Don't Be A Fool

Chapter 16

A big day for the Dracula Family, The Count's brother Ivan and his kids were coming in. The Count was telling them stories from his throne chair, laughing as he reminisced. 

"I can't wait to see that brother on mine, he's been in America for far too long," The Count complained.

"Where in America?" Alice asked.

"Along the east coast, started with P," the Count answered.

"Pennsylvania," Alice concluded. 

"I bet his children know what real evil is," The Count boasted.

"That's because their dad's a real vampire," Ingrid responded. The Count growled at her.

"Dad, you're going behave yourself when Uncle Ivan gets here, aren't you?" Vlad asked with hope. "Remember, no peasant hunting."

The Count appeared at the table. "Oh no, Vlad. The moment, Ivan arrives, we're going to paint this town, very, very red!" He walked away laughing with a clap.

"Maybe I should tell Mom to give bingo a miss," Robin suggested to Alice.

"Dad should take a plumbing job out of town," Alice added. They headed upstairs, Vlad was pacing around his vampire clothes.

"What am I going to do Robin and Alice?" Vlad panicked. "My dad and Uncle are going to rip the throats out of half of Stokely, tonight!"

"Maybe Ivan's changed," Robin hoped.

"You're being oddly optimistic," Alice said as she sat next to Zoltan. 

"Dad was a right nutter when he was younger," Robin defended himself.

"Our dad?" Alice asked in disbelief. "Mr. Be home by 9 or else, Dad?"

"Yeah," Robin confirmed. "Mum said his library books were always overdue."

"I'm afraid you're clutching at straws," Zoltan commented. He began to shudder. "Even now, my stuffing runs cold thinking of Ivan and his cruelty."

"How bad was he?" Alice asked. "Well is--" Vlad sighed, looking at the mirror.

"Saturdays were the worst, that was the throw the hellhound off the battlements day," Zoltan answered.

Vlad grunted angrily. "I don't know why we're getting dressed up, my cousins are gonna think I'm a real geek." His reflection changed to make him look like a real geek. "Oh very funny!" There was faint chuckling. 

"What just happened?" Robin asked. 

"It's the castle playing tricks," Vlad answered as he pointed up. "Once Dads lived somewhere for a while, it takes on his evil personality."

"Vladimir!" The Count shouted, and the door swung open.

"I've gotta go," Vlad said. The door slammed shut after Vlad left. The swung open throwing Robin to the ground, there was more faint chuckling. 

"Don't start with me, alright?" Robin warned. The door slammed shut making another face.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed walking up to it. "I might just stumble an axe the next time I come over." The door stuck out its tongue, returned to normal; then opened again. "Thank you." The two then went home. 

"What are you doing?" Robin asked as he found Alice setting up flashcards on the floor of her room.

"There for Mr. Ivan," Alice answered. " I'm going to ask all that I can about Pennsylvania. I can get extra credit for it in geography class."

"You're going to bore him to death," Robin huffed as he crossed his arms.

"He's already dead, Robin," Alice reminded him as she put down the last card.