Vampire's Breath

1.

"When a werewolf crawls behind you at night, it steps so slowly that you can't hear anything. You didn't know the werewolf was there until you felt its hot, sour breath behind your neck."

I bent over and blew the hot air over the back of Tyler Brown's neck. The boy's eyes bulged out and he let out a choking sound.

I love keeping babies for Tyler. He was scared so easily. "The werewolf's breath freezes you so you can't move" I whispered. "You can't run. You can't kick your foot or move your hand. It makes it easy for a werewolf to tear your skin."

I send out a hot wolf man breath

to Tyler's neck. I can see him shivering. Him

makes a soft whining sound.

"Stop, Freddy. You really scared him!" my friend Cara Simonetti scolded me. She pouted at me from the chair across the room.Tyler and I were on the couch. I sat so close to her that I could whisper and scare her. "Freddy, he's only six years old" Cara reminded me, "Look at him. His whole body was trembling."

"He likes it" I told him. I went back to Tyler. "When you go out late at night, and you feel the hot wolf-man breath behind your neck - don't turn around" I whispered. "Don't turn. Don't let him know that you saw him - that's when he'll attack!"

I shouted the word attack. Then I jumped up at Tyler and started tickling him with both hands as hard as I could.

He yelled. She was crying and laughing at the same time. I tickled her until she couldn't breathe. Then I

stop over. I am a very good babysitter, I have always

know when to stop tickling. Standing way. He grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me away from Tyler.

"He's only six, Freddy!" reworked.

I grabbed Cara, rolled her to the floor, and started tickling her. "Werewolf strikes again!" I'm yelling. I threw my head back while laughing wickedly.

Wrestling in a way is always a big mistake. He punched me in the stomach, so hard I saw the stars. Right. Red and yellow stars. I rolled, panting.

Have you ever run out of breath? It's not a good feeling. You really think

You will never breathe again. Making me see stars is Cara's hobby. He does it all the time. He can do it with one punch.

Kara is tough. That's why he's my best friend. We're both tough. When things get tough, we never get destroyed!

Ask anyone. Freddy Martinez and Cara Simonetti. Two tough kids.

Many people thought we were brothers and sisters. I guess it's because we look a little similar. We were both big enough for twelve. He's an inch taller, but I'm chasing. We both had wavy black hair, dark eyes, and round faces. We've been friends since I beat him up

fourth grade. He told everyone that he beat me

go up fourth grade.

Impossible.

Want to know how tough we are? We love it when our teachers squeak chalk onto the blackboard!

That hard.

By the way, Tyler lives across the street from me. Every time I babysit her, I call Cara, and she usually comes along. Tyler likes Cara better than me. He always calmed her down after I told her stories to scare her to death.

"Tonight is a full moon, Tyler," I said, leaning against him on the green leather sofa in his study. "Are you looking out the window? Did you see the full moon?" Tyler shook his head. He scratched one side of his short blonde hair.

His blue eyes were wide open. He's waiting

the rest of the werewolf story.

I approached and lowered my voice. "As the werewolf came out under the full moon, hair began to grow on his face" I told him. "The teeth grow longer, and more pointed. They did not stop until they reached below his chin. The fur covered his body like a wolf. And claws grow out of his fingers."

I slap my nails to the front of Tyler's shirt. He jerks. "You really burned it," Cara warned. "She

won't sleep at all tonight."

Ignored him. "And then the werewolf started

walk," I whispered, leaning over Tyler. "That

werewolves walk through the forest, looking for

victimised. Looking.. hungry... walking... I heard footsteps in the living room. Weighty

footsteps pounding on the rug. At first I thought I was imagining them.

Tyler heard it too.

"walk...

walk.." I whispered.

Tyler's mouth is open. The heavy footsteps were getting closer.

How to turn his chair over to the doorway. Tyler swallowed.

We all hear it now.

Heavy footsteps and thumping.

"Yourself!" my yelling. "It's really a werewolf!"

The three of us screamed. Do you want me to drive you

home?"

Cara and I said good night to the Browns. I don't really want to go home yet. So I walked

Way home. He lives on the next block.

The full moon shines on us. It seemed to follow us as we walked, hovering low over the dark houses. We laughed at my werewolf stories. And we

laughing about how scared it was made Tyler. We didn't know it was our turn to be scared next.

So scared.

Saturday afternoon, Cara's coming. We toss-up

down to my basement to play air hockey.

A few years ago, my parents cleaned the basement and turned it into a nice playroom. We have a full-sized pool table and a lovely old jukebox down there. Mom and Dad filled out jukeboxes with old rock-and-roll records.

Last Christmas, they bought me an air hockey game. The big one, the size of a table. Cara and I have some big hockey games.

We spent hours trying to get the plastic back

and so on with each other. We really got into it. Our air hockey game usually ends with a wrestling match. Just like a real hockey game on TV! We bent over the air hockey game and started warming up, pushing the puck back and forth slowly across the table. Not trying to score.

"Where are your parents?" How to ask. I shrugged my shoulders. "Beat me."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You don't know where they're going? Did they leave a message or

anything?"

I made a face for him. "They come out often." "Maybe to get away from you!" exciting Cara. She laughs.

I just came from karate class. I stepped in

go around the hockey table and do some karate moves on him. One of my kicks accidentally landed on the back of his ankle. "Hi!" he shouted furiously. "Freddy - you

goddamn it!"

As she leaned over to rub her ankles, I pushed her

he's up against the wall. I meant it as a joke.

I was just playing around. But I guess I don't know me

own force.

He lost his balance and crashed into an antique porcelain cabinet filled with old plates. Plates crackling and vibrating. But nothing is broken.

I laugh. I know that Cara wasn't really hurt.

I reached out to help pull her from the front of the closet. But he let out a roar-attack and came swiftly towards me.

His shoulder caught my chest. I let out a hoarse choking sound. Again, I saw the stars. While I was panting, he picked up a hockey puck from the game table. He pulled his hand back to raise it towards me. But I put my hand in his hand and struggled

hurry to get the piece.

We laughed. But it's a pretty serious fight. Don't misunderstand me. Cara and I do all this

the time. Especially when my parents are gone.

I pulled the puck out of his hand-and left

fly across the room. With a loud cry of karate, I swung free from it. We both laughed so hard, we could

barely moving. But Cara started running and

stab me once again.

This time he sent me sailing back. I lost my balance. My hand was raised as I hit the side of the tall ceramic cabinet. "Whoooooo!"

I landed hard. My back hit

side of the wood closet.

And the whole cabinet collapsed! I heard the sound of plates.

A second later, I fell on top of the closet, lying helplessly on my back. "Ohhh." My cry turned into a painful groan.

Then hush. I just lay there on top of the cupboard that fell, like a turtle on its back. My hands and feet were thrashing

airborne. My whole body hurts. "Uh oh."

That's all I heard Cara say. Simple "Uh-oh."

And then he rushed. He reached out, grabbed my hand, and pulled me up.

We both walked away from the closet that fell. "Sorry," muttered Cara. "I didn't mean to do that."

"I know," I said. I gulped, rubbed my sore shoulder. "I think we're in big trouble" We both turned around to check the damage.

And we both cried out in shock when we saw what the old wooden cabinet was hiding