You Were What You Eat

35. Vampire-Hunting

Carmine wasn't sure their note would be enough, but Anna had no doubts; there was no way Fredrick and Jacqueline would be willing to take the chance they'd been found out. Besides, being vampires, the two would feel they had a distinct advantage over anyone who would dare confront them, so it wouldn't be fear that kept them out of the park. Instead, it was much more likely they'd use the opportunity for an attack of their own.

The setup had been simple enough. Mia had gone over to Anna's apartment after school, and Carmine promised to join them a few hours later. She needed to go home and get a few things first, she'd explained. When she showed up at Anna's, she had her backpack slung over one shoulder and a plastic grocery bag in each hand.

"I had my mom take me to the store." she explained, lifting the bags slightly.

Anna led Carmine through the living room and into the kitchen where Mia was sitting at the table, a glass of untouched lemonade in front of her.

"Would you like something to drink?" Anna asked Carmine. Carmine grinned and shook her head.

"I ate already, too." Carmine said proudly, setting the bags down on the table. She shrugged out of her backpack, setting it on the chair next to where she stood. Anna and Mia leaned forward, trying to see what was inside those bags.

The first bag contained things that looked like they'd been purchased at some store, and Anna could see the outline of various boxes through the plastic. Carmine opened the bag, pulling the sides down to the tabletop and revealing the contents. It was filled with things that every good vampire-hunter should have; there were three bulbs of garlic, containers of salt, garlic salt, and what appeared to be a box of mustard seeds. Anna smiled at the mustard seeds nostalgically. She remembered a time when mustard seeds, like rice, were thought to prevent vampires from coming around.

Mia reached down in between the boxes and pulled something out – a tiny, cheap-looking mirror. She sneered at her reflection for just a fraction of a second before looking up at Carmine.

"I thought we said we didn't need these." she said somewhat testily.

"I know. But they were cheap." Carmine explained. "Besides, I figured it's better to bring some things and not use them instead of not bringing them and wishing we did."

Carmine smiled reassuringly at her friends, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Anna realized Carmine was much more nervous than she was letting on; more than likely, she'd bought the mirrors due to some sort of reflex. Mia must have reached the same conclusion about Carmine. Instead of arguing the point, she simply shrugged.

After seeing what was in the first bag, Anna was even more curious about the second; it seemed much lumpier, and Anna could see a leaf or two poking out of the top.

"What's in there?" she asked Carmine. Not waiting for an answer, Mia was already opening the bag, taking out bundle after bundle of twigs.

"Well, that's ash." Carmine said, pointing to the bundle still in Mia's hand. Then, turning to the table she continued, "And that's hawthorn, and that's...uh..." Carmine grabbed the last group still laying on the table. She quickly checked a little slip of paper that had been taped around the base of one of the sticks. "Wild rose." Carmine reported, looking triumphant. "I labeled them all, so I wouldn't forget."

"Why do you have so many plants?" Mia asked with interest.

"Well, all the books I've read say different things. So I got some of each just to be sure."

After they'd finished examining the contents of the two bags, Carmine unzipped her backpack. Anna and Mia stared in a kind of horrified fascination as Carmine pulled out a long stick of wood, narrowed to a sinister point at one end. A stake. This was followed by six bottles of water with blue sports caps screwed on tightly.