Sinking Teeth
into Halloween
by Beth
Richardson
Linda felt
more at home in the water than on land. She was
born in a birth pool, learned to swim at the age
of 3, and joined a junior swimming team shortly
after. Linda spent more time soaking wet than dry;
to her, the water felt like a comforting embrace.
As an adult, it was far easier for people to
reach her at the pool than by phone. Everything
changed after the incident.
Now, it was
time to leave the past behind, forge a new
beginning, and kick grief to the curb. Linda and
her son, Mark, needed to start fresh in a new
town. She felt thrilled when they received an
invitation to the Halloween pool party at the
YMCA.
While Linda
sewed the lion costume's ears, she thought about
her son making new friends. Mark was smaller than
most five-year-olds. He weighed about thirty
pounds and stood three feet tall. But his
personality was huge. He befriended kids who were
usually left out, playing with them at recess
when no one else would. Mark was always smiling,
despite having endured many hardships. His dad
left them when the boy was only three years old.
Also, he and his mother were homeless for several
months when they could no longer afford the rent.
He assured his mother that everything would be
fine. Then, he helped pack their things for the
move.
"Mom, I've
got this," chimed Mark as he opened the door
to the YMCA pool deck.
"Wow."
Linda's mouth dropped wide enough to swallow the
ocean. She gazed at the elaborate party
decorations. At least twelve tables had green
crepe tablecloths. They flowed to the floor like
seaweed. Clamshell-like chairs surrounded each
table. There were pirates, princesses, and every
type of action figure imaginable. Mark stood out
as the lone lion.
"Promise
me you will stay in the shallow end of the pool,"
Linda said, mixing enthusiasm with worry.
Fading into
the background was a slight, audible cry of
agreement from Mark as he entered the water.
Ants appeared
to have colonized the pool. