The Blank Book

Mike was at home again, alone. He went over to the book and stroked it. He muttered a few words and it glowed for a moment. He put it back and walked into his living room. He plopped down on the couch and just sat there for a moment. Sunlight fell on his face. He muttered a few words and the blinds shut. Eventually he dozed off into a dreamless sleep.

Mike woke up and it was night. He started feeling a bit uneasy. He really wanted to go out and get some blood, but he kept telling himself to wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow was when everything was going to happen. Tomorrow everything would change.

'No, I don't want to do it,' he thought.

'Yes, I do,' said a stronger and more powerful voice inside his head.

Mike felt himself trapped suddenly and as though he were now stuck watching what he did, having no say in it. He tried to escape it, but to no avail.

Mike gave out a chuckle before getting up to go to his bedroom where he would sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

Mike woke up smiling to himself. Today was the day. He went downstairs into the kitchen and saw it was glowing according to plan.

He picked up the phone and called Billie.

"Hello?" Billie asked.

"Hi Bill, it's Mike. The book's glowing again."

"Already?" he said in a surprised voice.

"Yeah. So can you come over now and maybe pick up Tré on your way?" Mike didn't want a repeat of the last time he had called Tré. He wasn't in the mood for it right now.

Mike heard Billie sigh before saying, "I guess."

"Well, see yah."

"Bye."

"Bye."

As the minutes ticked by they started feeling like years. Mike had patience, though.

Finally he heard his doorbell ring. It had been nearly an hour now. When he opened the door he was greeted with the sight of Tre whose mouth was covered in duck tape and a vexed Billie Joe.

"Do I dare ask what happened?" Mike asked looking for one to the other.

Billie glared at Tré while answering, "Tré here had to make a 'quick stop' at Wal-Mart on the way. He ended up making a big mess." At this point Tré rolled his eyes. "Here's a list of a few of the things he did: put Caution: Wet Floor signs on carpeted areas, he made a trail of orange juice to the restrooms, asked a worker to 'direct him to the Twinkies', tried on bras over his clothes, staged a full-scale battle between G.I. Joes and G.I. 'Janes', and placed a walkie-talkie in the coats and kept saying things like 'the fat man walks alone'."

"That's 'a few of the things he did'? Why didn't you stop him? And how was that 'making a big mess'?" Mike asked.

"I couldn't stop him because one: he never listens to me and two: I couldn't catch up with him!" Billie said, obviously peeved. Mike could tell that Tré was grinning under the tape. "And the 'big mess' was that when he let me catch up with him, he shouted loud enough for everyone to hear, 'Lyke oh my gosh, it's lyke Billy Jo, lyke, Armstrong!' I had who knows how many people chasing me and I nearly lost my car keys!"

"You don't look like you just had a pack of teenies chasing you," Mike said.

"That's because we made a pit stop on the way so I could fix my hair and duct tape Tré's mouth shut.

"Well, shall we return to Surtomb now?" Mike asked coolly.

"I guess. Do you think we'll have to face Veldenbarr this time?" Billie asked suddenly nervous and very serious.

Mike didn't say anything for a moment. "Yes, I bet we will. But we should be able to take him, otherwise we wouldn't have been chosen. Plus we have our powers. I bet he doesn't know and we'll have surprise on our side."

Billie looked reassured, but not much. He was still more nervous than Mike had ever seen him. Tré put a comforting hand on Billie's shoulder. He swatted it away, still feeling normal enough to be annoyed at Tré who started making sounds, obviously trying to say something. Billie ripped the tape off of his mouth and Tré yelped. He rubbed the area that was red mumbling, "Meanie-butt."

"I'm not in the mood Tré. In case you haven't noticed, we may be killed tonight because we're going up against some evil vampire lord in a magical book. I mean, I can't believe we're expected to fight him and so soon."

"Stop being such a worry-wart, Meanie-butt," Tré said.

Billie didn't seem to hear his comment.

Without saying a word, Mike left to get the book, knowing his friends would follow, which they did. He grabbed it as there was the flash.