade immediately sat beside her, placing an apple and his pocketknife on the table. As Ben sat down across from them, Lilly couldn’t help but wonder if his face had always been so radiant; his eyes even seemed to sparkle. The thought that maybe it was because he had actually drunk that man’s blood made her drop her focus to the table. I’m letting Wade’s imagination get to me.
“All right, Dracula,” Wade said as soon as they gave their drink order. “What’s the deal? Why should I tell you what was in that letter?”
“What I seek is not only important to me but to mankind.”
Wade gave a low laugh and put his arm on the back of the chair behind Lilly. “Stop with the drama already, or I’m out of here.”
“First,” Ben said to Lilly, “I want to tell you who I am and how I came to be. My birth name is Ballahiram. I was born a king and adored as a deity by my people. I ruled Gubla until 2360 BC—”
“Gubba? BC?” Wade turned to Lilly. “Can you believe this guy? He doesn’t really expect us to believe he’s what? 5,000 years old? And a king, no less.”
Lilly said, “You’re the one who’s been trying to convince me that he’s a vampire, remember. Vampires do live
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