Bailey Gets Stuck

Bailey walked down the hallway to the elevator and hit the triangle shaped "up" button on the wall. It immediately glowed orange and she tapped her foot as she waited for the ding that would signal her ride had arrived.

It came in only a few seconds and the two silver doors slid open to reveal the small wood paneled room that was the elevator. Bailey stepped in and pushed the 5 button. Right as the doors began to close she heard a voice call out, "Hold the elevator!"

Looking at the panel of buttons, she quickly pressed down on the one that held the doors open for a few seconds longer. A young woman in a long black rain jacket with hood that covered most of her face walked quickly toward the elevator and hopped in right as the doors began to close again.

 "Thanks," she said, pushing back the hood revealing a beautiful pale face framed by shoulder length black hair. 

 "No problem," Bailey said with a polite smile. "I guess it's raining again?" she asked, making note of the girl's jacket that was covered in drops of water.

 "Yes it started right as I left my house," the girl told her. 

 "That's a shame," Bailey said with a sigh. "I hate dark rainy days like this. I could barely get out of bed when my alarm went off because it still looked light night time outside. These are the kind of days where I just don't want to go out." 

  The girl in the rain jacket scoffed. "These are the only kind of days where I go out."

 "But wouldn't you rather go out in the sun when it's nice and warm?" 

 "Not as much as you might think," the girl said with a grimace. "Sometimes I-"

 The girl's sentence was interrupted by the elevator making a loud grinding noise. It shook roughly a couple times and then came to an abrupt stop causing Bailey to lose her balance and fall against the wall.

 "What was that?" she asked nervously. "Are we at our floor?" 

 "I'm pretty sure we aren't or the doors would be opening," the girl in the raincoat pointed out. "I think we are stuck." 

  "Stuck?" Bailey squealed in a panic. "We can't be stuck. I have to get to work!" 

  "Relax," the girl said. "We just have to push this "help" button and they will send someone to fix the elevator." 

 The girl extended one long slim finger from the sleeve of her jacket and pushed the red button labeled "Help." There was the sound of a telephone ringing and a woman's voice asked if everything was ok.

 "No it's not ok!" Bailey exclaimed at her. "Get us out of here!"

 "Oh my goodness, go stand in the corner and calm yourself down," the girl in the raincoat said, pushing Bailey to the side and stepping up to the panel. 

 "We are stuck somewhere between the first and fifth floor."

 "I am very sorry about that, I will send the building superintendent to fix this immediately," said the voice. 

 "Thank you," the girl responded politely. The voice was silent and she turned around to face Bailey who was on the floor with her legs pulled up to her chest rocking back and forth. The girl rolled her eyes.

 "You are being ridiculous. We are going to be out of here in a few minutes and you can tell your boss what happened and why you were late. She will understand." 

 "No she won't," Bailey argued. "She is very strict, especially with me. I could tell her there was an earthquake on my way to work and she'd tell me I should have left earlier to avoid it."

 "Well she sounds delightful," the girl said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "Why do you put up with being treated that way?"

 "Because she's my boss," Bailey said, as if it were obvious. 

 "So what? Just because she employs you doesn't mean she gets to disrespect you." 

 Bailey looked up at the girl silently pondering her words as if she'd never thought of that before.

 "Do you work in this building too? Are you going to be late?"

 "I don't exactly work here but I do have what you could call a business relationship with some guys on the upper floors."

 "Wow I've never been any higher than the fifth floor. You must be really important if they let you up there. What's your name?"

 "Darby," said the girl, extended her pale hand from her raincoat sleeve.

 "I'm Bailey," said Bailey, reaching her arm up from the floor. Darby rolled her eyes again and reached down to shake it. 

 "So about this boss of yours. If you want I can have a little talk with her when we get out of here. I promise she will be nicer to you in the future if I do." 

 Bailey looked up at Darby with wide eyes. 

"Oh no you can't do that! I will be fired for sure." 

Darby laughed. 

"No you won't. In fact she may even decide you deserve a new desk and a nicer computer." 

"You really don't need to do that," Bailey assured her, rising to her feet and waving her hands to emphasize her point.

"Relax," Darby said, slipping her arm around Bailey's shoulders. "I have a very persuasive way with people." 

 Bailey opened her mouth to protest but just then the elevator lurched and began to move up again. In a few seconds it stopped, there was a loud ding and the doors opened to a floor labeled "5." 

 "Well here we are," Darby announced proudly as if she were the one who had fixed the elevator. "Show me the way to your office and this grouchy boss of yours." 

"That really isn't necessary," Bailey assured her. "I-"

"Show me," Darby snapped, cutting off the rest of Bailey's comment. She nodded timidly and lead the way down the hall to the double glass doors leading into her office suite. Darby followed behind her and Bailey took her through the maze of desks to her boss's office. 

"Sorry I was late. We got stuck in the elevator and-" 

"No excuses," Miss Lawson snapped. "You are twenty minutes late. And who is this person? You brought a friend to work with you today?" 

 Before Bailey could say anything Darby stepped forward and looked Miss Lawson in the eyes across her desk.

"My name is Darby and you're going to listen to me for a minute." 

 Miss Lawson started to stand up but Darby stepped around the desk and pushed her back into her chair. 

"You're going to treat Bailey with more respect from now on," she said firmly, not breaking eye contact with Bailey's boss. Miss Lawson looked up at Darby as if in a trance, her eyes wide and unblinking.

 "What are you doing?" Bailey asked, taking a step back from the desk. Darby ignored her.

 "You are not going to yell at her for being late today. In fact from now on you are going to praise her for all the work she does and you're going to replace her desk and computer with new ones." 

  Darby paused and looked over her shoulder. Bailey was cowering in the corner much like she had moments ago in the elevator.

 "Anything else you want?" she asked. 

 "I've always wanted a plant to put on my desk." Darby nodded.

"And a plant," she said, turning back to Miss Lawson. "These are my instructions to you. Have I made myself clear?" 

  Miss Lawson's mouth hung open and she nodded. 

"Good. Have a nice day." Darby turned on her heel and walked to the door. Bailey followed her.

"What just happened in there?" she hissed, as Darby made her way back through the desk maze toward the glass double doors.

"I just made your life a lot better," Darby said, none too modestly. "You're welcome." 

"Th-thank you," Bailey said, still not convinced if what she'd just witnessed was real.

"Now I have to get to my business on the higher floors. It was nice to meet you. Have a good day," Darby said, pushing a door open and stepping back into the hall. Bailey waved after her, her mouth hanging open just as Miss Lawson's had. 

 A moment later her boss's door opened.

"Bailey can you come in here please? I'd like to talk to you about replacing your computer and desk."

  Darby pushed open the creaky wooden door and descended the steps into the dark basement. She could hear the gentle sounds of classical music playing from an old stereo and smell the scent of pipe tobacco. 

  "You know, smoking that too much will give you cancer," she said with a grim smile to the vampire who sat in a high backed wooden chair in the middle of the basement. He smiled back at her and blew a puff of smoke in her face. 

  "I'll take the risk," he told her. "Did you deliver my message to Mr. Smith and Mr. Harrison?" 

  Darby nodded sitting down on a wooden stool across from the pipe smoking vampire.

  "I did. They said they would have your money by the end of the week."

  "They better," he said, running his long fingernails up and down the arms of his chair. "Or they may not live to see next week."

  "I met someone too," Darby said, crossing her legs and leaning her elbow on the top one. 

  "Oh? Does Darby have a new love interest now? Should I let the boy toy out of his room?"

  "No, nothing like that. This one's a girl and I think she needs me."

  "Oh Darby. Always the saintly vampire. Trying to save the world one pathetic human at a time."

  "Yes but this one is extra pathetic," she said, remembering how Bailey had almost been in tears over a stopped elevator. 

  "And what are your plans for her?" 

  "I'm not sure yet," Darby admitted, looking into the distance as if she were picturing Bailey's future and her in it.

  "Well do what you want but it better not interfere with your work."

  Darby brushed him off with a wave of her hand.

  "Oh Stephen, you know nothing will stop me from getting my work done. This girl is important but you come first."

  Darby rose from her stool and planted a brief kiss with her ruby red lips on the vampire's pale cheek.

 "I'm going to go have some fun with the boy. He should be healed enough from yesterday's session by now. If I'm still hungry maybe I'll go out hunting."

  Stephen shrugged touching the very tips of his dirty blonde hair with his shoulders that were covered in a long dark red dress shirt. 

 "Whatever makes you happy. If you go out hunting, bring me something back. I'm thinking O negative or A positive tonight." 

   Darby laughed. "I'll see what I can do." 

Re-Cap

For anyone's who has been following this blog you may have come across stories about Darby and Bailey. They are not all in order so I am listing the links chronologically here so that anyone reading can read them all in order.
Tell me what you think! New stories will be coming out soon. :)

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-babysitter.html
  This is the story where we first meet Darby.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2015/11/baileys-keys.html
  This is the story where we first meet Bailey.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-dinner-date.html
   In this story, Darby goes on a date.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/01/bailey-needs-some-change.html
   This story tells us a little more about Bailey's life and job.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/03/darby-has-job-interview.html
   In this story, Darby interviews for a job and things get a little weird.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/03/margaret-are-you-sure-this-is-good-idea.html
  This story is a flashback to an important event in Darby's life.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-party.html
   This story is a flashback to Bailey's college days.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/darby-and-daniel.html
   This story is a flashback in Darby's life.

http://melswritingcorner.blogspot.com/2016/07/baileys-break-up.html
    This story is a flashback to a hard day in Bailey's life.

I'm excited to keep telling these stories and hopefully introduce some new characters soon!

