The Vampire's Photograph by Kevin Emerson Read Free Book Online Page B

walking up the street, alone. Oliver followed her, staying just over a streetlight-length behind her. She headed up the block, then turned and started across the ball fields.
    Oliver couldn’t believe this girl was still alive with all the dangerous things she did. Crossing these fields alone in the dark? This was probably too dark a place to try introducing himself. He needed somewhere better lit. Oliver darted along behind her, moving from an old tree to the swings, to the basketball hoop, making sure there was some cover for him to blend into if she turned around, but she didn’t.
    Emalie passed through a border of trees, leaving the park, and stopped at the next street corner. She stood in a cone of light, mist falling on her, looking up and down the street, almost like she was deciding which way to go. Now she started fiddling in her bag. Oliver reached the edge of the fields. This corner would be a good spot, well enough lit that she might give him a chance. He started up the sidewalk—
    A city bus pulled up. Emalie had drawn a bus pass from her pocket. The doors swung open and she stepped on board. Oliver was frozen. What now? Maybe he should just turn around, give up. But instead, as the bus pulled away, Oliver broke into a run. He leaped into the air and soared upward. Pushing against the forces as hard as he knew how, he reached the top of the streetlights at the height of his jump, then arced downward, landing on top of the bus—
    Only his jump wasn’t perfect, and he immediately slid off the roof. Looking down, he saw the blur of pavement rushing up toward him. He grabbed at the side of the bus, tightening his grip on the forces, and just managed to hang on. He threw his body against the side, exhausted, and immediately spectralized as best he could, because many heads were peering out the windows just above him, wondering what all the racket had been.
    The bus traveled a mile before Emalie got off. Oliver dropped from the side and sat down on the bus stop bench to rest, letting her go ahead of him. His muscles burned, and his mind ached from concentrating. Finally, he got up and followed Emalie’s scent up a side street to a tiny, one-story house.
    Unlike its neighbors, Emalie’s lawn didn’t have any plastic, light-up Christmas figurines. There were no cheery lights strung on the trees or along the gutters, either. Oliver started up the walk, noting the overgrown yard on either side. Except for the light from the windows, this place almost resembled a vampire house.
    He climbed carefully onto the porch, staying away from the rectangles of light. Inside, he saw a living room crowded with half-unpacked boxes. A tiny, artificial Christmas tree stood atop one stack. Its lights weren’t plugged in. There was a crooked floor lamp by a table piled with dishes and papers. A man sat there, scratching his head and looking over a stack of bills. “Hey!” he shouted suddenly. There was no reply from the rest of the house. “I thought your friend said that the hot water was included in the rent!” Again, no one answered. The man drank from a beer bottle beside him, then shook his head. He had dark bags under his eyes. “Margie!” he shouted now. “Stop ignoring me!”
    A light flicked on in the corner of Oliver’s vision. Looking around the edge of the porch, he saw that it was coming from the basement, casting a small rectangle against the neighboring house. The light flicked off, replaced by a faint red glow. Oliver vaulted the railing and crouched to peer through the window.
    Emalie stood in a small, square space, its walls made of boxes. She was leaning over a sink, and was lit only in red and shadow. Distantly, Oliver heard the man upstairs shout, “Come on, Margie!” to no reply. Emalie glanced up at the ceiling, frowning, then pulled earphones out of her vest pocket and slipped them on.
    She bent back to the sink, where she picked up a pair