Thirty Eight-Cotton Eye Joe Comes In Handy When Fighting Vampires

10:46 pm

I bouncy my leg up nervously as I watch the clock tick away. Have you ever waited till one in the morning to go fake your death? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

“Nora, come on!” Bart groans, pulling me away from my clock. “You cant just sit there and watch a clock. I would seriously die of boredness.”

I scowl at him. “I’m nervous. Cut me some slack.”

He stares at me. “No, I don’t think I will. Come on, I wanna teach you something.” He lugs me out of my room, pulling me into the living room, where everybody’s around watching football, except Edward. He’s talking on the phone with Anna. How could they when I’m going out to fake my death?

Bart arranges me so that I’m in front of the radio he set up, and he’s standing in front of me. “Why am I here? I’d rather be in my room, watching the time tick away.”

He smirks at me. “But my activity is more fun than goose egg.” I raise my eyebrows. Goose egg?

“What activity, Bart?” Charles’s ears pick up, his gaze snapping away from the TV.

Bart’s hands swing up in defense. “Hey, that was one time! I didn’t know the microwave would catch on fire!” Bart turns to me to explain, but I put a hand up.

“I don’t even want to know.”

He grins. “Fine by me. Now, I’m going to teach you a little dance. It’s fun, trust me.” I sigh in defeat. How long could a little dance be? “Alright, now, do what I do. First, tap your right heel twice in front of you.”

We both tap our feet, and Bart grins again. “Good!”

“This dance sucks.”

He ignores my comment and keeps on going. “Now, take the same foot and tap it behind you, only with your toes.” We both do that. “Take the same foot and tap it to your left hand, then do the same thing only behind you. Now do it all together.”

I copy his movements, not really sure why the hell I agreed to this in the first place. “Next, when you do that last step, you spread your feet out when your foot hit’s the ground. Then you swing your left leg behind it, clap, then undo it when you take the step.”

He shows me, and I copy. “Why did I agree to this?” I mutter when he keeps going.

“Now, to get back to the center, you spin in a circle. Now do the whole thing together.” We redo the last steps, and so far I’ve got that down. “Great! Now repeat the whole thing!” We do it all over again.

“Bart? Can I go back to my room now?”

“No! Now we have to do it with the music.” He grins, flicking on the radio.

My mouth drops when the radio starts playing Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex. “Bart! You taught me the Cotton Eye Joe dance?”

“Come on woman! Get this party started!” He grins and starts dancing, so I follow. “IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR COTTON EYE JOE, I’D BEEN MARRIED ‘LONG TIME AGO!”

I laugh when he starts screaming the words, so I join in with him. “WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? WHERE DID YOU GO? WHERE DID YOU COME FROM COTTON EYE JOE?”

For the finishing finally, Bart starts break dancing and making all these weird beat-boxing sounds. He gets on his head, spins, then drops to the floor, all while I’m laughing my ass off.

“Bart, your sick in the head!” I gasp through my laughter.

“We know that, Nora.” He rolls his eyes after he dusts himself off. “I have mental problems.”

I look over to the brothers and Nell. Nell’s asleep on Clinton’s arm, while all the other brothers are watching amusedly at us. Nell and I can sleep because we were human once before, while the brothers have been vampires all their lives.

“You guys are seriously whacked out.” Edward comments, his gaze going from me to Bart.

Charles nods his head in agreement. “Why would you Bart, teach Nora the Cotton Eye Joe dance at the crack of dawn?”

Bart simply shrugs. “Because I was bored.” He answers in a duh tone.

“Bart, next time your bored, play with a shoe lace, not me.” I smack my hand to my forehead.

His whole face lights up and he snaps his fingers. “That’s not a bad idea!” He’s gone in a flash, probably looking for his shoes.

I sigh and sit down next to Charles, who swings an arm over me. “It’s midnight. You gotta get ready in an hour.”

“I know. I’ll go there at one, but you guys come about ten minutes later. Okay? No fighting, just capture. Last time that happened, I got kidnapped.”

Charles’s arm tenses. “Don’t remind me.”

“Such a wuss.” I mutter under my breath, but Charles stupid vampire hearing hears it.

“I’m so not! I’m just very protective.” He states matter of factly.

“You could say that again.” I roll my eyes. Then I start laughing, realizing something totally weird.

“Nora, are you on crack?” Clinton frowns.

I stop my laughter and scowl. “No. I just realized that 1am is the exact time I was kidnapped.”

Realization crosses their faces. “That’s so weird!”

Clinton laughs. “You suggested the small diner.”

“Well it’s true! Haven’t you had their muffins?” I moan. “They’re delicious!”

“Guys, can we focus on the plan now?” Edward asks, rolling his eyes. We all sigh and nod our heads.

I clap my hands together, leaning forward in my seat. “Alright. I’ll leave at 1, you guys stay here. Bones is probably gonna send out people to see if you’re here or not, so you guys have to act like your really interested in the TV, oblivious to myself. Then, ten minutes later, come with those needles to knock them out. No fighting, just knock them out and toss them aside. Then, call your parents or something so that they can lock these bad asses up for good.”