The Drawings

Micayla knocked loudly on the dark green door. The raging wind blew rain against her back and she pulled the hood of her jacket tighter around her face.
"I can't believe I already damaged my new car," she thought to herself. "Dad is going to kill me."
 Her thoughts were interrupted by an older man opening the door. He had thick white hair, glasses that perched at the end of his nose and he wore a dark red button up shirt under a beige cardigan with khakis and loafers.
"Can I help you?" he said, struggling to raise his voice over the storm.
"Yes. My name is Micayla and my car hit a pothole and blew a tire right there by that big tree ," she explained, pointing as if the old man would easily be able to see her black car through the darkness of the night.
"I don't have a spare so I tried to call a tow truck but my cell phone doesn't get service out here. I was hoping you might have a land line I can use."
"Of course, please come in," the old man invited, opening the door wider. Micayla stepped in and wiped her feet on the rug.
"I can't tell you how many people have hit that pothole," the old man said. "And most of them end up on my front porch just like you did."
"Oh wow, I'm sorry," Micayla answered, pulling her now soaking wet hood off her head and smoothing down her hair.
"That must get annoying."
"Not at all," the old man said, shaking his head. "I don't get many visitors out here in the boonies so it's nice when someone can drop by. Although I'd prefer it be under better circumstances."
"As do I," Micayla agreed. "Is your phone in here?" she asked, looking around the front room. A couch covered in blue and white fabric sat against one wall across from a small television. There was a fireplace at the other end of the room and many pictures of people Micayla did not recognize sat on the mantle.
"No the phone is in the kitchen," the old man said, gesturing down a short hallway. Micayla followed him into the kitchen which seemed even smaller than the modest room they had just left.
"It's hanging up right there," he said, pointing to the wall next to the sink. Micayla walked over to the phone.
"Do you know the number for the tow company?" the old man asked. Micayla giggled.
"I memorized the number for Roadside Towing from their corny radio commercials," she admitted. The old man smiled.
"They do have a great jingle. But I would recommend Ed's Towing company. They charge less and they get here faster."
"Oh well thanks but I don't know the number for them and Roadside was fine last summer when my brother got a flat tire out here."
  The old man's smile morphed into a frown, his thick gray eyebrows almost coming to a point on the bridge of his nose.
"Ed's is better," he said gruffly. "I have the number written on the fridge and I really think you should use it."
 Micayla was surprised at the change in his manner. All this fuss over a tow truck?
"Ok, if you have the number I suppose I can use Ed's Towing," she conceded, picking up the phone receiver and walking it across the room to the fridge where the number hung on a notecard.
"Well Ed is on his way with the truck now," she said a few moments later, placing the phone back in its holder on the wall.
"Would it be a huge trouble if I stayed here till Ed come? He said it would only be thirty minutes and not to sound like a baby but it's scary out there in the dark and the rain."
"No trouble at all," the old man said. "In fact I just put on a kettle for some tea."
"Oh that's very nice of you, thank you," Micayla said.
"I'm sorry I can't offer you any dry clothes," the man said, looking her up and down. "You're much shorter than me so anything I have would just hang off of you. But I could at least put your jacket in the dryer if you'd like."
"That would be lovely, thank you." Micayla said, taking off her wet jacket and handing it to the man.
"No problem at all," he replied, grasping it in one wrinkly hand. "I'll be right back."
Micayla watched him walk away, then looked around the kitchen. It was simple like the living room: white walls, a white fridge, small metal sink and a few odds and ends on the counters. There was a window across from her covered by dark blue curtains. Micayla walked over to it and pushed one aside peering out into the darkness.
 She assumed the window looked out over the backyard but there was no light so it was impossible to tell. She was about to let go of the curtain when a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. Out of the corner of her eye, Micayla caught sight of the yard. It was mostly grass with a few trees and in one corner next to a wooden fence there was a cluster of tiny white crosses sticking out of the ground.
 "Not much to see back there," the man's voice said suddenly. Micayla released the curtain and whirled around, startled. The man stood in the kitchen, his mouth set in a hard line, his eyes looking as if he could see right through her.
 "No I know," Micayla answered. "Your porch light must be burned out. I did see some crosses out there though."
 "Yeah I've buried some pets out there over the years," the old man replied, walking to a cupboard and pulling out two mugs. He set them down on the counter by the stove where the tea kettle was beginning to whistle and pulled two bags out of a canister.
"Would you mind if I used your bathroom?" Micayla asked. The old man stared at her silently for a moment, then smiled.
"It's down that hallway to the left," he said, pointing.
"Thanks," Micayla said. She walked down the hall and quickly came to the open bathroom door. When she emerged moments later, wiping her wet hands on her pants for lack of a towel, she noticed drawings hanging on both walls of the hallway. They were detailed sketches done with colored pencil. Each one had a similar setting, a man or woman asleep on a chair or a sofa. In the corner of each picture in elegant calligraphy was the name, Simon Plott.
 "Are those your drawings?" Micayla asked, as she walked back into the kitchen. "Are you Simon?" The old man nodded.
"Forgive me, I neglected to introduce myself. My name is Simon and yes those are my drawings."
"They're very good," Micayla praised. "I did notice a theme also. It seemed that all of the people in the pictures were asleep."
"Yes. I find it easier to paint people at rest. They do not move around," Simon explained, pouring hot water into the two mugs he had taken out. He lowered a tea bag gently into each one.
"Well what if they wake up? Would that not mess up you're picture?"
Simon gave her another long odd stare.
"They do not wake up," he said simply. "Tea?"
"Sure," Micayla said, taking a step toward the counter and reaching for a mug.
"That one is mine," Simon snapped, causing the girl to jump.
"This one is yours," he said more gently, pointing to the green mug. Micayla nodded and grabbed it by the handle, taking a long hot sip.
"Would you like to sit in the living room?
"Sure," Micayla said, turning and walking back down the short hallway to the front room. She took a seat on the blue and white couch and Simon sat across from her.
"So what brought you out here tonight?" he asked, settling in and crossing one long leg over the other.
"Well I was on my way to Smithville. My friend Joey got a great new job today and he invited me and some other friends to go have drinks to celebrate. I'm really happy for him and I'm upset now that I'm going to be late. I should have been paying more attention to the road."
"These country roads are poorly lit and it's even more dangerous when they're wet. But you'll be fine. Ed will be here any minute."
"I hope so. Are you and Ed friends?"
"You could say that I guess. I don't really have many friends. A few years ago I had a dog named Isabelle but she is gone now. Only pet I ever had but she was a darn good one."
 Micayla wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. Hadn't Simon said he buried multiple pets in the backyard? Surely Isabelle, as good a pet as she was, did not merit an entire hillside of tiny crosses.
"You should drink your tea while it's still hot," Simon suggested, just as Micayla was about to question him yet again about the crosses.
"Oh of course. It's very good," she complimented. She took another sip and yawned.
"I have to say it is making me a bit sleepy."
"So you like my drawings?" Simon asked, changing the subject abruptly.
"Yes," Micayla answered. "I'm not much of an artist myself but I do love to admire others' work."
 She took another sip from her mug.
"In a few minutes I might make a good subject for one of your pictures," she said with a weak laugh. "I think I am about to fall asleep. What did you put in this tea?"
"It's my own special concoction," Simon told her. "Don't worry. I'll make sure Ed finds your car when he gets here."
"Well be sure to wake me up when he arrives. I want to get to Smithville as soon as possible."
Simon smiled.
"Don't you remember what I told you about the people in my drawings? They don't wake up."

   There was a knock on the front door and Simon rose from his chair to answer it.
"Ed, I was wondering when you would get here," he said, upon opening the door. "Come on in."
  Ed, also an older man but not as tall or with as much hair as Simon, stepped inside.
"I had to drive extra slow. These wet roads are tricky even for a big truck like mine."
 He looked over at the couch where Micayla lay still.
"I'm guessing it's her car I'll be destroying?"
"Yes sir. She was about to call Roadside but I convinced her to give you a ring instead."
Ed laughed and shook his head.
"Oh this game we play. You have a cross ready for her?" Simon nodded.
"I hope this rain lets up soon. I want to get her in the ground as soon as possible."
The two men stood in the living room staring at the lifeless girl on the couch.
"Do they feel any pain?" Ed asked, almost sounding sad.
"No, I've told you before they don't feel anything," Simon snapped. "I wanted to make sure of that and that's why I tried out the tea on Isabelle first."
 He punched his friend lightly on the arm.
"Now enough with the questions. Go take care of her car. I'll get out my pencils."

Bailey's Break-Up

"Do you want some lemonade?" Bailey called to Matt who sat at the dining room table. She looked in the fridge for the pitcher her mother always kept full of the sweet tasty drink during the summer.
"Yeah that's fine," Matt said simply. Bailey grabbed the handle of the frosty glass pitcher and pulled it from the top shelf of the fridge. Setting it on the kitchen island, she took two blue cups from the cupboard and filled them both.
"Here ya go, babe," she said with a big smile, handing Matt his cup and sitting down next to him. She took a sip from her cup, then set it down on the table.
"So what do you wanna do tonight?" Bailey asked, putting her hand on top of Matt's. "Should we go see a movie? I think that new zombie one is out. Or we could go to the skating rink. You were such a good teacher last time. I'm doing a lot better."
  Bailey looked expectantly at Matt waiting for him to praise her rollerskating which had dramatically improved. Instead he gave her a blank stare and sighed.
"I don't think I want to go out tonight," he answered.
"Well we can stay in then," Bailey suggested. "We'll just order a movie on demand and make some popcorn. My brother has basketball practice tonight and both my parents are working late so we will have the house to ourselves."
 Bailey smiled and winked at Matt. They had been alone together many times since they started dating and yet Matt still had not kissed her. But she felt confident tonight would be the night.
"I'm not sure you understood what I meant," Matt said, squirming in his chair. "I want to go out tonight, just not with you."
  Bailey's face changed from an excited smile to a look of confusion.
"So you want to hang out with the guys tonight? Well that's fine. You and I can do breakfast. Do you like pancakes? I know this great breakfast place that just opened up and they make-"
"Bailey, no," Matt interrupted, taking his hand out from under hers.
"I don't want to go out with you tonight or tomorrow for breakfast or at all. I don't want to see you anymore."
  Bailey sat staring at Matt, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"Are you breaking up with me?"
"Yes," Matt told her. "I am sorry but I like someone else."
  Bailey felt her eyes begin to water. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her lemonade.
"Who is it? Is it someone I know?" she asked, struggling to control her shaking voice.
"Well if you really want to know, it's Hannah."
"Hannah?" Bailey whimpered, feeling tears threaten again. "The girl who has bullied me since sixth grade? The girl who keeps telling me I'll never get into a good college?"
"I know you two don't get along," Matt admitted. "But she really is a nice person and-"
"Is it because she has contacts and I still have my glasses?" Bailey cut in. "Cause my mom promised me contacts for a graduation gift. I'm just waiting for her to make the appointment."
 Matt raised an eyebrow.
"It has nothing to do with eyewear," he told her. "You and I just don't click in the same way I do with Hannah. She gets me. She likes the same movies as me and we both play the same video games."
"I played video games with you too!" Bailey insisted.
"You had to ask me every other second which button to push. Hannah knows what she's doing and sometimes she even beats my score."
  Matt looked off into the distance as if picturing Hannah with the controller in her hands and the TV screen displaying her superior score.
"And that's hot," he said dreamily.
Bailey sat deflated in her chair watching drops of condensation roll down the side of the lemonade pitcher that still sat on the island.
"So that's it then? It's just over? Because Hannah is better at video games than me?"
"Well it's not just that that I like about her. But yes, you and me are done," Matt said matter of factly, finishing his lemonade in one big gulp. He burped loudly and looked at Bailey seemingly oblivious to her feelings of heartbreak.
"But what am I supped to do without you?" Bailey asked, desperation creeping into her voice. "Who will I text in the middle of the night when I can't sleep? Who will I talk to about all my hopes and dreams? Who's going to tell me I'm beautiful when I come to school in the morning?"
 Matt looked at her and shrugged.
"I dunno. Darren? Taylor?" he suggested.
"My cousin? And my best girl friend? They're supposed to take your place?" Bailey shot back, incredulous.
"Look I don't know, Bailey. I'm sorry that this sucks for you but there is nothing between us. What we had was fun while it lasted but it's not going anywhere. So thanks for the lemonade but I need to head out. Hannah and I are meeting some of her friends at the park to play soccer."
"You already made plans with her today?" Bailey screeched, standing up suddenly and knocking against the table. Her glass of lemonade toppled over and sticky yellow liquid spread across the table.
"Yes," Matt said, standing up also and feeling nervous at the crazy look in Bailey's eyes.
"Have you kissed her too? Have you guys kissed?" she wanted to know.
"Yes we kissed on Saturday in my car."
"You never kissed me," Bailey said, tears streaming down her face now. "Not once. I deserve a kiss. Kiss me right now!" she demanded. She took a step toward Matt and he backed away.
"I'm not going to kiss you," he told her. "We just broke up."
"I deserve a kiss. One kiss," she said, shoving her red tearstained face at his.
"Dude seriously, get away from me. I am not kissing you. And there's spilled lemonade all over your table and the floor."
"I don't care about the lemonade. I want you. I want a boyfriend!" Bailey cried, aware that she sounded like a three year old having a tantrum. But she did not care. Matt could not leave her. Not now. And not for Hannah.
"I really hope you find a boyfriend," Matt told her. "But it's not going to be me. I have to go."
  He turned and walked to the door, Bailey close on his heels.
"Please don't do this, Matt. I need you. I love you."
  Matt stopped in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob.
"Bailey, we dated for three weeks. You don't love me," he said, turning to face her. He reached a hand up and pushed her hair back from her face.
"Now go order a movie and make your popcorn and forget about me." He kissed the tips of his fingers and put them against her wet cheek.
"Bye, Bailey."
 And before she could say anything, he was gone.
Bailey stared at the door for several minutes after he left, the only sound in the house was the ticking clock and drops of lemonade hitting the kitchen floor.
 She walked over to the table and picked up the cup that had held Matt's drink.
"He's really gone," she gasped, clutching the cup to her chest. Without thinking, she sank to the floor in the puddle of lemonade and cried.

Day at the Beach

"Is this a good spot?" David asked, tired from lugging the canvas bag full of towels, snacks and water bottles through the hot sand.
"This is perfect," said Lynn as she pulled her long blonde hair back into a ponytail. David set the bag down and Lynn grabbed the green and blue striped blanket off the top. Shaking it out, she laid it down on the sand setting her flip flops in one corner to keep it from blowing away.
 "It's so nice out here, I can't believe I've never been to this beach before," she commented to David as she pulled off her swimsuit cover-up.
 "It's not easy to see from the main road. I found it by mistake one night when I got lost driving home from a friend's house."
 "Well I'm glad you did," Lynn said, snuggling up to David as he sat down next to her. "It's the perfect spot for our second date."
 "And I brought the perfect second date snack," David told her, reaching his hand into the beach bag. Lynn looked at him in anticipation.
 "What's wrong?" she asked, as the look on his face went from pleased to concerned.
 "I think I left the snack at home. It was going to be so good too," David said with a sigh.
 "Well it's ok," Lynn said, leaning over David's lap to reach the bag. "I brought some gummy worms."
  "That is quite the healthy snack isn't it?" David said with a laugh. Lynn tore the bag open and shoved a red worm into her date's mouth.
  "Maybe not but at least I remembered to bring my snack," she teased. David grabbed a green worm and twirled it between his fingers.
  "Fair enough," he conceded.
  Twenty minutes and a bag of gummy worms later, Lynn and David laid on their green and blue striped beach towel soaking up the sun.
 "I love your freckles," David said, turning his head to notice the little brown dots sprinkled over Lynn's face.
 "Thanks," she said blushing slightly. "I've always been a little self conscious about them." '
 "Well I think they're beautiful. All of you is beautiful," David told her, reaching down to clasp her hand in his.
 "I would be honored to have dinner tonight with such a pretty girl."
 Lynn laughed and turned her head to face his.
 "Does that line work for you?" she asked.
 "You tell me."
 "Well I am pretty full from those gummy worms, but I think I might have enough room for dinner," Lynn answered. She rolled over onto her stomach and stuck her feet in the air.
 "Where are you taking me?"
 "Where would you like to go?" David asked, looking up at Lynn's excited face.
 "There's a great pasta place on Turner Street called Al Dente. I've only been there once and the food was delicious."
 "I went there one time with some friends and the food was really good. I'd love to take you there. But we should probably make a reservation. It's always busy at dinner time."
 "Sure thing, you can use my phone," Lynn offered, grabbing it out of the beach bag. She looked at the screen and frowned.
 "No service here. But I remember I sent a text when we were in the parking lot and it went through."
 "Well I'll go call them from the parking lot then," David offered, taking Lynn's phone and hopping to his feet.
 "And when I get back we will build the best sand castle this beach has ever seen."
 "That sounds great," Lynn said, slipping on her sunglasses and sitting up to watch the waves as David made his way to the parking lot.
 A moment later, Lynn noticed something moving next to her blanket. Looking closer she saw it was a light brown crab that had popped up out of the sand.
 "Ick," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Crabs are gross, go away." She scooped up some sand and tossed it at the crab.
 "Well that's quite rude," the crab retorted, taking a step closer to the blanket.
 "It's not rude, it's true. Your eyes look like they're just floating above your head and you run all crooked and sideways."
 "And I'm sure you look just like a graceful gazelle when you run," the crab shot back, rolling his floating eyes.
 "Just go away," Lynn said, tossing more sand at the crab. "I just wanna lay here and tan and not have to look at you."
 "To be fair, I was here first. You and your boyfriend kind of just crashed my front yard."
 "He's not my boyfriend," Lynn corrected the crab. "And maybe you were here first but I am bigger so you have to do what I say."
 "Begging your pardon miss, but I don't."
 "Well I'm just going to keep tossing sand at you till you leave," Lynn threatened, scooping up more sand and throwing it at the crab.
 "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the crab warned. "You're really testing my patience."
 "Ha, and what are you going to do about it?" Lynn wanted to know, still flinging sand.
 "Well I can't do very much by myself. But with a little help from my friends..."
 The crab let his sentence trail off and watched the look on Lynn's face change from gleeful to frightened as the sand around her began to move and dozens of seemingly floating eyes peeked out.
 "What is happening?" Lynn asked nervously, as the crabs emerged from the sand and began to scuttle toward her. The crab let out a malicious cackle.
 "You threw sand at the wrong crustacean, that's what. And now you will pay."

  David hung up the phone, pleased with himself for getting a reservation at a table by the window. This would be the first time he'd taken Lynn to dinner and he wanted everything to be perfect. He would wear the new shirt he had bought over the weekend and spray on the cologne of his that she seemed to like.
  Making his way back across the sand, he scanned the beach for Lynn but could not find her. The blanket and the basket were where he had left them but she had disappeared.
  "Lynn?" he called, turning around in a circle.
  "Lynn? Where are you? Are we playing a game?"
   He walked toward the water, a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. Had she tried to go for a swim and got caught in a tide? But he saw no sign of her in the waves.
  With a sigh he walked back to the blanket and flopped down. Maybe she really did not like him after all and had changed her mind about dinner.
   "She must hate me a lot to run away and leave her phone," David said out loud, setting Lynn's phone on the blanket.
   Suddenly he heard a tiny voice talking to him from the sand.
  "Perhaps I can be of some assistance," it said. David looked down and saw a little crab.
  "Did you see where she went?" he asked, hopeful.
  The crab smiled evilly. "I did indeed, sir."
  "Well where is she? Is she alright?"
  The crab shrugged.
  "That mostly depends on you at this point," he replied. "Tell me, how fast are you at digging?"

Darby and Daniel

  Darby walked down the dark city street, her small black purse swinging on its strap and gently hitting her side. After a long day of sleep she was ready for a night out on the town. Most of the girls she knew spent their evenings in bars hanging off of boys and angling for free cocktails but Darby was hoping for a different type of drink. It had been a couple days since she had fed and the hunger was starting to grow.
  "Lookin' good tonight, Miss," said a man walking past Darby. He looked her up and down nodding his head in approval of her sheer white blouse and knee length plaid skirt.
  "You don't look too bad yourself," Darby thought, running her tongue over her fangs and gazing longingly at the tan skin on his neck. But she knew she could do better. Young blood was what she was after tonight. Usually she could catch a guy on his way in or out of the bar, distract him for a few minutes and get him to follow her into a dark alley. She would never drink her victims dry and she would always make sure to put them somewhere they would be easily found. The biggest trick was disappearing before that happened.
  As Darby rounded a corner, she saw a group of people outside one of the bars she frequented. A group of young guys stood in the doorway in tight jeans or slacks that flared out at the bottom and girls surrounded them in small skirts and dresses, their long hair in braids or curls. They laughed and giggled at everything the guys said and found any excuse to touch them or get a little bit closer. Darby rolled her eyes. Even before she had turned she remembered being disgusted and annoyed by the flirty and clingy nature of many of the girls she knew. All they ever wanted to talk about was their latest crush or the cute boy they had seen at the market that day or the dress they were going to wear when they went out on Friday night.
  Darby could not have cared less if a boy looked at her or thought she was pretty. She had focused on her studies so she could get good grades and go to college. Now of course things were different but the only thing she considered boys useful for at this point was a good meal.
 As she approached the friendly giggling group in front of the bar, she sized up each one of the guys to determine which one could be easily distracted. They all seemed very intent on one of the short skirted flirty girls though and Darby decided she would have to look elsewhere.
  "Excuse me," she said, stepping to the side to pass the group. None of them heard her or paid any attention and she had to step onto the street to avoid walking into them. As she got back up on the sidewalk, the guys and girls turned to walk into the bar and Darby muttered a curse at their backs as she passed.
  "That's quite an ugly word for such a pretty lady," said a man's voice. Darby looked up and saw a guy leaning against the wall outside the bar. He looked to be about the same age as the ones who had just gone inside but unlike their combed and clean cut hair, his was long and and wavy. He wore the same flared pants with a white button up shirt and a vest. A cigarette rested between his thumb and forefinger and he smiled as he inhaled from it deeply. Darby recognized this kind of cigarette but it was not the same as the ones she used to smoke before she turned. This kind smelled differently and seemed to make people very hungry.
 "Shouldn't you be in there flirting like those other girls?" the guy asked.
 "Do I look like I want to spend my evening throwing myself at a man?" Darby asked, feeling slightly offended.
  The man pushed himself off the wall with his back and took a step toward her.
"Maybe you just haven't found the right man yet," he said, taking another hit from his cigarette.
  Darby raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down. She was definitely not interested in finding a suitor but if she was he would certainly need to be more well groomed than this man standing in front of her.
"I don't think you're quite my type," she said simply and dismissively. She turned to walk away but felt his hand clench around her wrist.
"Well you haven't really given me a chance, have you? he asked. Darby looked at his face now only inches away from her own.
"You shouldn't judge a man before you get to know him," he hissed. Darby felt his wrist tighten. It seemed he was not afraid to use force to get what he wanted.
 "That's fine," Darby thought. "I will let him think he is in control for a bit."
 She gave him a helpless wide eyed look and let her wrist go weak in his hand.
 "I did not mean to be rude of course," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I simply wanted to continue my walk."
  "Well why don't you walk with me over here," the young man suggested, his dark green eyes giving her a firm stare.
 "Of course," she said, in a timid voice, following as he pulled her into the dark alley next to the bar. When they were sufficiently covered by the dark shadows, he pushed her against the wall, threw his funny cigarette on the ground and smiled at her.
 "I'm glad you didn't follow those idiot guys into the bar. Now you can be all mine," he whispered in her ear, running his hand down her side and stopping on her hip. Darby wanted to vomit but she held it in and pretended to be frightened.
 "What are you going to do to me?"
 "Whatever I want, honey," the young man told her. "And you better keep quiet. Understand?"
  Darby nodded and the young man started to stroke her hair and kiss her cheek. She rolled her eyes. Was this why girls followed boys around like puppy dogs? So they would do this? What a waste of time.
 "Do you like that?" the young man asked.
 "Oh yes I do," Darby lied in a breathy voice. "Can I ask what your name is?"
 "Daniel," the young man said, wrapping his hands around Darby and sliding them down till they rested just above her bottom.
 "Well Daniel, I would like to do something for you too. Something I saw on a movie once. Do you mind?"
 The man's eyes lit up and he shook his head.
 "Not at all."
  Darby reached up with her pale white hands and folded Daniel's shirt collar down so his freckled neck was completely exposed.
  "I hope you enjoy this," she said with a sweet smile. An instant later her fangs came out and before Daniel could protest she had taken hold of his neck in her strong grip and bit down hard and deep until the blood ran warm into her mouth. She felt Daniel struggle for a moment and then his body began to go limp. She knew he was losing a lot of blood but she could not stop. She continued to gulp down more and more until finally Daniel could not stand and he collapsed on the ground. Darby knelt beside him, his face pale as he panted for breath. Usually she would stop feeding at this point and let her victim heal but she was not sure Daniel deserved such clemency.
 "Did you enjoy that?" she asked with an evil smile. Daniel weakly shook his head.
 "I am sorry, I guess that was more for my own pleasure. Perhaps I was not as easy a mark as you thought I would be. In your own words, you really shouldn't judge someone before you know them."
  Darby rubbed a finger across her fangs and smiled at the dark red stain on her skin.
"Who knows," she said, bringing her face down to meet his neck. "Someday it could cost you your life."

Snow

  Snow stood by the window holding Violet's apple with one bite missing waiting to see what would happen. At first she felt nothing.

  "Maybe it was all just a dream after all." 

  But a moment later her head began to spin. Collapsing onto her bed she closed her eyes and memories began to flow back to her. She saw her parents sick in their beds, King Roland coming to tell her the news that they had died, Queen Melania's angry face as the king gave Snow gift after gift of exquisite jewelry and elegant dresses. She saw the huntsman Tywin taking her into the woods on a tall black horse and leaving her under a tree with a basket of food. Then the dwarves were there helping her up and leading her back to their cabin.

  The next scene she saw made her breath catch in her throat. She was laying on the floor of their cabin surrounded by the dwarves and two old ladies dressed in all black chanting words and waving their hands over her head. Her eyes were open but she looked to be in a daze. After several minutes of chanting the witches clapped their hands together and she sat up, a smile on her face and greeted each dwarf with a smile and kiss. 

  Snow gasped and sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure each of the sleeping dwarves would hear it. Violet had been right about everything. The king, the huntsman, the curse. they were all real. She looked down the row of beds next to hers at each of the seven dwarves and felt a sense of disgust. Had she really shared their beds? Had she actually spent the last year of her life cooking and cleaning for men who did not love her at all and only wished to use her? 

 Snow lay down on her bed and buried her head under the blankets. She had to get out of her. She knew now that she did not belong. Violet had promised to return at midnight the following day and Snow knew she had to be ready.

 Dawn came and Snow drug herself out of bed. She had barely been able to sleep after taking a bite of that apple but she knew for the sake of appearances she must appear cheerful and eager to serve. 

 "Good morning, all of you," she said, with the biggest smile she could muster. The dwarves all groaned in chorus as they too rose from their sleep. 

 "Just hurry up and make our breakfast, wench," said Jamison, smoothing down his beard and rubbing his eyes.

  Snow paused for a second. The dwarves had never spoken to her that way before. Or, she thought, perhaps they always had and she was too captured by the spell to even notice. 

  After breakfast she handed each dwarf his lunch and wished them a good day. Usually they would look up at her with a smile but on this day she received only glum faces and mutters of, "Dinner better be ready when we get home." 

  When they had all left, Snow shut the door tightly behind them and looked around the cabin. It had to be spotless when they returned so they would suspect nothing. But as soon as midnight struck, she would leave this cabin and never come back.

  

  The evening seemed interminable as Snow watched the dwarves gobble up the dinner she had made. None of them thanked her for it, only reminded her to wash all the dishes and clean the floor in case any food had spilled from the table. She did this with a smile, all the while thinking of her escape. It was all she could do to contain her excitement when the seven dwarves finally changed into their nightclothes and snuggled into bed. Snow lay down in hers as well but as soon as she heard them begin to snore, she stood up, grabbed her cloak off its hook and silently slipped out of the cabin and into the night.

 "So you have did taste the apple then," said a voice, and Snow jerked awake. She was lying on the ground in the vegetable garden where Violet had told her to wait. The witch stood over her now wearing the same black dress and purple cloak as before.

 "Yes I did," Snow said, rising to her feet still half asleep. "I know now you were right about these men and I wish to get away and be free." 

 "Then we must move quickly," Violet told her. "Before-" 

  She stopped and froze as the door of the cabin eased open and a dwarf stepped out. 

 "Snow what are you doing in the garden? And who is that?" the dwarf asked, looking angrily at Violet.

 "It's no one, Edmund. Just an old beggar woman. Go back in the house before-" Snow was cut off by Edmund's sudden exclamation.

 "It's a witch! Snow, get away," he cried. But Snow shook her head.

 "No, Edmund. It's you I must get away from." 

  Taking that as a signal, Violet grabbed the girl's hand and they took off into the woods. 

 "If we can get to the river, my friend will meet us there with his boat and take us to the other side. The dwarves will not follow us there for it is a land of good magic and they wish only to live with the darkness." 

 Snow followed behind the witch panting for breath. She could hear the dwarves shouting behind her. 

 "You'll not get away from us that easily," said a voice she knew to be Degory's. 

 "You can't trust the witches in these woods," said another. That was Alistair. She could hear their loud footsteps behind her getting closer and closer. 

  "I see them," shouted one of the dwarves, and Snow turned her head to find Elias right on her tail.

  "Hurry," Violet's voice said desperately. Snow pushed herself to run faster through the trees but the dwarves gained on her. 

  "I think I can grab her," said Elias's voice, and Snow gasped realizing he was only inches away.

  "I don't know what got in your head but you won't escape us," he hissed, reaching out an arm to grab her. He was about to grab a fistful of her cloak when suddenly a bolt of light flew out of the darkness and struck him in the head. He groaned and collapsed immediately in the dirt. 

  "What was that?" Snow asked, looking around and wondering if she was about to be struck too.

  "That will keep him knocked out for several minutes," Violet said, and Snow realized saw the tips of her fingers still lit up from the blast. 

  "But we must run faster," she insisted. Snow was now wheezing for breath.

  "I cannot keep running this way," she told the witch. 

  "Then we must hide," Violet decided. She grabbed Snow's arm and pulled her suddenly to the side behind a large tree. 

  "Magic takes a lot out of me now and I usually must rest between spells," she whispered. "But I think I have just enough energy to make some fog and keep the dwarves lost and wandering while we run." 

  Snow watched in awe as Violet outstretched her hands and a white wispy fog began to escape her fingertips that grew into a large cloud. Soon she could barely see the trees they had just passed. 

