The Vampire Returns
by
Reno Charlton

The Cleansing Ritual

Gerry sat in his room alone, staring into the mirror again. He wondered, apprehensively, whether the strange grey-haired man was going to appear in the reflection, as he had been doing more and more over the past few days. But he didn't. All that stared back at him was his reflection, looking paler and more drawn than ever.
      The craving for blood was becoming overwhelming now. He had tried desperately to fight the voice in his head - the one that kept commanding him to find a victim - but he knew that he wouldn't be able to fight much longer. He hadn't got the strength.
      A knock on the door made him jump, and he frowned. Who could be looking for him? He realised it was probably somebody looking for Luke, and he wearily made his way to the door and opened it. One of the other second-years stood outside. It was Jack Gray.
      "Hi, Gerry. Could you pop down to the common-room for a second? You're wanted in there," said Jack.
      Gerry began to panic. Had his bloodthirsty ways been discovered? Perhaps the others had realised that it was he that had been cutting them and taking their blood.
      "What for?" he asked nervously.
      "Luke needs to see you. And you've left your pencil case down there, anyway," replied Jack.
      Gerry quickly decided he'd better go down. He wasn't bothered about what Luke wanted, but his penknife was hidden in his pencil case, and he didn't want anyone finding it and putting two and two together.
      "All right, I'll be down in a minute."
      "I'm going down there anyway, I'll hang on for you," said Jack.
      Gerry glared at him with some suspicion. Jack - in fact none of the pupils at Earls - normally had time for him. Nevertheless, he followed Jack out of the room and they made their way down to the ground floor.
      They continued to walk along the almost deserted corridor. One of the second-years was pottering about by the wall. Gerry looked over at the plump boy. He couldn't remember his name - Paul Something-or-other. And one of the cleaners was busy mopping the corridor floor. But other than that, it was deserted.
      "Hello, Jack," said the plump boy, as they walked towards him.
      "Hi, Paul. How are you? You know Gerry don't you?"
      Gerry looked over at the plump boy, who smiled at him. "Yes, we're in some of the same classes, aren't we?"
      Gerry shrugged. He wasn't really interested. He just wanted to get his pencil case and get back upstairs to ponder on what he was going to do about finding his next victim.
      "I'm going to get my pencil case," he mumbled, turning to Jack.
      Suddenly, before he had a chance to walk away, the plump boy reached out and opened a door. Gerry's mouth dropped open. That door hadn't been there before - he was positive of that.
      "Where di-" he began. Then he felt a sharp pain in his back and just managed to catch sight of the cleaner pushing him forward into the doorway with the long handle of the mop. And then silence.
      He found himself surrounded by a thick fog for a minute, but then saw a door in front of him. He quickly opened the door and stepped into the corridor, relieved to find himself back in the corridor at Earls. Thankfully, Jack, the plump boy, and the cleaner were nowhere to be seen, but there was a group of second-years standing in the corridor. He recognised most of them, but there was a strange boy with them with bright-red hair.
      To Gerry's horror, the second-years rushed over to him, and began to push him into a near-by office - an office he'd never even seen before. That's when he realised - this wasn't Earls at all. He had no idea where he was, and yet a part of him seemed to feel almost at home.
      Suddenly the voice started up in his head again.
      "Get out. Get out of this place."
      Gerry put his hand up to his head, which felt as though it was going to burst. "Leave me alone!" he screamed.
      He could see the second-years looking at him strangely, but all he was worried about was getting rid of that voice. Then he saw the office door open, and a strange woman walked in with a young girl and Jack. Gerry stared in bewilderment.
      "It's time to begin the ritual," he heard the woman say as she walked towards him. She suddenly threw something at him - some sort of dust. He sneezed. Then he passed out.

