Stepping up onto the ladder, I about screamed as it swayed. This wasn't as stable as the one leading up to Elvira's bedroom by a long shot. And that one was already terrifying!751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJpUGGXyDw
'You've got to do this, Samantha. For mom.' I took another deep breath to try and calm my pounding heart and nerves and started slowly making my way up the ladder, trying to ignore the instability and thoughts about what would happen if I were to fall.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWQtfITuOg
"Stupid high ceilings. Everyone else just uses stairs to get to their basement. But not Elvira. Oh, no. She's got to be fancy and have window doors on the ceilings accessible only by deadly fucking ladders."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVNlLQ0H3O
I continued my trek up the ladder, trying my best to not glance down, only staring up at the window above me. I knew if I stopped even for a second or noticed how I was I'd freeze up in terror.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaCqKe2mOv
I reached top, finally, entirely out of breath and ready to give up then and there. Instead, though, I made myself reach up and undo the latch holding the window shut and pushed it open, breathing in the cool morning air from outside as it washed over my face. I gripped the edges of the window and pulled myself up into the grass of Elvira's ridiculously large grounds, looking around to try and locate the house.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPUATMYKNM
Now that I was out came one of the hardest parts— transportation to Davis. I was willing to walk if need be, but I'd really rather not have had to do that. So, I was just hoping that Elvira had a garage or something where I could find a car I could use for the ride to the train station. And, as it turned out, she did. I thanked my lucky stars that everything was turning out so wonderfully as I jogged over to the garage. Though, I supposed, it wasn't really all that lucky. She was crazy rich, of course she'd have a garage. If I was that rich I'd spend at least half my money on cool vehicles.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4l2UQa7QG
The garage was, to my surprise, not nearly as elaborate as I'd been expecting. It simply contained Elvira's GTO, a motorcycle, and a more modern sedan. Off to the side was a cork board that had the keys to the vehicles hanging from nails.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoEuE54Dz2
"Sweet," I said, grabbing the keys that belonged to the sedan. I jumped in the car and flipped it into neutral, knowing if I started the engine this close to the house, Elvira and her heightened vampire senses would certainly be able to hear it. So, I got behind the car and started push.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qgTMPKWBd
It wasn't too bad as most of the trail was downhill and I was quite used to pushing cars being that mine broke down an awful lot. Once I determined I was far enough away, I put the keys in the ignition and started it.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMSNI2Mivy
I felt nervous trying to be sneaky like this in the light of day, but I knew there was no reason to be. Vampires didn't see well in the light. Their eyesight was so sensitive the light of the sun was painful and everything looked washed out. It was as difficult for them to adjust and see in the day as it was for us to see at night. Still, it was nerve-wracking.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnmENiRIKf
I was on edge the entire drive to Davis. Every little thing that I saw out of the corner of my eye made me jump. I was a mess. But, finally, after fifteen minutes of driving like that, I arrived in the small town and made my way to the train station.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMzrLwCqYk
In the day the stations were manned by humans allowing them to stay open 24/7, something I'd never been as thankful for as I was right now.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXqiIUyXzG
"Uh, hi, I need a ticket to Arlington please? At the soonest time available."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoLpLEo3Ab
"Yes, ma'am," the girl behind the counter told me with a smile. She looked to be a high school student probably near the end of her shift. She hit a few buttons on the computer and looked back up at me. "Our next train to Arlington leaves in thirty minutes, is that alright?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOATa5Xl9P
I sighed, but nodded and handed over the money anyways. I didn't want to wait thirty minutes.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVnW4EpU1Z
Pulling out my phone, I called Rachele and waited impatiently for her to answer.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aW0mKzPmm
"Hello?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qIIdLI1rn
"Hey, Rache."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUBcxAca3U