 "This will last long enough to take us to the river," the witch said, her shoulders drooping slightly from the effort of the spell. 

 "Hurry now. It is not far," she said, leading Snow forward. She followed and heard the sound of the dwarves shouting through the mist.

 "You have not escaped forever," Jamison's voice called to her. "We will find you and your witch and you will both pay." 

  Snow felt a pang of fear at imagining what price there would be should the dwarves ever catch up to her. But they were so close to the river now and once they were on the boat, they would be safe. 

  Suddenly Violet halted in her tracks and Snow almost ran right into her.

 "What's wrong?" the girl asked, slightly annoyed. "We are almost at the river. Why are you stopping?" 

  She looked around and her eyes landed on what had stopped Violet. A woman stood in front of them dressed in black with an evil smile on her face. 

  "Agatha, let us pass," Violet said sternly. "We have no quarrel with you."

  "Don't you?" said the woman. "You're stealing away this girl from the dwarves whom I specifically remembering spelling to stay and serve them forever. It seems you have been practicing light magic again. And in that case, we do have a quarrel." 

  Agatha's eyes became fiery red and a blast of light much like the one Violet had sent at the dwarves came hurtling towards them. Violet grabbed Snow and pulled her to the ground as the blast flew over their heads. 

  "You must hide," Violet told her. "Agatha's magic is strong and she will not hesitate to kill you. I will try to hold her off and if you get a chance, you must run and not look back." 

  "But I-" Snow began, but she was interrupted by another blast that hit Violet and made her cry out. Snow reached for the witch but she pushed her away.

  "Hide," she hissed, and Snow scurried behind a stump. 

  Violet pushed herself to her feet gathering all of her strength. She help up her hands and a blast of pure white light flew from them and hit Agatha in the chest. She stumbled back but did not fall.

  "You are no match for me," she cackled at Violet. "I have more power in one little finger than you have in all your body." 

  She punctuated this last word with another blast that hit Violet in the face and knocked her off her feet. The witch tried to sit up but she fell back down. Snow longed to reach out and help her but Violet said Agatha would kill her and now the evil watch was walking closer.

   "You are weak, old woman," she hissed, her black dress trailing on the ground behind her as she walked slowly to her victim. Violet lay there wheezing trying to summon her strength.

   "Do not waste your last moments trying to fight," Agatha told her. "Just accept your fate. You will soon be one with the dirt in which you lay." 

   The evil witch laughed loudly and raised her hands for one last blow. Snow covered her mouth so she would not cry out. How would she go on without Violet? 

   She watched in horror as the tips of Agatha's fingers lit up with fiery red light and just as she was about to bring it down on Violet, a look of agony crossed over her face. The light from her fingers disappeared and her hands fell to her sides. Snow looked closely and saw the tip of a sword poking through the front of her chest. Blood flowed down her black dress and without another sound, the witch crumpled to the ground and drew her last breath. 

  Behind her stood a tall bearded man dressed in green holding the sword that had just slain the witch. He threw it to the side and ran to Violet who still lay helpless on the ground.

 "Did she hurt you?" he asked, looking her body over for wounds. 

 "Yes but I will survive with a little rest," the witch said. She looked around.

 "Where is Snow?" she wanted to know. 

  The girl stood up and came out slowly from behind the stump. The bearded man saw her and smiled. 

  "So you're the one I'm rescuing on my boat," he said cheerfully. 

  "Yes I suppose I am," Snow said, blushing slightly. "Thank you for saving our lives," she added, though a simple thank you hardly seemed enough.

  "It was no problem at all," the man said, helping Violet to her feet and putting her arm around his shoulders.

  "I was waiting by the river when I heard yelling and I knew there had to be trouble. I am glad I got here when I did or it would have been too late." 

  "Let's not think on that now," Violet interjected. "We have escaped the dwarves and the witch and the river is only a few steps away." 

  The bearded man nodded as he helped Violet walk.

  "My name is Herbert by the way," he said, looking over his shoulder at Snow. "And I guess I already know your name." 

  The girl smiled.

  She thought about the dwarves and all the days and nights she had spent serving them. They had given her the name Snow and made her their slave. But that was over now and a new life was around the corner.

 "It's nice to meet you, Herbert," she said to the bearded man. "You can call me Amarys." 

Snow

  Snow jerked awake and looked around. She was laying in a little bed half covered in an old grey blanket. The sunlight outside was getting dimmer and the dwarves would be on their way home soon. Pushing the blanket away, she stood up and straightened her dress.
  "I must have fallen asleep making the beds," she thought to herself. Then in an instant she remembered Violet, the old woman who had given her a green apple she claimed was magical. Had that all been a dream? Walking over to the basket she had used to pick vegetables, she peered slowly inside. She gasped as she saw a shiny green apple sitting on top of the freshly picked carrots and potatoes. It had not been a dream. Violet was real and so was the apple.
 Snow leaned down and grasped the apple between two fingers carrying it carefully to the window to see it in the light. It looked just like a regular apple but Violet had said one bite contained the magic to break a spell. Snow admired it for a few seconds, tilting it back and forth.
  "Such silliness," she said aloud. "I have work to do."
  She set the apple down on the windowsill and picked up the basket of vegetables. There were three little beds still left to make but she could do that later. As it was, she was already going to have to race to make dinner before the dwarves got home.
  As she worked she tried to keep her thoughts away from Violet and the story she had told but the witch's words stuck in her head.
  "Have they ever said they loved you?" she had asked. It had seemed a silly question in the moment but as Snow considered it, she could not recall a time any of them had claimed to love her. Sometimes they did not even thank her for what she did, only reminded her that there was always more to do.
  "Surely that does not mean I am under a spell," she told herself. But still the suspicion lingered.
   Before long, Snow heard the sound of the dwarves coming up the front walk. She smiled knowing they'd be relieved to sit down with a bowl of hot vegetable soup and a piece of fresh warm bread.
  "Welcome home, gentlemen," Snow said, walking to the door and throwing it wide open. The dwarves all raised their hands in greeting as they piled through the narrow doorway.
  "Something sure smells good," Alistair commented. "Is that carrot and potato soup?"
  "It is indeed," Snow told him.
  "Why is my bed not made?" Garrett asked, standing in front of the row of seven beds pushed against the far wall of the cabin.
  "I fell asleep in the middle of making them," Snow said with a giggle. "And then when I woke up it was time to make supper."
   Garrett did not look amused.
  "Well see that it's done after we've eaten," he ordered shortly.
  "Yes of course," Snow said with a nod. She turned back to the pot of soup and stirred it slowly. Had Garrett always been so quick tempered? Violet's words flashed through her mind again. Surely a few harsh words did not mean the dwarves were evil.
  "Is dinner almost ready? I am one hungry dwarf," Elias called out, over the racket of seven men putting away their tools and taking off their boots.
  "It is ready now," Snow declared happily. She took eight bowls from the cupboard and began carefully filling each one.
  Moments later, seven dwarves and Snow sat around a large thick wooden table slurping hot stew from tin bowls. The men made hearty sounds of approval and some pulled apart their bread and dipped it in the broth.
 Snow looked around the table and considered each of them. They certainly did not look like evil men. Violet must have been mistaken.
 "I have a silly question," Snow announced. None of the dwarves looked up.
 "Have any of you ever seen or heard tell of witches in these woods?"
  Seven spoons clanged as they dropped against seven bowls and each dwarf looked at Snow with wide eyes. She blushed slightly and set her spoon down as well.
 "Why would you ask such a thing?" Elias wanted to know. Snow scrambled for an answer. Clearly this question bothered them more than she had anticipated.
 "There was a crazy old beggar woman who came across the cabin today. She was telling tales of witches and spells. Quite entertaining but clearly she was mad."
  The dwarves nodded in agreement and picked their spoons up.
 "Quite mad she is. There are no witches in these woods. Not since King Roland had them all locked up," said Garrett. Snow's ears perked up at the familiar name. Hadn't Violet spoken earlier of a King Roland?
 "And don't you forget to make those beds when you're done eating," he reminded Snow. She nodded and went back to her soup.
 
   Later after all the dinner had been eaten and the dishes cleaned and put away, the dwarves changed into their nighclothes and climbed into their little beds. Snow looked at them all and smiled.
 "Sweet dreams, all of you," she said kindly. Then added, "I love you all."
  She waited a few moments hoping to hear the words repeated back to her but nothing came. With a quiet sigh she walked over to her own bed by the window. Looking up she caught sight of Violet's apple. Maybe it all had been a dream. Perhaps Violet was a figment of her imagination. Or maybe not. Maybe she was living here with seven men who did not love her and only wanted a slave to do all their chores and keep them warm at night.
  "Perhaps this is not the life I am meant to have. Perhaps I want to be more than just a maid to the seven dwarves," she thought to herself. And with no more hesitation, she walked to the window and took a bite of the apple.

Snow

 This is my rendition of the fairy tale Snow White. Credit and thanks to Carolyn H., Carolyn M., Linda S., Rachel K., and James I. for name suggestions. This is part one of three.