They all nod in agreement. “Oh, wait!” My eyes brighten. “You never told me how vampires die!”

Clinton groans. “I knew she would bring that up. Vampires die by loosing too much blood. They heal very quickly, but if they don’t heal in time, they’ll die.”

“That’s it? No garlic? Cross? Stake through the heart? Sunlight?” I huff. “I thought it would be more cooler than that.”

“Sorry for our deaths not being cool enough.” Charles rolls his eyes sarcastically.

I sigh when I see the clock say 12:57. “I gotta go. Wish me luck.” Standing up, I turn to the doorway. “If I don’t make it back, tell Justin I love him.”

Charles stands up. “Who’s Justin?”

I bust out laughing. “I have no fucking idea! But your face was worth it!” He growls and leads me to the door. Once we get there, he pins me to the wall. “What-”

I don’t finish that question, because Charles’s lips are on mine. Soft and gentle, he slowly maneuvers mine, then backs up. “Goodbye kiss.”

I smile. “I’ll be fine, I promise. Now, let me go so I can beat some vampire ass.” He chuckles quietly and lets me up from the wall.

“Be careful.” He whispers.

“No, I think I’ll just go out there screaming on the top of my lungs ‘come and get me!’” I roll my eyes. “Of course I’ll be careful.” Sending another kiss on his lips, I turn to open the door. “I need to make it look like I’m sneaking out.”

Faking nervousness, just in case Bones is watching, I bite my lip and shut the door quietly. Heading towards the woods, every five seconds I turn my head back to make it look like I’m scared for the brothers to see me.

I should’ve been a damn actress!

Following the same path I took to where I put the note, I see it’s gone. Bones found it! So he should be here any second now…

“You made it! Great!” Bones pops out of nowhere, smirking evilly.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Did you come alone? Like I asked you to?”

“Of course I did. But, did you follow your own rules? I made my gang go and search the woods for them. I don’t trust you.”

I snort. “I don’t trust you. And yeah, I follow the rules to my game. I don’t cheat.”

“Alright. Let’s get this over with.” He snaps impatiently, looking hungrily at my neck. I roll my eyes at him and twist my hair so that it’s hanging on one side of my shoulder. He steps closer to me until he’s right at my neck. “Are you going to cooperate or do I have to hold you down?”

“I’ll cooperate.” I snap. “Can I say one last thing before I die?”

“Make it quick.”

“Cotton Eye Joe.”

His eyebrows go up. “What the f-” He doesn’t finish that sentence, because I put my dancing skills to good use. I take my right foot and kick it behind me, like in the dance, causing him to groan and tumble to the ground.

Who knew Bart’s weird hobbies would come in handy?

“When did you get so strong?”

“Shut the fuck up.” I growl, stepping on his stomach.

He groans in pain. “Good thing I do cheat. Boys!” Out of nowhere, Cain, Scar, Bones, Willard, and Tony fly out of nowhere.

“The idiots wont be coming, Bones. They’re too tied up in the football game to even spare a glance at her.” Scar informs smugly, smirking in my direction.

I spit at him. “I’ve always hated that ugly scar on your face. It makes you look even dumber!”

He growls at me, then lunges. Willard grabs him before the dog attacks, and scowls. “You cant kill her yet! Calm down!” Yet?

Bones wipes some blood off his face with the back of his hand, growling at me. “You bitch!”

“Don’t you fucking dare call her a bitch.”

We all turn around to face the five brothers looking extremely pissed off. No fighting, no matter what they say or do. Just knock them out. I remind Clinton. He nods a little bit before going all ape ass on them.

I start running, not knowing where I’m going. Dodging trees in the air and jumping over random twigs, I keep going straight. Then I remind myself they have my scent, so I stop. Scanning my eyes over anything I could get my scent off of, I then remember a scene from Twilight.

My eyes light up and I prick my finger, letting red blood ooze out. Rubbing it on some plants and tress in the left direction, I grin to myself. “Twilight just saved my life.” I head off in the opposite direction; right.

For what seems like a half an hour, I stop running. In reality, I’ve probably only ran about ten minutes. Gasping for breath, I take a seat next to a tree, slumping down. Hopefully they’ve already got Bones and his gang, so I can come back.

Oh crap.

Glancing around, still gasping for breath, I come to a conclusion: I have no idea where I am.

I smack a hand to my forehead. “I’m an idiot.” Then I realize, now that I’m a vampire, I might have super hearing. “How does this work?” I frown, poking my ear. I hold my breath to see if I hear anything.

Nothing.

Then I remember what Bart said about the powers coming at different stages. Grumbling, I cross my arms. This sucks. Sweat starts dripping down my forehead, so I start fanning myself with my hand.

A huge gust of wind escapes from my hand, and I drop my hand to the ground, staring at it. Did I do that? Slowly picking my hand up, I stare at it to make sure it’s okay. Nothing’s wrong with it. I fan it again, and more wind comes.