***

"What was that stuff you knocked him out with?" asked Jack as he watched Gerry crash to the ground.
      "Oh, just a little something to render him unconscious for a while so we can get prepared," replied Miss Slimm. "Get him into a chair and tie him up, would you?"
      Jack and Simon pulled Gerry's body up from the ground and dragged it to the nearby chair, letting it slump into the seat. James immediately began to tie his hands and feet with the rope that Miss Slimm had handed to him, and then wound some rope around the trunk of Gerry's body, so that he was firmly tied to the seat.
      "Wow - what's that?" Jack spotted a container on the desk with a curious bubbling purple liquid in it. There was smoke lingering on top of the mixture.
      "That, dear boy, is the formula that I've spent so long trying to perfect," said Miss Slimm. "And it is what will rid this boy of Gore."
      "Look out, I think he's coming round," whispered James.
      Sure enough, Gerry was beginning to stir, and gradually opened his eyes.
      "What happened? What are you doing to me?" he groaned.
      Jack felt quite sorry for Gerry as he watched him struggle weakly with the ropes for a second and then give up.
      "This ritual - it won't hurt him will it?" he whispered to Miss Slimm.
      "I don't think so," replied the witch, "but I've never done it before, so I can't be sure."
      Jack turned back to Gerry, who had now started to plead with them.
      "Let me go, please. I haven't done anything."
      "We won't hurt you, I promise," said Clarissa. "We're here to help you."
      "Then let me go, Clarissa," said Gerry.
      Clarissa looked shocked. "How did you know my name? You've never met me before."
      "He hasn't - but I have." The sudden deep voice came from Gerry, and before their very eyes, Gerry's face began to twist and contort, and soon it was Gore's face that stared at them from the chair, his bloodshot eyes filled with contempt.
      "Clarissa Kelly, how nice to see you again. Still as incompetent as ever, I take it?" He chuckled, and turned his gaze onto Miss Slimm. "And Miss Slimm, how wonderful to see you again. I take it that you didn't want a repeat of that wonderful showdown we had last time we met, since you've brought me back to this world to perform your … ritual, as you put it."
      "Gore. We've been waiting for you," said Miss Slimm quietly. "It's time for you to leave the human world - and this world - for good."
      "Oh, and of course you're the one to do it, aren't you? You thought you'd managed to rid the human world of me last time, and yet, here I am! Whatever makes you think that you can do it this time?" snarled Gore.
      "Because I have the formula for the cleansing ritual. This will get rid of you, Gore, once and for all." Miss Slimm brandished the container of purple liquid at Gore.
      "You think that will actually work, do you?" sneered Gore. "You'll never get rid of me."
      The vampire sounded confident, but Jack thought he saw something in his eyes - a mixture of fear and doubt.
      "Well, let's find out shall we?" Miss Slimm pursed her lips and stepped forward.
      Gore immediately began to struggle.
      "Keep him still!" shouted Miss Slimm, and James immediately ran over and held the vampire's shoulders to stop him from writhing about.
      "I'll make a deal with you," said Gore, all of the confidence suddenly drained from his voice. "Stop the ritual, and I'll leave the boy's body and stay here in this world."
      "Do you honestly think that I believe a word you say?" scoffed Miss Slimm. "You're a danger, Gore, not only to this world, but to the human world. I can't take any chances. I failed to kill you last time, but this time" - she poured some of the liquid onto her hand - "I won't." With that, she threw the handful of bubbling liquid in Gore's face, and a bloodcurdling scream echoed around the room.
      Miss Slimm continued to throw handfuls of liquid at the vampire, chanting incoherently as she did. James still held his shoulders tightly, although there seemed little point now because he wasn't struggling any longer. In fact, he was very still.
      Miss Slimm finished throwing the last of the liquid, and then they all stood watching to see what would happen next. At first, there was silence, apart from the shallow breathing of the nervous onlookers. Then, a voice rang out. It was Gerry's voice.
      "Where am I?"
      As the boy looked up, Jack saw that his face, although still a little pale, had transformed dramatically. The dark circles under his eyes had disappeared. His skin had a radiant glow to it and he looked - different. Healthy.
      Miss Slimm smiled. "He's gone." She quickly began to untie Gerry.
      "Where's he gone?" asked Jack, looking around nervously.
      "I'm not sure. The formula is supposed to send the evil one into the pits of hell - so it's said. I'm hoping that's exactly where Gore is now," replied Miss Slimm, matter-of-factly. "Now, I think a little memory spell is called for." She helped Gerry from the chair, and took him to one side.
      "Well, that's the end of that then," said James, who was still standing by the chair.
      "Does that mean we're going to have to have a memory spell put on us again?" asked Dean, looking disappointed. "We've only just met you again. And it would've been nice to see Jem and Jonah as well - and Jeebles."
      "I'm afraid Jeebles isn't here any longer. He was transferred to another academy. He has a supervisory position now, you know?" announced Orka.
      Jack giggled at the thought of the scatter-brained gnome helper holding down a responsible supervisory job.
      "It's all taken care of," said Miss Slimm, striding over to them. "The boy won't remember a thing when he gets back to your world."
      "And what about us? Will we remember anything?" asked Simon dolefully.
      Miss Slimm looked sympathetic. "I wish I could let you keep your memories, my dear, but the fact is -"
      "Miss Slimm, please, please, please let us stay at Earls for a few more days," begged Clarissa. "Now that Gore's gone, and everything's sorted out, we can spend some proper time with our friends - even if it's only a short while."
      Miss Slimm was silent for a second, and then smiled. "Very well. A few days."
      Clarissa looked overjoyed.
      "Now, take Gerry back to the other side. And if you need anything, just come straight back here to Miss Serene's office. I'll let her know that the ritual was successful, and that you will be staying in the human world for a few days," said Miss Slimm. "You have until Saturday evening. I'll come for you then."
      "That gives us another five days," squealed Clarissa. "Another five whole days in the human world, with no vampires to worry about!"    

 

© Sarah Langstone, 2003

The Vampire Returns is illustrated by Sarah Langstone