  Snow smiled at the seven men before her all holding the lunches she had packed for them in little baskets. They were dressed for hard work in the mines and each carried an ax over his shoulder.
  "Did you pack us any fruit today, Snow?" Mortimer asked, looking up at the beautiful young woman. She looked down at him through sparkling blue eyes and her ruby red lips curved into a kind smile.
 "I did," she answered. "Each one of you has a shiny green apple in your lunch. And of course I kept one for myself." She winked at him and tussled his thick red hair. Mortimer blushed and turned to the rest of his brothers.
 "Well it's off to work we go," he said in a loud voice. "A dwarf's work is never done."
  The rest of them murmured agreement and they all said goodbye to Snow as she leaned down to give them hugs.
 "Have a good day, Snow," said Elias, the tallest of the seven. If he stood on tiptoe his head almost reached to Snow's shoulder.
 "You too, Elias," the girl answered. "Tonight for dinner we are having your favorite:vegetable stew."
 "Don't forget the carrots," Elias told her. "You know how Alistair loves his carrots."
 "Of course," Snow said, with another winning smile. "How could I forget?"
  She stood in the doorway waving goodbye to the dwarves till they were out of sight, then turned and looked at the cabin she shared with them. The table was covered in dirty dishes from breakfast and none of the seven little beds had been made.
  "What a messy bunch they are," she thought to herself with a sigh. But there would be time for housework later. The morning was too nice to be spent inside. Snow tied a worn out white apron over the waist of her dark green dress and went outside with a basket to gather vegetables from the garden. Remembering Elias's suggestion of carrots, she decided to start with those.
  Snow knelt in the dirt, set her basket down next to her and began to pull at the carrots. The sun felt warm on her back and shoulders and a light breeze blew gently through her black hair. She pitied the dwarves having to spend their days in dark dreary mines breathing in dust instead of this fresh air.
  As she began to pull at a particularly difficult carrot, Snow thought she heard footsteps approaching. She stopped and looked around.
"Is somebody there?" she asked. There was no answer. Snow began to pull on the carrot again until she heard a rustle and the snap of a twig.
"Who is there?" she asked, more firmly this time. "Show yourself."
 Looking in the direction of the sounds, she watched surprised as an older woman in a long black dress emerged from the trees behind the cabin. Her graying hair was pulled back in a simple braid and she wore a dark purple cape with a hood.
"Who are you?" Snow asked.
"My name is Violet," the old lady said, taking a few steps towards her and stopping at the edge of the garden.
"Have you been watching me this whole time?" Snow asked, her eyebrows creasing into a frown.
"I have been," Violet said with a nod. "Forgive me, I was not trying to startle you."
"Are you hungry then?" Snow asked, assuming this woman must be a beggar. "Thirsty? I can bring you some water."
"No I am not here to ask you for help," Violet said slowly. "I am here to offer you mine."
Snow tilted her head and considered Violet's words.
"You wish to help me?" she asked. "With what?"
"To help you escape from these men who have imprisoned you."
  Snow smiled and laughed.
"The dwarves have raised me from a child. I am hardly imprisoned. My mother died giving birth to me and they found me and saved my life."
 Violet shook her head and looked pityingly at Snow.
"Is that what you think?"
"Well of course. It's the truth," Snow said with a polite smile. Who was this woman and why did she presume to know Snow's past?
"I am sure that is the story you have been told. But it is all a lie. Allow me but a few moments of your time and I will tell you who you really are," Violet offered.
"As long as I can pick vegetables while you talk," she told the old woman. Violet nodded so Snow knelt down once again in the garden and listened as the story began.
"You say you have lived here your whole life but it has only been little more than a year. And your real name is not Snow at all, it is Amarys. You were the daughter of a lord and lady who had great favor in court with King Roland. When they were both struck with a terrible illness, the king made sure you were kept healthy and when they eventually died, he took you into the palace to be raised alongside his own children."
 "As you grew older your beauty increased greatly and it did not escape the king's notice. Of course his wife, Queen Melania, was not very happy about this. She would ask him often who he thought was the fairest lady of them all and instead of her name he would utter yours. Finally the queen's jealousy got the better of her and she hired a huntsman named Tywin to take you into the woods and kill you. Of course being a father himself, Tywin could not finish this task but he could not bring you back with him either. So he left you here with a basket of food and said a prayer for your life."
 Snow paused and looked up at Violet.
"If my name really is Amarys, then why am I called Snow?"
"The dwarves are to blame for that. When they found you it was a freezing cold winter's day and snow had just begun to fall. You had run out of food and were practically unconscious beneath a tree. When they asked you your name you muttered something incoherent and so they just called you the first thing they could think of. Snow."
"How do you know this?" Snow asked, raising an eyebrow. Violet blushed slightly.
"Because I was there. I spotted you just before they did but they got to you first and so I had to hide."
"Hide?" Snow exclaimed. "Why would you hide from such kind little men?"
"They are not kind men," Violet said in a grave tone. "They are evil. They took you back to their cabin and called upon the evil witches in these woods to cast a spell on you. The spell has made you forget who you were and assume this life of being their slave."
  Snow laughed again.
"I am hardly a slave. I serve these dwarves because I love them." Satisfied with the number of carrots in her basket, Snow moved over to the row of potatoes.
"Right now I am gathering vegetables to make them a lovely stew for dinner."
"My dear, you do not love them. You only think you do because of the spell," Violet insisted. "There are evil witches who live in these woods and they have had dealings with the dwarves for years. They are wicked to the core and would take great pleasure in watching a pretty young girl like you suffer."
"But I do not suffer," Snow retorted. "I am happy in my work."
 Violet sighed and took a step toward Snow.
"Do you not see? These dwarves are using you. They leave you with all the housework and all the chores and they give you no reward."
 Snow shook her head and pulled up a large potato.
"No they admire me. I serve them in every way and they love me for it."
 Violet's eyes widened.
"Please do not tell me they have taken you to their beds?"
 Snow blushed slightly and did not look up at the woman.
"I do this for them also out of love."
 Violet buried her face in her hands and shook her head.
"My dear child, no. You are simply a pawn in their evil game. But I can save you. I have worked hard this long year and have finally discovered a spell to counter the one they had placed on you. All you must do," Violet said, reaching into a pouch inside her cape,"is take a bite of this lovely green apple."
 Snow looked up at the old woman who held the apple in her wrinkled hand.
"A spell? You are a witch also?"
Violet nodded.
"I am, but unlike the others in this woods I have no desire to serve the darkness and no desire to see you under this spell. If you bite this apple your mind will be clear to see the truth in my words. I can help you run away and start a new life."
 Snow stood up face to face with the old woman.
"I do appreciate your considerate offer," she said sweetly. "But you are sadly mistaken. I am here only by my own choice and I do not wish to escape."
  Violet sighed and shook her head.
"I feared you would not be convinced by my words but I assure you they are true. I have no reason to lie to you."
  She reached down and set the apple in Snow's basket with the carrots and potatoes.
"I will leave this here for you to consider. Its potency will only last till tomorrow at midnight. I will return then and if you are waiting for me here in this garden, I will know you have learned the truth and are ready to run away. If not, you will never see my face again and I wish you only happiness in this life you have chosen."
 Snow looked down at the apple and then back at Violet.
"This is silliness," she insisted.
"Perhaps," Violet agreed, pulling the hood of her cape onto her head. "But let me ask you one question. You tell me these dwarves love you for serving them but have they ever said it? Do they serve you in return or simply demand more work from you?"
  Snow creased her forehead in thought. Had any of them ever said they loved her or raised a hand to help her with her work?
 "Think on my words. I will return at midnight tomorrow," Violet reminded the girl. And before Snow could respond, the witch had vanished back into the woods.

Red cntd.

  The wolf ran quickly through the woods toward grandma's house at the top of the hill. Red would be on her way at any moment to serve up her poisoned muffins.
  "How will I stop her and save grandma without hurting either one of them?" he thought to himself. The last thing he needed was some kind of reputation as a big bad wolf.
  After what seemed like forever, he saw the hill where grandma's house sat. Mustering up his last bit of energy, he bounded up its grassy side and stopped right in front of the door. This was as far as he had thought. What should he do next?
  Walking to an open window, he peeked over the sill and saw grandma sitting in a rocking chair reading a book and sipping a cup of tea. She looked so peaceful, he hated to disturb her but he knew her life hung in the balance. If he did not scare her away, Red would arrive with her muffins and it would be too late.
  He took a few steps back, then gathered just enough strength to run forward and leap through the window into grandma's house. She looked up in shock and her tea cup hit the floor and shattered. Screaming, she leaped up from her chair spilling her book on the floor, and ran over to the door.
 "Oh my, a wolf, a wolf!" she cried, as the wolf stood in the center of the room trying to look intimidating. He tried to growl as he had seen other wolves do but it felt so wrong. It hardly mattered at this point anyway, he decided. Grandma was already at the door in a panic struggling with the lock.
  "Oh no, oh no," she repeated, seemingly unaware or uncaring that the wolf was making absolutely no move to harm her.
  Finally she got the door unlocked and swung it open.
  "Help, help!" grandma called, as she ran down the hill and off into the woods. The wolf watched her go until she disappeared in the trees. That had been easy enough, he thought. Now he just had to wait for Red to show up, drop off her muffins and once she was gone he could dispose of them. Grandma would never have to know.
 "This was not so hard after all," he thought to himself, feeling relieved. "I wonder if grandma bakes just as well as Red."
  He was about to start looking around for treats when he heard whistling outside and loud footsteps crunching in the leaves. Running to the window, he looked out and saw Red coming up the front walk. He had not expected her this soon. He looked around desperately for a place to hide but the cabin, although large, was only one room and no furniture of grandma's was big enough to cover him.
 "I will have to hide in plain sight then,"  he decided. Walking to the hearth, he curled up in a ball, facing away from the door, tucked his tail under his legs and pretended to be asleep.
  "Grandma!" Red's voice called out. There was no answer and so it came again.
  "Grandma, are you home?"
  The door creaked open and Red's boots clicked across the wooden floor.
  "That's strange. I didn't know Grandma had a dog," she said to herself, shutting the door behind her.
  "I guess she isn't home. That's alright. I can wait."
   The wolf heard the sound of something being set down, the basket of muffins he assumed. Then Red's boots across the floor getting closer and closer.
  "That's one big dog," Red said out loud, and the wolf heard her plop down in a chair. His heart jumped. This was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to leave the muffins and go.
  "I guess I could just leave the muffins with a note," Red mused aloud, as if reading the wolf's thoughts.
  "But then I wouldn't get the pleasure of seeing them do their work. Just one muffin and she will be on the floor in seconds. Then there will be no cheating me out of my money and Allister and I can be married and build a nice cottage on the lake."
  Red rocked back and forth in Grandma's chair whistling.
"Oh well. Look who it is," she said minutes later. "Grandma's come home to have her final meal."
  In a few moments, the door swung open and Red's granny ran into the room.
 "Red, Red!" she cried, "Get out of there this instant!"
 "What is wrong with you?" Red snapped. "I am just sitting with your dog enjoying a nice afternoon."
 "That's not my dog, that's a wolf!" Grandma cried.
 "A wolf?" Red repeated, not seeming at all concerned. "Well who knew."
 "We must leave this second," Grandma insisted. But Red could not be bothered.
 "He is obviously not harmful. We've been sitting here ten minutes and he hasn't moved." She walked over and poked at him with her finger.
 "Maybe he is dead."
  The wolf did not move. Red grinned evilly and kicked at him with her boot. The wolf whimpered and leaped up to his feet. Grandma took a step back but did not run away this time.
 "Oh I know this wolf," Red said. "He hangs around my house alot and comes to sleep next to my chimney."
  The wolf looked up at Red feeling a little indignant. All this time she knew he was there and she never thought to share her treats?
 "He's probably just hungry," Red shrugged. "That's why he came in your house."
 "Well he was certainly very frightening jumping through my window. That's why I ran away to your house. I know your father left you that little gun. I was hoping you still had it."
  The wolf looked at grandma with big sad eyes. He had not even bit her and here she wanted to shoot him.
 "Yes well, I think Allister took it. You know how he likes to hunt. And speaking of eating, I made you some muffins."
  The wolf's ears perked up. He had nearly forgotten why he was here.
"The poisoned ones you mean?' Grandma said. Red stopped halfway to the table and turned around.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"Oh I ran into Agnes on the way here," Grandma explained, grabbing a broom and sweeping up the pieces of her broken tea cup. Still keeping an eye on the wolf.
"That child has lost her sweet little mind. She told me this story of you tying her up because she tried to stop you serving me poisoned muffins and how she'd escaped and run to try and save me. I told her to go home and get some rest but she told me she was going to go find the authorities."
"Well you know Agnes. She has quite the imagination," Red said, reaching into her basket and pulling out a perfectly browned blueberry muffin.
"Would you like one?" Red asked. "They're simply to die for." She held it out to her grandma.
 The wolf looked back and forth between them, his mind racing. How could he make Grandma see that Agnes had told her the truth? He did not want to kill Red and there was no way for him to talk to Grandma.
  The old lady reached out to take the treat and in that moment the wolf knew what he had to do. Leaping up from his spot on the floor, he opened his mouth and snatched the muffin from Red's hand eating it in one bite. He landed on all four paws and turned to face the two ladies. Red said it took only seconds for the poison to set in. Soon Grandma would know the truth.
 "My I guess he was quite hungry," she said with a smile. It quickly faded to a frown however as the wolf began to cough and gasp for air.
"What is he doing? Is he choking? Grandma asked, her forehead creased in concern. She gasped and stepped back as the wolf dribbled up blood.
"Oh my goodness, it seems as if he's been-" she stopped short and looked up at Red.
"Been poisoned."
 Suddenly the room seemed to spin. The wolf swayed back and forth unable to make out what was happening. Voices cried out but he could not tell who it was or see well enough to help. The last sound was the door opening yet again and a man's deep voice calling out instructions. Then the wolf felt himself hit the floor and everything went black.

