Wild Kratts: To Catch A Vampire

Chapter 27

The orphanage was cold. Joyo, Gus, and Annisa huddled together. Kadek came into the attic, scooching forward on his knees. Out of his hands tumbled breadfruit. The kids scooped them up before they could hit the ground and wake up the night nurse.

They pulled out the stems, spreading the fleshy fruit and pushing up through the peel to their mouths.

"Oh," whispered Gus, "that was so good. I was so hungry."

"Now to sleep," said Kadek.

"I'm not sleepy," said Annisa. "Tell us a story."

"I don't know any."

"I do," said Joyo. "Um, let me think. Okay; i got one. There was a beautiful Brahmin princess who fell in love with a handsome Brahmin prince from another kingdom. He told her he loved her and to run away with him. Everyone warned her about him, but she wouldn't listen. She ran away with him to a temple and when night came he kissed her but she said she wanted to wait for marriage. But by morning they were lovers."

"Ewww!"

"But get this! When she woke up, he was gone. She waited and waited for him to come back. She was worried something terrible had happened to him. But she spied him laughing and flirting with another girl! When she went up to him, he turned away like he didn't know her at all."

"What a jerk!"

"She went back to her family, but they wouldn't take her back. She ran crying back to the temple where she had sworn her love to him and threw blood all over the altar. It splattered everywhere. She prayed to one of the dark gods. She cursed the prince and all his descendants and she cursed any lovers who came to the temple."

"What was the blood offering?"

"Some say it was a rabbit. Others say it was a human baby."

The kids were quiet.

"I'm never going to fall in love," said Gus.

"I don't think it's a choice you have," said Kadek. "You fall in love and that's it."

Annisa was watching Kadek. "And why would you leave someone who loves you? That's dumb." She scooched up to him and took his hand. "Right?"

"Yeah," said Joyo. "If someone loved me I would be really happy."

"I love you," said Gus. Then he burst out laughing. Joyo shoved him.

"You love food," said Kadek. He patted Annisa's hand. She rested her head on his shoulder, sighed and closed her eyes.  

"What's that?" said Kadek. "Something just flew by the window."

"A bat?"

"It had long black hair and a scary face."

The children gathered near the window. Something white was moving across the courtyard in the night. It was moving to the Unwed Mothers Maternity Wing. The five kids went down the stairs as quiet as they could. They ran up to the desk of the night nurse and found her dead and drained of blood.

Then they heard the scream.

They ran across the courtyard toward the scream. A pregnant teenager ran out, the thing close behind her.

Gus threw bleach on it, bleach he had grabbed from the nurse's station. It covered its face with clawed hands. Acid plumes rose from its horrible visage.

Annisa darted forward and closed the door, trapping it.

"We did it!" They jumped up and down.

There was a crash. "The window!" they gasped. They ran around the side, Kadek held a broom handle as a weapon. He brandished it at the spectre. It grabbed the broom and broke it in half. With a triumphant screech, it lunged for the children, who huddled together.

"Over here, ugly!" A man's voice called. A net was fired and trapped the beast. As it snarled, three or four people closed in and made short work of it.

"You kids are very brave," said the man. "And you work great together. Here's my card. Give me a call when you're older."

Kadek read the card. "The Vampire Hunters Society?"

"Take us with you now," begged Annisa. "We hate it here in the orphanage."

"We'll do anything," said Joyo.

"I don't doubt it. But, this place is the best for you. Vampire hunters need to be tough. And finishing your education will show us you have discipline and intelligence."

"At least keep an eye on us," said Kadek.

"I can do that," said the man. With that, he left.

TO BE CONTINUED