The Vampire Blog by Pete Johnson Page B

just don’t think you’ve got any horror in your blood.’
    â€˜You’d be surprised,’ I murmured.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜Nothing,’ I said quickly. ‘So there’s no chance of me joining Monsters in School then?’
    â€˜Absolutely none right now,’ she said. ‘Our standards are very high though.’ Then she added unexpectedly, ‘But keep practising.’
    Saturday 13 October
9.00 p.m.
    You know how the air feels thick and heavy just before a massive thunderstorm breaks out? Well, that’s exactly how my house feels tonight. A very strange atmosphere, just as if something’s about to happen. Something big.
    Sunday 14 October
11.30 p.m.
    It’s happened.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Sunday 14 October
11.33 p.m.
    Earlier, I’d fallen asleep surprisingly quickly. I think I just wanted to get today over with. But then I jumped awake. I’d heard something, a kind of rustling sound as if a bird had flown in here by mistake. And now it was roosting right in the darkest, most shadowy part of my room.
    How could a bird get in here? That was nonsense. Something was here though. I was sure of it. I was surprisingly calm about it too. Maybe because I was still only half awake.
    I leaned forward. ‘Er, hey,’ I called. Don’task me why I said that. I certainly never expected a reply. But that’s exactly what happened.
    A voice said, ‘Now, don’t be afraid, everything will be all right.’
    A voice I recognized instantly. ‘Dad, where are you – look, I’m going to put a light on.’
    â€˜No, don’t do that,’ said Dad, so fiercely I froze.
    Nothing happened for a moment, except my whole room sort of shivered. And then something came flapping out of the shadows. Only it wasn’t a bird.
    It was a bat. The biggest one I’d ever seen. It swirled and whirled above my head – and came tumbling out of the air and straight towards me. For a second I saw the flash of burning red eyes and then it landed on my neck. It felt surprisingly soft and furry. But I really didn’t want it hanging onto me.
    â€˜Dad,’ I called. Where was he when I needed him? ‘Get this thing off me, will you?’ Dad didn’t say a word. In fact, the only sound I heard was a kind of slurping noise. The bat obviously thought it was feeding time. I tried to pull it off my neck, butsuddenly it was as if all my energy was being sucked away. I couldn’t even move my arm. In fact, I could hardly even speak.
    â€˜Dad, help … help,’ I stuttered.
    I must have passed out then, but only for a few seconds, because when I came to again, the bat was still there. It was hovering just over my head as if getting ready for another feast. I could hear its breath hissing slightly and on its mouth were beads of bright red blood: my blood.
    I was so angry now that I found the energy to snarl, ‘This restaurant is closed, so don’t you dare come flapping near me again.’
    And instantly the bat vanished. It was as if I’d chanted a magic spell. I couldn’t believe it. And instead there was just my dad leaning over me and looking all concerned.
    â€˜Dad, there was this bat …’ I began. ‘And it …’ But my voice fell away. I gazed up at my dad in total horror. Tiny specks of blood were there on his lips now.
    â€˜That bat was you ,’ I cried, ‘wasn’t it?’
    â€˜I’m very sorry, Ved,’ said Dad, wiping his lips with his hankie. ‘But you see …’ He hesitated.
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜I had to blood you.’
    â€˜Blood me?’ I yelled. I thought he’d gone crazy. Yes, all parents were weird but mine really were total loonies. I tried to get out of bed.
    â€˜No, don’t move yet.’
    But I ignored this and stumbled to my feet. I wanted to see what had happened to me. I tried to look at myself in the mirror, only it was like