Vampire Blues: Four Stories by J.R. Rain Page B

however, never looked back. Instead, he reached out for the shadowy hand that was reaching down for his, and took it. Judd ran alongside the slowing train, faster than he had ever run in his whole short life, the silver dog tags jingling inside his shirt like so much heart music. He looked up into the eyes that looked so much like his own, the cheek that looked like his, the chin that looked like his, even the crooked cleft. He held on for dear life to the desert camouflage-jacketed arm.
    “ Dad!” Judd screamed. “Dad!”
    “ Don’t get on the train with him!” Reggie screamed and was suddenly at Judd’s side, trying to pull Judd’s arm away from his father’s. “You get on that train and you ain’t never coming back, kid.”
    But Judd wasn’t listening. “Do you see it, Reggie? Do you see it?”
    The old vampire was keeping pace with him, looking both distraught and oddly curious. He was shaking his great head. “No, dammit. Now get back here, kid. Let go of whatever it is you’re holding.”
    “ Dad?” asked Judd, still running to keep up. “Dad, is it really you?”
    “ It ain’t your dad, kid. It’s Death. And it’s come for you.”
    “ No. It’s my pops.”
    Still holding the camouflaged hand, the old man next to him did something unexpected and terrifying. He grabbed Judd’s arm. Grabbed it hard and pulled. He also did something else, he reached forward, grabbing what Judd was holding...his father’s hand.
    “ Show yourself, goddammit!” yelled Reggie.
    And with a final heave, Judd found himself rolling, tumbling head over ass over the gravel. Next to him, Reggie thudded as well. And next to Reggie...was someone else.
    Judd didn’t even realize how loud he was screaming until the train screeched to a halt and the man in the camo jacket wrapped his big arms around him and wept as if his heart was breaking. Only it was being unshattered, moment by moment.
     
    * * *
     
    Reggie stood and dusted himself off. He was quite certain that someone, or something, had appeared out of nowhere. He had just spotted the full-grown man in desert fatigues lying on the ground when he spotted something else. Something that no one could miss.
    Rising above, spewing steam high into the air, as big as iron mountain, was an old-time locomotive.
    Reggie had lived a long, long time, and there wasn’t much that surprised him these days. Which is why his jaw dropped, which is why he gazed in wonder.
    “ Son-of-a-bitch.”
     
    * * *
     
    “ It’s you, Judd. My boy!” the man cried joyfully, then looked around as if realizing where he was for the first time. “But I don’t know who I am, or where I am.” He looked back at Judd, and his confused frown turned into a smile. “But I know who you are, dammit. I have your baby picture...and nothing else to my name.”
    “ Dad,” said Judd, crawling forward, ignoring the many cuts and nicks from his tumble over the gravel. “I know who you are. And Mom knows who you are, too.”
    “ Where do I live?” the man said.
    “ With us, Dad. With us.” He didn’t let go of the man’s hand. He thought his heart would burst with faith, with love, with joy.
    A conductor with glowing eyes came to the open vestibule of the shimmering train, looked at them and said authoritatively, “At every stop, there must be one boarding passenger. One of you must board. All aboard ! ” he called out.
    “ No!” Judd shouted. “No!” He looked anxiously at his father who gave him a sad smile.
     
    * * *
     
    Reggie didn’t know why he could suddenly see the steaming locomotive, but he knew what he had to do. He’d lived long enough in this godforsaken shack. He’d lived long enough on mice and rats and other filthy critters.
    But he knew what was right and what was wrong. The man with his boy was right . The boy hugging his pops and weeping into his shoulders was right .
    “ All aboard!”
    Reggie stepped forward and raised his hand in a silent salute. The soldier on the