A foul breath gasped through the crack.
“Aha! The beast has not hidden his abode well,” Sadie said, voice a whisper. She gripped the stake tighter, knuckles white, teeth visible in her moonlit grin.
“Shh! Sadie, this is serious!” Lisa put a hand on her shoulder before she could take a step. “There could be grave robbers or anyone down there!”
“I take my hunting very seriously, thank you, dear guardian.” Sadie pulled away and strode towards the black door. “And if they disturb the slumber of the beast, it could spell doom for us all!”
An archway curled around the edges of the door, with slots for lanterns above and either side. The lanterns were present, but their innards were devoid of flame. Sadie paused at the foot of the steps, which ascended to the door. She read the name carved into the stone above the archway. “Loretta Alaska,” she said in awe, “and here we were thinking that the vamp was a man.” Sadie totted and shook her head. She looked at Lisa. “Not very progressive of us, was it?”
“We’re not actually going down there. Are we?
We could get arrested.”
“We’d be doing the local law enforcement fools a favor — ridding them of one more vermin!”
“I don’t think that’s how they’d see it, Sade. And I don’t want to get a criminal record before I’m halfway through my teens. My mumble makes me wish I got stabbed by junkies if that happens.”

Sadie offered her the puppy-dog eyes. “Please.”
“No. I’m not going down there.”
Sadie smiled at her.
“I’ll be down just for a sec, Lies. You stay here.”
“No, Sadie, wait—”
But Sadie had already leapt up the steps and was at the door.
Lisa loosed a noise of exasperation and then followed her friend. “I swear




I killed.” The wet leaves squelched and squidgy beneath her converse.
“You don’t have to join me,
.” Sadie had one hand on the door; the other held the stake in a Ramboesque pose. “I can defend Bridge moss by my lonesome.”
“Because somebody’s got to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”
Sadie nodded.
Who defends the defender?” She pushed the door open. It squalled on its hinges, loud and rusty.
Lisa grunted. She was about to say that the only thing Sadie’s defended anyone from was a night of peaceful sleep. But then a noise from the depths froze the words in her throat.






There was actually somebody down there.
*
“Sadie,” Lisa licked her lips, “Sadie, we should leave.” Lisa’s eyes were wide and wild. “I don’t like this, not one bit.”
Sadie remained a statue, one hand on the door — which was now two-thirds of the way open. Her heart bounced from side to side in her ribcage. She reaffirmed her grip on the stake. “I, uh,” she Like something actually in there.”

No
—”
Sadie raised a finger to her friend’s lips. “Shh!” Her eyes darted back and forth and she squinted. “I’m listening.”
“Sadie, let’s call the cops and get

!” Lisa shuffled and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She swore.
This thing never holds its charge, any more! Lend me yours, Sade.”

“I left it at home.”


“Mum ‘n’ Dad





. So, I left it.”

Let’s go. Let’s go now.”
“Shush, I said! I can hear something…”
Lisa bit her tongue and held her breath. “I don’t—”
“There.”


The unmistakable sound of footsteps on stone
Sadie turned to face Lisa. Her gut plummeted into the ground. “It’s coming this way.”
The color drained from Lisa’s face. A small squeak escaped her pressed-together lips.
Sadie grabbed her friend by the shoulders. “We’ve got to hide,
.”
Lisa nodded and glanced around — a frightened rabbit in headlights. “Where, Sadie?



Sadie had to all but drag Lisa with her — further into the stone maze of the cemetery’s lifeless heart. They went past one, two, three rows of vaults and then hooked to the side. Sadie hunkered down and pulled Lisa down into a crouch,








. To dip into that grayness was to plunge into ice. She pressed her finger to her lips and nodded. “Shh.”
She braced against the rear of a tomb for balance and listened.
Nothing.
No thump, thuds, slaps taps, groans or growls.
All was silent.
Somewhere, an insect chirped. A bird cried out, and Lisa let out a little squeal. Sadie reached out and squeezed her hand

...............




© Harsh