Invitation to a Stranger (13 page)

 

The front door banged. Someone was coming in.

“Why are you letting the pizza burn?” Katie asked as she walked through.

Will was behind her, and Mike and Jasmine behind them. There was no sign of Drake.

“Got visitors have we?” Jeff asked.

“Brod and Jeraine,” Ronnie stammered.

“So where is the unsuccessful son?” Brod asked.

“We're pleased to meet you also, I don't think,” Katie snapped.

“We're here by invitation,” Brod said smugly. “Where is the unsuccessful son?”

“If you're talking of Drake, he should be along in a minute,” Mike said. “We asked him to drop into the shopping centre to bring some apple pies home.”

“I'll cut up the pizza and we can eat in the sunroom,” Jeff said as he went back into the kitchen.

Jasmine, Katie, Mike and Will settled on the other chairs. There was a tense silence. Jeff came back with the pizzas and paper serviettes. Brod and Jeraine refused any pizza and sat watching with their glittering black eyes as the others ate.

Katie never said a word. She poured the crisps from their packets into two large bowls and left them on the small table by the couch.

“I'll make some hot chocolate,” Ronnie said. She realised as she went back into the kitchen that Jeff had managed to turn the central heating on.

When she returned she noticed that Brod and Jeraine were eating the crisps. They had emptied one bowl and were starting on the other one when Brod said.

“Do you have anything for us to drink?”

“There's fruitcup in the refrigerator,” Ronnie said.

“Well, get it,” Jeraine ordered.

Ronnie came out with the jug of fruit cup and two glasses and put them on the table. Jeraine poured out two glasses. He and Brod drank them down in two swallows. The three girls stared at their pizzas and pretended not to watch. The crisps had been very salty and the two boys obviously were very thirsty.

“Not bad,” Jeraine said. “The pineapple makes it very refreshing.”

Every now and then Brod would whisper. “Where is the unsuccessful son?”

Mike or Jeff or even Will, would then reply he was due in any minute and had anyone remembered to leave him some of the pizza? Ronnie was sweating, and realized it was because the sunroom was getting so hot, but was it going to be hot enough?

Jeraine and Brod kept eating crisps. Jeraine poured out another two glasses of fruit cup. He and Brod drank them down again.

“Not much left for the rest of us,” Jeff said looking at the emptying jug.

“So,” Brod said, and reached over to empty the rest of the jug into the two glasses.

He and Jeraine tilted the glasses up and drank again. Ronnie shared the mugs of hot chocolate between herself, Katie and Jasmine. Then they sat and waited.

Even as she and Katie sat watching, the two boys slumped over with their eyes closed. Brod dropped his glass and Mike picked it up.

“So what happens now?” Ronnie asked.

Mike and Will stood up, picked up Brod and carefully placed him on top of one of the heating vents on the floor. Then they went across and picked up Jeraine, whose eyes had dropped shut and placed him across the other vent.

“Only one hour so far. We wait for another hour for Drake to come home,” Jeff explained. “Drake was explaining a few things about metabolism. This should be rather interesting.”

“I calculate two hours isn't long enough,” Will argued.

“They are very light weight, and probably suffering malnutrition, so therefore two hours should be plenty of time,” Jeff argued.

“What am I missing?” Ronnie demanded. “And don't try to dazzle me with science.”

“Same thing as the cats and the dog,” Mike explained. “Enough heat should somehow dissolve whatever is in their system keeping them weird.”

“Brod still hates Drake,” Ronnie warned. “No amount of dissolving drugs is going to alter that.”

“So it should be interesting,” Jeff said.

He picked up the glasses and left the room. Ronnie heard him washing them in the sink. Then they all sat and waited.

Ronnie stared at the unconscious bodies sprawled bonelessly across the heating vents. They were starting to look somehow different. They still had long black hair and skinny frames, but their features seemed to be changing. Brod's chin looked broader, and Jeraine's nose was slightly longer. They might still look like brothers, but no longer like identical twins.

