John’s neighborhood was active and alive, with couples strolling around holding hands, children eagerly shooting hoops into the basketball hoop at the next-door neighbor’s driveway, barking dogs and curious cats on the porches. The neighborhood was alive, but there was one odd house that stood out from all the other houses on the street that perplexed John. He never saw the neighbor, even though his house was right across the street. A car was parked in the driveway, indicating someone lived there. John was bewildered because every window was covered with black curtains closed tight, day and night. Standing on his porch, John watched that house, and as usual there was no sign of movement. He shook his head hopelessly, thinking he would never know anything about that neighbor.

John lived alone, he worked from home as a writer, his meals microwaveable ready to eat meals, and when he came home from work, he through a frozen dinner in the microwave and plopped on the couch for night. That’s all his mundane life consisted of. Tonight, in particular he couldn’t get his thoughts off the unknown neighbor. “I just need to go meet him,” he thought, assuming his neighbor was a male. He decided to go over there when he finished his dinner.

Walking through the yard of his neighbor’s house, he was curious as to why he was being watched from a slightly pulled curtain. “Hi,” he said loudly, “I am your neighbor, John, and just wanted to introduce myself to you.” The curtain closed and he waited a minute before he gave up, then the curtain was pulled slightly again. A sign was pushed against the window that read, “No Visitors.” John was irritated but didn’t let it show. “Oh, I see. Well maybe another time,” he said, and then went home.

He got ready for bed, intrigued by the incident. Not able to sleep, he stared at the ceiling for a long time. When he rolled over to finally close his eyes, he heard a car start from across the street. When he got up, looking out the window, he could see it was his neighbor. Suddenly the neighbor got out of the car with the motor still running, and they ran back into the house. “Must have forgot something,” John said to himself.

To his surprise, it was a woman dressed in a sexy black dress and high heels. When she emerged from the house John got a slightly quick look of her face, gasping for a moment because the woman had probably never seen sunshine for, she was pale as a ghost. “God,” he said shaking his head. The woman saw that she was being watched, so he quickly pulled the curtain shut.

Once he heard the car pull away, he sat back down on his bed dazed. “Oh well, people are strange sometimes,” he said to himself, getting back into bed. In the early morning, he awoke to loud knocking on his door. “John! Wake up! You will never guess what happened! John quickly opened the door. It was Jane from the house next store. Whenever something happened, she was the first person that told him. “What is it? What time is it? This better be important,” he tiredly said. “The first murder ever in Shorksure!” She shouted. “What?” He said in shock. “You heard me. It happened last night,” she continued, “a woman was murdered, and there was a bite on her neck that resembled a human bite. Who would have done something like that?”

John thought back to what he saw with the neighbor. “Bite on the neck,” he said curious, then remembering her pale appearance said, “Vampires are pale,” he said quietly. “What?” She asked. Suddenly he shouted, “Vampires are pale! They bite their victims. They can’t be in daylight, which explains the black curtains on every window. They only come out at night!” He suddenly was terrified. It was still very early. The sun wasn’t all the way out yet, when he saw his neighbor’s car pull up. The vampire got out the car and looked at them.

“Shit!” John yelled “Quickly, in the house!” John said in a panic. “What is it, John?” he asked. “Just get in here!” he yelled. “You don’t think…” she started to ask. “I do think, everything makes sense, I saw her face, pale as a ghost, she never comes out during the day, and she keeps the sunlight out with those eerie curtains. I think she is a vampire!” John yelled. His heart was pounding! They could see that the vampire was still looking in their direction. Then with an eerie smile they could see her fangs. She slowly started walking across the street. They both screamed, running to the back door, and out to hide in his shed. Curled up the woman asked fearfully, “You aren’t kidding! Do you think she will find us?” Jane whispered. “I…” John started to say. “Do you?” She asked again. “I don’t know. All we can do is wait and pray,” he answered. “God, help us,” he said quietly. So, they waited.