Vampire Lodge Read Free Page B

and
hanging there in frames were lots of stuffed fish, and some of them
were over three feet long.
    “ That’s really cool!” Jimmy
said. “Man, this lodge is terrific. We’re going to have a
blast!”
    “ We sure are,” Kevin said.
“And wait till we get out onto the bluffs with our new
kites.”
    They all sat down around the crackling
fireplace, and Aunt Carolyn brought out glasses of spiced, hot
apple cider for everyone. “So when will you two want to be heading
out on your fishing expedition?” she asked the fathers.
    Mr. Grimaldi rubbed his hands together
eagerly. “The sooner the better. Packed in an office five days a
week and nine hours a day, there’s no better way to relax than to
get right out into the great outdoors.”
    Mr. Bennell nodded in agreement. “I’ve
been looking forward to this since… well, since last
year!”
    The hot cider tasted sharp
and tangy; it was just one more thing that Kevin loved about coming
to his aunt’s. He never understood why his aunt never drank any
herself, though; it was really good. Maybe
she just doesn’t like apples, he
considered. Then he asked, “Hey, Dad, how long will you and Mr.
Grimaldi be camping and fishing?”
    “ We’ll be back Sunday
morning,” Kevin’s father replied.
    “ Great,” Becky whispered to
Kevin. “Two whole days I’ll be cooped up with you two nitwits. I’ll
go absolutely nuts.”
    “ You’ve been absolutely
nuts for your whole life,” Kevin couldn’t resist.
    “ But I want you kids to
mind Aunt Carolyn,” Kevin’s father went on. “No monkeying around
and no arguing. And no staying out after dark.”
    “ That goes for you too,
sport,” Mr. Grimaldi added aside to Jimmy.
    “ Right, Dad,” Jimmy said.
“I won’t get into any trouble.”
    “ Make sure you
don’t.”
    “ Oh, I’m sure the kids will
be just fine,” Aunt Carolyn said. “Don’t worry about a thing. Just
go out and have a good time, and enjoy the fishing.”
    They sat around and talked for a few
minutes more, Mr. Grimaldi chatting about his job at some computer
place, and Mr. Bennell telling Carolyn about the real estate
convention, and other things like that. Then they all went back
outside. Kevin and Jimmy helped their fathers strap on their big
back-packs which were full of supplies, tents, and, of course, lots
of coffee.
    “ Have fun, Dad,” Kevin
said. “Bring back lots of fish.”
    “ Don’t worry,” Mr. Bennell
said. “We will.” Then he leaned over and whispered, “And give your
Aunt Carolyn a break, will ya? Try to get along with
Becky.”
    “ I will, Dad,” Kevin said,
but then he thought, At least I’ll
try . Sometimes getting along with his
sister was about as easy as building a snowman in July.
    Then, Mr. Bennell and Mr. Grimaldi
checked their pack straps one last time and walked off into the
main trail in the woods, waving.
    Kevin glanced after them. A strange
notion occurred to him then, and he couldn’t imagine the reason.
But as his father disappeared into the trail with Mr. Grimaldi,
Kevin couldn’t escape the feeling that they were in
danger…
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
    “ You think they’ll really
catch a lot of fish?” Jimmy asked skeptically, as autumn leaves
floated down from the trees.
    “ Sure,” Kevin said.
“They’ll catch tons of fish.”
    “ If you ask me,” Becky
said, “the only thing they’re going to catch are colds.”
    “ Yeah, well nobody asked
you,” Kevin told her. But one thing he had to admit, it was getting
chilly out, and the wind was stirring up.
    Aunt Carolyn waited for them back at
the huge front door. “Come on, kids,” she said. “It’s getting very
cold. It’ll be winter in less than a month.”
    They all came back across the court,
passing the parked station wagon.
    “ Hey, what happened to our
suitcases?” Becky asked.
    The suitcases, which they’d left
beside car, weren’t there any more.
    “ Wally and Bill must’ve
taken them up to your rooms while we were talking