  The wolf opened his eyes. Everything was a little fuzzy but he could make out a fire in front of him and saw a blanket covering him down to his paws. A sweet scent filled the air and a light breeze took the edge off the heat of the fire. The wolf had never been sure what happened after death but if this was it, he decided it was not so bad.
  He was about to get up and explore his new home when he heard a voice that sounded strangely familiar.
  "Oh you are one lucky wolf, aren't you?" said a lady. She walked over and knelt down next to him setting a bowl on the floor.
  "You're lucky my Red didn't know her poisons too well. That whole bottle sure would have taken you out. But spread through all those muffins, it was only enough to make you quite sick."
  Grandma patted his head gently and rubbed the fur behind his ears.
 "You slept on and off for almost two days, you poor thing," she crooned. "And my goodness were you sick. I had the doctor rush over to help you and he gave you some nice herb tea to soothe your tummy. There's some more here in this bowl if you like," she said, pushing it toward his snout.
 "I don't know how you knew what my Red was planning but I certainly am forever in your debt. Oh how I sobbed when the jailer took her away. She won't be seeing the outside of a cell any time soon."
  "And as for you, my new dear friend. Well you are welcome to stay here just as long as you like. No more sleeping by chimneys for you. There will always be a warm plate of food and a soft pillow by the fire for you whenever you'd like."
  The wolf's ears perked up. Homemade food and a bed inside? He certainly was one lucky wolf. Sticking out his tongue, he reached over and licked Grandma's hand. He had seen pet dogs do this to their owners who seemed to take it as a sign of affection.
  Grandma smiled and laughed.
"You are a sweet little wolf, " she said. "Rest now so you can get your strength back."
The wolf closed his eyes and as he fell asleep, he dreamed of sitting at Grandma's table as she served him all the cupcakes, scones and cookies he could eat.

Red

  The wolf opened his big eyes and took in his surroundings. He was laying in a patch of soft grass next to a tall brick chimney. There was a slight chill in the air but the light from the rising sun warmed him slightly. He yawned and looked a little closer at the house attached to the chimney. He had been here before. This was Red Riding Hood's house. She was always baking something delicious and the smell would waft out from the windows. The wolf often hung around the house hoping for a bite of whatever confection Red was stirring up but she never seemed to notice him. Though if she did, the wolf was sure she would run in fear and slam the door in his face. He had never harmed a human before but that did not stop them from being afraid. Maybe one day he would get the chance to show them how kind he really was.
  But for now he was going to go back to sleep. He had stayed up late last night howling at the moon and now he was overly tired. Curling back up next to the chimney, he tucked his head against his paws and closed his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep he pictured Red at her table surrounded by cupcakes, scones, and cookies. She pulled a chair up to the table for him and set down a plate.
 "Would you like some, Mr. Wolf?" she asked with a big grin. But before he could answer, the wolf was startled awake by the loud sound of knocking.
 "Red, open up the door!" the voice demanded. "I have the berries you wanted."
  The wolf got up and peeked around the corner. A young lady stood at Red's door. She wore a long white dress and carried a basket of berries on her arm.
   The door swung open and the wolf caught a glimpse of Red. She had long wavy black hair and eyes that almost looked purple.
 "Come on in, Agnes," she said, grabbing her friend's arm and pulling her inside.
 "I wonder if Agnes is going to get a taste of whatever Red is making today," the wolf thought to himself. He crept over to the window and lifted himself up on his hind legs making sure only the very top of his head poked above the sill. Red stood at her table tossing things into a bowl and mixing them up with a wooden spoon. She grabbed the basket from Agnes and dumped the berries in. Agnes gasped.
 "Do you not want to wash them first?"
 "I'm not really concerned about that," Red admitted, stirring the spoon around faster and faster.
 "Are you alright?" Agnes asked. "You look kind of upset."
  Red paused and released the spoon, collapsing into the chair next to her.
 "Well yes I am a little a upset, Agnes," she told her friend. "And you probably would be too if you found out your grandmother was going to write you out of her will."
 "Why would she ever do that?" Agnes gasped, raising a hand to her face in shock.
 "Because of Alister. She despises him. My love for him means nothing to her. She thinks he is beneath me and said if I did not break off my engagement to him, I would not inherit any of her money."
 "Well I am sure you can talk her out of it," Agnes said optimistically. "We can take her some of these muffins you're making. Maybe some home baked goodies will change her mood."
 Red smirked at her friend, her dark almost purple eyes lighting up.
"Oh yes, we will take grandma some muffins. And I believe they will do a lot more than change her mood."
  Red picked up a bottle from the table and showed it to her friend. The wolf could not tell what it was but from Agnes's shocked gasp and step back he assumed it was nothing good.
"Red you cannot be serious. Poison?"
"Oh I am completely serious, Agnes. Alister and I need that money to start our lives together. And the only way we will have it is if grandma dies before she can change her will."
  The wolf lowered himself from the window. He could hear Agnes's muffled voice still pleading with Red to reconsider. He felt sad for Red's grandma. She lived in a nice big cottage on top of a hill and was always kind to visitors. No one ever left her house with out a full stomach and a smile on their face. The wolf did not fully understand why Red wanted grandma's money so badly but he felt sure it was not worth ending her life. He had to do something, but what? If he tried to warn grandma she would just scream and run away.
"Run away," he thought to himself. "And then she won't be home when Red brings her the poisoned muffins." 
 He hopped up to the window again and was shocked to see Red tying Agnes to a chair with a length of brown rope.
"I really thought you would be more understanding than this," she told her friend, taking a cloth napkin and stuffing it in Agnes's mouth.
"I will just have to do this without you. Once grandma is dead and the rest of the muffins are destroyed it will just be my word against yours. And no one would believe that little innocent Red would ever harm her precious granny," Red said in a sickly sweet voice, batting her eyelashes and pulling her red hood over her head.
 The wolf lowered himself to the ground and started pacing. This was bad. Very bad. But what could he do?
"Well it looks like they are all baked and ready to go," he heard Red say. She must be about to leave with her poisoned muffins. He had to warn grandma.
  Without much of a plan, the wolf bounded off into the woods determined that somehow he would save this innocent granny.

The Party

"This is gonna be the best party so far this semester," Cindy told her girl friends. They were gathered around a flyer hanging up in the girls' dormitory lounge.
"Matt's parties go on all night," said Katelyn, dancing a few steps to no music.
"What time does it start?" said a small voice from a comfy chair in the corner. All the girls turned their heads and a few of them giggled.
"Why do you care, Bailey?" Cindy asked. "It's not like you ever go to parties."
 Bailey shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She was wearing faded baby blue sweatpants and an old grey hoodie she had had since highschool. Her hair was in a messy bun and she had washed off all her make-up. Now she was being stared at and analyzed by a group of human Barbie dolls.
 "Matt's parties sound fun. I'd like to go to one," she said in a quiet mousy voice.
 "Well you know," said Samantha, walking across the room and perching on the arm of Bailey's chair, "there's going to be alcohol there."
 "I've had alcohol before," Bailey told her, recalling a few times her mom and dad let her have a sip of their wine.
"But what will you wear?" Cindy wanted to know, looking Bailey up and down.
"I will find something. These are just my hangout clothes." The Barbie dolls looked at each other and whispered things under their breath.
"Well I look forward to seeing you there," Cindy told her. She gathered her friends together and they left the lounge chatting about the party.
 
