Vlad

“We're done!” Johnny exclaimed. “That was the last coat of paint.”

Sweating profusely, and a little thirsty, Johnny and Sue laid the finishing touches on that dang machine. It was the typical industrial grey, and had a lot of knobs and things sticking out of it. Sue thought it looked like a printing press, but Johnny said it was a paper cutter. Whatever. They set the brushes in a plastic bag, and closed the paint can.

“This is the last time I come here,” she said. “Place gives me the creeps. Especially that old box, there.” She pointed to the corner where an ornate antique box lay. It was roughly rectangular, and oddly angled out, then back in, on each long side, like a coffin would angle.

“Look,” Johnny griped. “Old man Vlad is giving us some good coin for this. Don't you want that new bike of yours?”

“Ya,” came the reluctant reply. “But still - the guy looks as if he was from some old vampire movie – and that dang box...”

“Vampire's don't exist, Sue. Stop that now!” Johnny felt her anxiety though, and stole a look at the box. It was a coffin.

“Let's see what's in it, Sue?” Johnny asked.

“O-kay,” she gulped.

They slunk towards it with racing hearts, and wet palms. A quick look. Close now, they could see something in the shadows of the box...moving.

“BOO!” Vlad roared from his coffin, sitting up in a flash. His face contorted into a vicious grin; long incisors flashed between blood red, snarling lips.

“Aaahhhh!” they screamed in unison, bolting wildly from the cellar and the house. That would be the last time they would visit Vlad, especially on Halloween night!