"Hey Sam. What's going on?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdvEMKBaWY
"I'm at the train-station in Davis. I'll be arriving in the city in about an hour and a half. Do you think you could take mom to the station to meet me? And maybe get return tickets to Davis for mom and I? I'll pay you back as soon as I get there, I just don't want to be hanging around for any longer than I have to be."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBD3ndPCkV
"Sure, I can do that," Rachele answered, before yawning. I felt bad for asking so much of her, but it was the most efficient way to get mother here and that was my main priority.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcIpFgPELT
"I owe you one, girl."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jAFevi64a
"Just one? By my count you owe me more than can be counted."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uesZG8lTo
I laughed. "Yeah, well, whatever. You're probably right."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWGBPtlzyc
:: ::751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHll479scT
:: ::751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqED5V3DA4
I hated everything about trains. The way they smelled, having to wait for one to arrive before you could go anywhere, being forced to sit next to people you didn't know... they were awful. But, they moved fast and I didn't have to know any directions to use one.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOo6X0hy3G
The entire hour of sitting on the train waiting to arrive back home was one of the most awful experiences I've ever had.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs78fbB0dnY
My anxiety, which was already through the roof skyrocketed once I was on the train. I couldn't pace like I wanted to and soon mother would be here with me and I'd have to hide my nerves. My stomach was in knots so tight I actually had to excuse myself to the restroom at the back of the train a few times to throw up. It sucked ass.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdDTLDbVft
But, finally, after an hour of that hell we rolled into the station in the human sector of Arlington. I rushed off as quickly as I could and saw Rachele sitting on a bench with mom. Mother appeared to be exhausted. Her gray head rested on Rachele's shoulder and I could see her eyes struggling to stay open. Rachele looked just as exhausted, though. Her blonde ponytail was in disarray, with pieces sticking up in every direction. She had on no makeup, her clothes were filthy, and she had massive bags under her eyes. I couldn't help but feel awful for leaving her alone with all this responsibility and exhausting her this badly for as long as she did. Any qualms I had about sneaking out vanished the second I saw the state she was. I didn't care about Elvira's rules— my friend and my mother were far more important than myself and if helping them ended up getting me kicked out I didn't particularly care anymore.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeb8FXi9BW
"Hi," I greeted with a wave as I approached them.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4afRHQzHwB
"Sammy," Rachele said, grinning in pure relief. Her eyes went wide as she looked at me. "You look... fantastic. I love your jeans. I don't think I've seen you wear those before."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJ5iZkCFrF
"Yeah, they're new," I told her, feeling incredibly awkward in my nice, new clothes.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs932k1RWX5
"Well, they look good." Rachele smiled at me.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIgLStXWLq
"Um, so, I guess I'll just take mom and get going." I shook her shoulder, rousing her from the half-sleep she'd been in. "Come on, mom, it's Sammy. It's time go."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZe4evwC0yI
"Wanna sleep," Mom whined, closing her eyes tight.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXo9271cog
"You can sleep on the train. Come on now." I grabbed the train tickets from Rache and pulled out my wallet to get the money to pay her back with.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCCkoyitCs
"No, no, it's fine, Sammy," Rachele said, shaking her head. "You don't need to pay me back. You need the money more than I do."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWntZwe2tWz
"Thanks." I put away my wallet and grinned at Rachele. "Well, uh, this is good-bye I guess."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjYJHXjDiC
Rachele reached forward and hugged me tightly, knocking the wind out of me. Once I realized what was happening, I reached around and hugged her back, before leaning back away from the hug when I heard the conductor calling out to board.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMdkBwLDiI
"See you when you get back," Rache said.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnfDQQu61r
"Yeah. When I get back."
