Chapter Six
1
Chad turned out his light shortly after talking to Ivan. Although, he did not believe a word Ivan said – there had been countless nights where Ivan had called, blabbering on about nonsensical stuff after reading a book or watching a movie – still, he locked his windows. Chad didn't believe that there were actually vampires dwelling in Riverwolf Pass like Ivan had said there was. He didn't really believe what Ivan said in the least. He reckoned that Ivan dozed off while reading in the graveyard and dreamt it all. It wouldn't be the first time something like that took place. Ivan read in the graveyard all the time. It was a place where nobody would find him. On more than one occasion, Ivan drifted off asleep and had a nightmare.
Chad lied in his bed, unable to sleep, for quite some time. The minutes and hours ticked by. He was lost in time, unconscious enough but not quite asleep. Suddenly, there was a scratching noise at his window, a clanking noise. At first, it made him jump, then laugh at himself, relieved to see the tree branch scraping alongside his window. Perhaps Ivan had gotten the best of him after all. Then he watched the branch turn into an arm, the arm that connected to a hand, a hand which fingers were long and slender looking, the fingers that had long, yellow, sharp and pointy nails coming out of them.
“Chad,” the voice called out, it was coarse and raspy. “Chad, let me in!” it said at least twice, if not three times. Chad was too shocked and horrified to count. This could not be happening, Chad thought to himself, it is impossible. There is a logical explanation. He told himself. There is! There is!
“It’s me, Chad! Kurt... Kurt from school, you know me.”
“I know you,” Chad said, not taking notice of the words coming out of his mouth.
“Yes you do, and you can trust me. Let me in, Chad, let me in.”
“Why should I?” Chad asked, regaining control of his thoughts.
“Because I need help, Chad, you can help me. Let me in, Chad,” Kurt almost begged, half way demanded. “I ran away from home, Chad, I just need a place to stay, Chad. Let me in, Chad. Oh, please, Chad, let me in.”
Of course, Chad thought to himself, a logical explanation, it was just the lighting. Lighting was the key to everything, and Chad knew it. Taking several high school courses in theater and photography, he knew lighting was everything. Kurt ran away and needed a place to crash. That certainly was a believable and logical answer. A logical explanation! without a doubt!
“Okay,” Chad said, without a second thought about anything. He got up out of bed. He stood there for a short minute in his boxers. The cold air made him shutter, and the thought of opening the window seemed absurd.
“Let me in, Chad, it’s okay, it’s me, your buddy, your pal, it’s me, plain old Kurt.”
Chad nodded and headed for the window, carefully unlocking it, slowly lifting it open. He let Kurt into his room.