They heard the front door open and close. Then the door to the kitchen opened and Drake sauntered in.

“Very hot in here,” he drawled. “How are my cousins?”

“Something interesting is happening,” Jeff said. “Their features are changing.”

“How long have they been there?”

“About two and a half hours, and they have consumed two packets of crisps and a full jug of fruit cup,” Mike reported.

“With lots of garlic juice in it,” Ronnie explained.

‘Grandmother said that the garlic juice should work,” Jasmine said.

“Impressive,” Drake said. He sat down. “We should wait until they wake naturally.”

“We'll have the olds home before that happens,” Jeff said looking worried. “They are with Jamie who has regained consciousness, but they will be heading home.”

Drake sighed. “This is going to be unpleasant.” He reached down for Brod and slung him over his shoulder. He went through the kitchen and into the second bathroom. Ronnie winced as she heard the unmistakable sounds of someone being very sick.

There was silence. Drake came back, and carefully put Brod down on the heating vent again. Brod's face was very white and freshly washed and the bones of his cheekbones stuck out, making his face looking gaunter than ever.

Drake picked up Jeraine and carried him through the kitchen into the bathroom. They winced again as they heard the sound of Jeraine being sick.

“Wonder how they can throw up while they are still unconscious?” Mike murmured.

“Suppose Drake holds their head forward so they don't choke on their own vomit,” Jeff volunteered.

“Change the subject,” Ronnie said. “My stomach is weak.”

Drake came back and draped the limp body of Jeraine across the vent.

“They don't look a bit alike now,” Katie said. “I mean. They've both got black hair and are tall and thin but there is no resemblance anymore.”

Brod suddenly opened his eyes and struggled to his knees. His eyes were dull rather than glittering. He glared at Drake. “I hate you and will kill you,” he threatened hoarsely.

“No you don't,” Drake said. “You are very grateful that I have saved you from a dreadful existence.”

“I am very grateful you have saved me from a dreadful existence,” Brod repeated hoarsely.

“You want to return to the hostel before they lock up for the night,” Drake said.

“I want to return to the hostel before they lock up for the night,” Brod repeated.

“Everyone is betting you are going to get A's for this term's units,” Drake said.

“Everyone is betting I'm going to get A's for this term's units,” Brod repeated.

Drake turned to Jeraine, who was struggling to his knees, his dulled black eyes fixed on Drake.

“It is my duty to make an example of you, the unsuccessful son,” Jeraine whispered. His whisper wasn't as penetrating. Like Brod's, it just sounded hoarse.

“It is your duty to set a good example to your younger brother,” Drake said.

“It is my duty to set a good example to my younger brother,” Jeraine repeated.

“You must get him back to the hostel before it locks up for the night,” Drake said.

“I must get my younger brother back to the hostel before it locks up for the night,” Jeraine repeated.

“You are doing very well on your studies to set an example to your younger brother,” Drake said.

“I am doing very well on my studies to set an example to my younger brother,” Jeraine repeated.

“Thank your friends for their hospitality as you have to leave,” Drake said.

“Thank you friends for your hospitality to me and my little brother,” Jeraine repeated.

He scrambled to his feet, swayed, rubbed his brow in puzzlement, and then noticed Brod. He reached out a hand and pulled him to his feet.

“Thank our friends for their hospitality,” Jeraine said.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Brod said. He swayed. Somehow, he and Jeraine were moving clumsily instead of gracefully. “We have to get back to the youth hostel before it locks up for the night.”

Drake opened the back door, and the two swaying figures lurched through it.

“What did you do?” Ronnie asked.

“They were suggestible,” Katie realized. “Like the captives were before they were woken. Clever Drake! Will it last?”

“They will be able to eat normal food without throwing up, and they will have forgotten a lot of what they learned from the family and hopefully never go back to them again,” Drake explained. “I booked them into a hostel in the next district, and they will head off to their night school and pick up with normal activities like sports with other kids.”

“Will they get there before it closes for the night?” Ronnie asked.