:: ::751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlxQwVBYDr
:: ::
Mom slept the entire way back to Elvira's, only waking up long enough to get off the train and walk to the car.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WcMXmjiCc
Once we were arrived back at Elvira's, I idled the car on the path leading up to Elvira's and woke mom up.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpbtV8aGbP
"We there Sammy?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYyv1fTCU4
"Kind of mom," I told her. "It's a little bit complicated what's happening, so I need you to pay attention, okay?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGL1zRv13a3
"Okay."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCvl8ned1q
"We have to be sneaky. We're staying with a woman named Elvira. Well, actually she's a vampire. She runs a safe haven for humans that are in danger and can't get help from the law."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5Mer3zEQs
"Why do we have to be sneaky then?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7gxo7lmla
"I wasn't supposed to bring you here. She has to approve everyone that comes in and out, but I wasn't about to wait leave you with Rachele any longer than I absolutely had to. So, I broke some rules by leaving and now we have to sneak our way back in."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO06IPCd1E3
Mom's brow furrowed and she looked troubled. "I don't want to break any rules...."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCWjNt6f7L
"Shh, it's okay. Trust me, alright?"751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQldhnHxsFj
Mom nodded and I smiled at her.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnFj3WmMNa
"Okay, so, I need to push the car the rest of the way in so she doesn't hear. You steer."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM21S61Grj
I got out of the car and Mom slid over to the driver's seat. We'd done this many times in my car and it was a whole lot easier to push a car when I had someone to steer for me. Once I was in position mom threw the thing into neutral and I got to pushing.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvF5LaIQCG
It was way more difficult this time, going uphill, and by the time I got it back into the garage I was covered in sweat and felt ready to collapse. I plopped myself down on the ground and rested my head on my knees the second I could and breathed heavily for a moment, not feeling like I could move at all anymore.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWExs19cBC1
"Okay," I whispered, once I'd caught my breath. "Let's, uh, get a move on I guess. Remember, we have to stay quiet." I held a finger up to my lips and stood back up.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbibvzut74
I walked around the back of Elvira's massive mansion, looking for a window on the ground floor that was far from Elvira's room. Once I found one that looked good, I approached it, praying it was unlocked and started trying to lift it from the outside. And, to my immense joy, it did.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLCuI6OZRf
"Oh thank god," I said under my breath, lifting the window all the way up and pulling myself inside the house. "Come on, mom. I'll help you in."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn9eMwuENn
I reached out of the window and grabbed mom's wrists, helping take some of her weight and get herself in. After a few moments, we were in.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0MuYpcgaG
"The doors this way, in the basement," I said as quietly as I could, taking mom's hand in mine and making my way to the stairs that led to the basement as silently as possible. My nerves were on fire as I realized we were at the riskiest part of the whole operation. One misstep here and we'd be caught. But, thankfully, things went smoothly all the way down into the basement. I moved aside the rug covering the trap door and went to open it when I remembered where Elvira kept the key... around her neck.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhiQaWwvJv
Fuck.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKlezfKnKq
I ran my hands through my hair and felt ready to vomit again from nerves. Tears pricked my eyes as panic started to set in and I barely kept myself from hyperventilating.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8TPEfkz8f
'Get it together, Samantha!' I scolded myself. 'You know what you have to do, so stop crying about it and just do it.'751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4sYeyJ0bg
I took a deep breath to calm myself and looked at mother. "Stay here. I'll be right back."751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvMn4AKs6q
Removing my shoes so as to be more quiet as I got dangerously close Elvira's room, I left the basement and made the short trek to Elvira's room. I had no idea if she could hear my tiptoeing or my pounding heart, but with every creak the house made I struggled to keep myself together. I kept expecting it to be her, catching me doing one of the only things I'd been explicitly told not to do.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvKFLq7PNj
Elvira's door was open when I approached it and I saw her sleeping soundly on her back. I pushed the door open a bit more, enough to step inside and saw what I was looking for. The necklace with the key hanging around Elvira's neck just as I thought it would be. She was covered by a thin sheet from her bust down to her feet, revealing her bare shoulders and sternum. I shook the inappropriate thoughts of what else was bare under the sheet away from my mind and approached the bed.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXb5Iu1mOR
The key was attached to the necklace with a hook. 'Here goes nothing.' I reached out, my hand shaking like a leaf, and went to undo the hook.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzjzXjM7JR
Elvira's eyes snapped open quick as lightening and just as quickly, her hand snapped up and grabbed onto my wrist with a tight, painful grasp. She pulled me forward, angry red eyes glaring at me, as she bared her teeth.751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxplXi3BaBl
'Well, fuck.'751Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtscOF6fQLb
and then Add to home screen.