I quickly stand up, holding both hands out in front of me, staring at them in shock. I must look like a total loser right now, but I don’t care. I push my arm back, palm out, then jolt it in front of me, creating a huge gust of wind. Grinning, I spin in a circle with my hands out, making air move.

I found my new power: Creating wind.

I laugh lightly, looking at my new power. Maybe something else comes with it? I sigh, slumping back down next to the tree. I look across the ground aimlessly, then stop when I see a small flower.

I crawl over next to it, and see it’s a bluebell. I smile, wishing there was more than just one all alone. I reach my hand out to pick it up, then something happens.

About a dozen bluebells pop out of the ground and grow before my eyes.

I gasp and my eyes widen as I stare at my outstretched hand and the bluebells. I just did that. I turn to a leaf on a tree branch, and stretch my hand outward again. Thinking about more than one leaf, about ten leaves grow on the branch.

“I have more than one power.” I whisper to myself, still not sure what to call my ‘abilities’. Do I worry that I’m lost in a forest? No. Do I freak out that I have strange powers? Hell no. Am I happy about this? Of course!

What about fire? Hmm. I stretch my hand outward again, looking at a small twig in front of me. It’s worth a shot. “Fire.” I say, but not very powerful. “Fire.” I repeat when nothing happens. “Fire!” I yell, more powerfully this time, and to my surprise flames burst out of the twig.

I step back in surprise. I didn’t actually think that would work! “What do I do, what do I do?” I panic, not wanting to create a forest fire.

If I can control air, earth, and fire, what about water? I grin at my genius mind and thrust my hand out. “Water.”

Out of nowhere, water splashes out and onto the fire, making steam rise. I sigh in relief, my shoulders relaxing. Then I hear a twig snap to my right, and I hold my breath. It’s probably just a squirrel, or chipmunk or-

SNAP!

Run. That’s the first thought into my mind. Do I listen? Of course not, I’m a very stubborn girl. “Charles? Edward? Bart?” I whisper into air. “Is that you?” Silence comes after my words as I scan the forest for intruders. Another snap, followed by trees rustling answer me back.

That’s when I run.

Pushing through tree branches and hoping over stones, I run as fast as I can, thanks to vampire speed. I hear two sets of feet pounding behind me, but I don’t dare look back. I really don’t want to know who that is.

Trying to muster up a quick plan in my head, I sharply turn to the right to see if I can outrun them. Nope.

They turn too, gaining on me. Think, Nora, think! A plan hatches in my mind and I grin to myself internally. Coming to an abrupt stop, the two feet still pounding on the ground, I whirl around to face them.

In the distance, I see Bones and Scar coming full speed at me. “I can do this.” I murmur to myself, quietly thanking Bart for those crack of dawn dance lessons. Facing the right, where Bones will be running past me in a moment, I stick my foot out, toes in the air. First, tap your right heel twice in front of you.

Bones didn’t see me stop, so when he sees me standing there, his eyebrows go up. He tries to stop, but it’s too late. He tumbles over my foot in a flash, skidding on the ground. Sticking my foot out again, behind me where Scar is coming, only this time my toes on the ground. Now, take the same foot and tap it behind you, only with your toes.

Scar falls to the ground too, skidding right to where Bones is. I smirk to myself and take off running in the opposite direction, praying that they’ll stay where they are.

Fail.

Something pushes me to the ground, and I yelp out in surprise, doing a couple summers salts before hitting the ground on my stomach.

“Fast runner, are we?”

I gulp down my fear and twist onto my back so I’m staring at Bones. “Very athletic in high school.”

He seethes. “Shut up. Your coming with me.” He marches over to me, pulling me up by my hair. I shriek, but he covers my mouth.

Using my free hands, I punch him in the gut, but not too hard because he might suspect I’m a vampire. He groans and jumps back, glaring at me. “Bad Nora.” He scolds.

In a swift potion, he punches my jaw, sending pain through out me. I stumble to the ground as I feel sticky blood on my nose. He breathes in. “Smells good.”

Oh crap, I forgot to ask Clinton what happens when vampire bites another vampire.

I’m not going without a fight. Standing up, ignoring the blood pouring down my face, I dodge a blow from him. He growls and lunges for me, but I step back the last second, so he lands on the ground in front of me.

I jump onto his back, keeping him down. He struggles for a moment before twisting around so I’m on his stomach. He smirks, then pushes me off with so much force my back hit’s a tree. I slump to the ground and groan.

“Come on. We need to leave, and fast.”

I growl at his words. “Where’s the brothers?”

He scoffs. “The Harris brothers?” He smirks. “I had fun watching Bart slowly die in front of my eyes.”

My eyes widen and a pain forms in my gut. “W-what?”

“Yeah, the blood just oozing out of him. His eyes starting to droop. Curling onto the floor. His breath-”

“STOP!” I scream, closing my eyes tightly with my hands clamped over my ears. Not Bart. Please.

He removes my hands from my ears and chuckles heartlessly. “Want that to happen to you?” I shake my head. “Then let’s go.” He growls.

My mind races with only one word: Bart. My little brother.

Dead.