“Take an hour for them to walk, and it is only 9 o'clock.” Drake said.

“What if the family comes back for them?” Katie asked.

Drake just shrugged. Ronnie shivered. Somehow that shrug was answer enough. Still it was silly to worry about problems before they arrived. She looked at the sunroom clock. She was surprised to realise Drake was right. It was only 9 o'clock!

Somehow the evening felt as if it had gone on forever. The front door opened. Ronnie heard a sound she hadn't heard for months. Her mother and father were laughing.

“Mum and Dad are back,” she gasped.

“I'll get the second bathroom cleaned up,” Drake said and rushed through the kitchen towards it.

Will reached forward and turned on the television. The door opened. Two smiling parents came in.

“Watching the idiot box?” Mr Campion said. “That stuff is totally unsuitable for young kids.”

Ronnie sneaked a look at the screen. An old movie called The Bride of Dracula was playing.

Katie and Jasmine looked at the screen and started to giggle. Ronnie felt her giggles get stronger. It was almost like hysteria, as if once she started she would never stop. The movie or something was suddenly pricelessly funny.

“Nothing sacred to you kids,” her mother said in resignation. “When I was young that movie terrified the daylights out of me.”

“It's a bit silly, Mum,” Ronnie stuttered, trying not to giggle.

“Yeah, nobody believes in vampires these days,” Katie said, choking back on her giggles.

“As we're not watching it, we'll get moving,” Mike said scowling at the giggling Jasmine.

“I quite agree,” Will said, staring at Katie in puzzlement. “Come on giggling Gertie. Time to go.”

“Where's Drake?” Ronnie's mother asked.

“Right here, Mrs. Campion,” Drake said as he came through the kitchen. “How's Jamie and Herbie?”

“Coming home this week,” Jamie's mother said happily.

“What's the joke?” Drake asked.

Katie was bent over holding her stomach. She pointed to the television.

“It's just an old movie. Don't think I've seen it.” Drake sounded puzzled.

“Bride of Dracula,” Ronnie managed before she doubled up laughing.

“Quite,” Drake said still looking puzzled.

This set the three girls off again. Will and Mike sighed, and grabbed their respective sisters.

“See you Mr. and Mrs. Campion, Ronnie and Jeff,” they chorused and towed their giggling sisters out the back door.

“Thanks for keeping them company,” Mr. Campion called after them.

“Time you were in bed,” Ronnie's mother said. “All these late nights are catching up with you.”

“Yes, Mum,” Ronnie said meekly.

She took a deep breath. Her stomach still hurt from giggling. Bride of Dracula indeed!

 

 

Chapter One

 

“I just won't go,” Allie yelled from the refuge of her bedroom. “You can't make me.

It was Saturday and the first day of the school holidays and Allie had just learned the dreadful news.

“You are not staying home alone while I'm working.” Her mother didn't even lift her head from the papers she was studying on the dining table.

“Why can't I go surfing or skiing for the holidays like everyone else? Some of our class are actually going overseas.”

“We need what money your father and I earn to keep a roof over our heads.” Her mother's voice got a higher pitch to it. “I spoke to Mrs. Marybone and she remembered me. It was very nice of her to offer to have you and Jenny for a week at Mon Repose.”

“A dead, old boarding house in the hills. Yuk! What are we supposed to do?”

“Your father and I spent our honeymoon there.” Her mother looked dreamy, her voice softened. “There should be lots to do, with boating, horse riding, swimming, and tennis.”

“Maybe that was all right a hundred years ago, but I don't want to go.”

“That's enough, Allison.” Her mother rustled the papers on the desk together and stood up. “You're lucky your Aunt Gwen agreed Jenny could go with you.”

“And what about my mobile? I need it.”

“That phone was for emergencies, not running up a phone bill of $500 and—”

“Forget it,” Allie said with a resigned sigh.

Without her phone she was going to be properly marooned, but her mother didn't care. She didn't worry about anything except stupid money.