  Bailey stood in front of her mirror looking herself up and down. Her outfit was cute and she was sure Cindy would approve. A light pink blouse with a pencil skirt and black pumps. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she had on little pearl earrings.
  Feeling confident in her choice, she grabbed a little clutch purse that matched her clothes and left her room. Matt's house was just a short walk off campus and she was there in ten minutes. The door was wide open so she stepped right in and was instantly engulfed in darkness only broken by strobe lights coming from each corner of the room. All the furniture had been pushed against the walls and a bunch of students were in the center of the room dancing wildly to the loud pulsing music. Bailey watched them fascinated. She had never danced before except a little bit at her high school prom and those had all been slow dances.
  She watched the girls sway their hips back and forth as the guys attempted to get closer and closer and try to put their hands on them without being smacked away. She blushed at the thought of any guy doing that with her.
  "Hey Bailey, you actually made it," said a voice behind her. Bailey whirled around to see Cindy and and Samantha standing there.
  "What on earth are you wearing?" Samantha asked, frowning. "Are you going to a college party or a board meeting?"
  "This was the fanciest thing I had," Bailey said pathetically. Cindy shook her head.
  "You look too uptight. Loosen up a little bit."
 She reached around and pulled the hair tie out of Bailey's blonde ponytail. Her hair cascaded down around her shoulders.
  "And this is just...a tragedy," Cindy said, motioning to her skirt and blouse. "Let's at least do this."
  She reached up and unbuttoned the top two buttons of Bailey's top. Bailey blushed and looked down at the top of her breasts which were now peeking out.
 "Trust me, the boys will like that," Samantha winked. "And here's a nice little touch."
  She grabbed a tube of light pink lip gloss and smeared some across Bailey's lips.
 "Now you're ready to dance," Cindy said. Bailey blanched.
 "I can't dance like that," she told them.
 "Nonsense," Samantha said, waving away her fears. "You just shake your hips around to the beat. That's all you have to do. Go try it." She shoved Bailey out into the makeshift dance floor.
  Bailey looked up at them as if she might cry.
 "Go on, dance," Cindy called. She looked at Samantha who said something that made them both giggle.
 Bailey looked around awkwardly. A girl bumped against her and giggled mumbling a half drunken apology. Bailey watched her go still frozen to her spot unsure of how to even begin dancing.
"Are you ok?" asked a voice. Bailey turned around to a see a handsome young man with wavy black hair and blue eyes giving her a look of concern.
 She glanced at Cindy and Samantha who were smiling and whispering to each other. They both gave her a thumbs up and Cindy nodded.
"Uh...yes. I'm fine."
"I haven't seen you here before. Is this your first time at one of these parties?"
"Yes," Bailey told him.
"Well you look very pretty," he said with a smile. "Would you like a drink?"
"Uh....I don't really drink much," Bailey said.
"Well here. Have a sip of this," he said, offering her a red cup half full of an unfamiliar drink.
"Is there alcohol in this?" Bailey asked, taking it in her hand and looking down at it.
"Of course," the guy said. "Drink up."
  Bailey looked over at the girls who were still watching her. They both nodded encouragement and Cindy held an invisible cup and made the motion of gulping a drink down.
  Bailey looked back at her real cup. She took a deep breath, raised it to her mouth and gulped it down. In one second she regretted it. Her entire chest burned and her throat felt like someone had set it on fire. She dropped the cup on the floor and collapsed to her knees coughing and gagging. A few people around her stopped dancing to watch her. Above her head she could hear laughter and some voices asking what had happened.
 "She never had a drink before so Matt gave her his special mix," said Cindy who was now standing next to Bailey.
 "Her reaction could not have been more perfect" said the handsome young man Bailey now knew was Matt.
 "And what is with her outfit?" said a girl Bailey didn't know. "Is she trying to be a sexy secretary?"
 "Who even let her in? She shouldn't be here, she should be at a bank cashing peoples' checks," said another voice.
  Bailey rose to her feet but kept her head down and looked at the floor. Everyone had stopped dancing now and gathered around to see the plight of the secretary who had never tasted liquor before.
"Is she gonna dance now?" said a girl.
"How does she even move in that skirt?" a guy asked.
  Bailey held back tears that threatened to flow down her cheeks.
"I think I want to go home now," she muttered, and moved toward the door.
"Aaaww she's leaving," Samantha said in mock sadness. "It won't be any fun without her."
There was a loud chorus of "aaawww" and everyone in the room put on a pouty face.
"I hope you'll come to my next party," Matt called after her as she walked out the door. "It's always nice to have some extra entertainment."
  The whole room erupted into laughter and Bailey hurried down the stairs to the sidewalk and walked quickly back toward campus. A couple on their way to the party stared at her oddly and whispered some things to each other. Bailey figured it was nothing good.
  When she finally got back to her dorm she rushed down the hallway to her room and slammed the door. She stood and looked at herself in the mirror as she'd done only thirty minutes ago. All the confidence she had felt was now shattered.
  Angrily she ripped off her pink blouse without bothering to unbutton the rest of it. She unzipped her skirt and threw it on the floor on top of the blouse and finished off the stack with her black pumps. Grabbing a tissue, she wiped Samantha's lip gloss from her lips and threw the tissue on the floor. The tears she held back were now streaming down her face.
 Walking across the room to her bed she threw herself down on it and cried until there were no more tears left. Why did she think she was ready for a grown-up party? And how could she ever show her face outside this room again?
  With these questions running through her head, she curled up in a ball under her blankets and fell asleep.

The Transition

"Margaret are you sure this is a good idea?" Todd asked, setting a perfectly folded white napkin next to a large round dinner plate on the dining room table.
"I'm not even sure I'm doing this right," he admitted, looking at the four places he had set. Did the napkin go on the left or right side?
"It's been so long since we have eaten dinner at a table," Margaret agreed, stepping out of the kitchen to check on Todd's work.
"That looks fine to me," she said with a slight shrug. "I doubt our guests will be looking too closely at their table settings anyway. Margaret smirked and winked at Todd. He shook his head slightly and gave the table another once over.
"They're a nice couple, Margaret. I think they deserve better than this." She glared at him.
"We've been through this, Todd. I made my decision. No one in the neighborhood likes them. Sarah is a gossip and Jason is a slob. They have no value to this neighborhood. To the world. They are the perfect couple to have for dinner.
  There was a twinkle in Margaret's eye as she said this.
"Can you fetch four glasses for me? They're in the cupboard next to the icebox."
"Why do we keep these things around?" Todd wanted to know as he walked into the kitchen.
"To keep up appearances," Margaret's voice rang out from the other room. "The last thing we need is people getting suspicious."
"And they won't get suspicious after this?" Todd exclaimed, almost dropping one of the glasses. Margaret burst into the room, her arms folded, eyes wild.
"Todd will you stop this silliness? When they leave they will look completely unharmed. Now put those glasses on the table, will you?"
 Todd sighed and made his way back into the dining room. Margaret followed him smoothing down her skirt.
"Should we turn the phonograph on?" she asked, stepping into the living room.
"I hardly think it matters," Todd said, lacking enthusiasm. Margaret glared.
"Well I am going to enjoy this even if you don't. Besides, this is not about us it's about her. She deserves this. Can you imagine the day she has had? Losing everyone and everything she loves. What kind of birthday is that?"
"Yes and then we came along and made it worse."
 Margaret turned on Todd and glared at him fiercely.
"We saved her life, Todd. Without us she would be dead."
"Yes, of course you're right," Todd caved, taking a step back.
"Have you checked on her lately? How is she doing?"
"I looked in on her a few minutes ago," Todd told her. "She is getting hungrier. It needs to happen soon."
  As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Margaret looked at Todd and put on a winning smile.
"Look sharp, Todd. Dinner is here."


  The girl lay on the floor of this dark room writhing at the pain in her stomach. She had never felt a hunger like this before. In fact everything she felt right now was new. Just hours ago she had been laying on another floor in her own house as flames rose up all around her. She had listened in agony to the cries of her friends and family as they burned. No one was sure how the fire had started but it spread quicker than they could run. The girl had accepted her fate, definitely the worst thing that could have happened on her twenty first birthday. The last thing she remembered was the pale face of a woman looking at her through the smoke. Then all was darkness.
  A short while later she woke up in this darkened room, nothing in it but a glass full of dark red liquid. She did not know what it was but the smell was overwhelming and she was inexplicably drawn to it. Without much thought, she crawled over to it and drained the glass. Ever since then she had been suffering painful contortions and cramps and felt a powerful hunger for more of this mystery liquid.
  She had tried to open the door but it was locked. There were voices somewhere else in the house and she hoped soon they would approach her and tell her it was time to come out.
  Finally, when she was beginning to think she could handle this no longer, she heard soft footsteps come down the hall and stop in front of the door. She perked up as the doorknob turned and light came into the room.
  "How do you feel?" said the man standing in front of her.
  "Terrible," she croaked out. "Is there more of that red juice?"
   Todd nodded.
  "Yes there is much more. Come on. It's time."
  He looked very serious. The girl rose to her feet whimpering slightly. She followed him down the hall into a brightly lit dining room where sat a man and a woman on opposite sides of a table. They were awake but their eyes held far away looks. A woman sat at the head of the table and smiled at her.
 "Welcome, sweetheart. Are you hungry?"
  The girl nodded. This woman was the one who saved her from the fire.
 "Good. It's time to finish your transition now. This nice couple has offered to be your first meal."
 The girl wrinkled her eyebrow.
 "You want some more of that sweet red juice, no?" the pale woman asked with a smirk. The girl's eyes opened wide and everything came together in her mind.
   This woman had saved her life by feeding her blood. That's what was in the glass in her dark room. She ran her tongue over her teeth and noticed two of them were significantly sharper than before. The lady was smiling at her approvingly. The man looked as if he pitied her.
"I'm a...a...'' she stuttered, not able to form the word.
"Yes you are, my darling. Or rather you will be once you take a bite of these two."
"But they will struggle and run away."
The lady shook her head.
"I have compelled them to sit still and quietly. They will offer no resistance."
 The girl stood rooted to her spot, not sure how to take all of this in. She did not want to hurt the man and lady sitting compelled at the table. But she was so hungry.
 "It is quite alright, darling," the lady said. "I know you are hungry."
She motioned to the man who had come to retrieve her from the room.
"Todd tell her not to be scared."
  The man sighed quietly and nodded.
"She is right. This is necessary for you to transition. Go ahead, Darby. Take a bite."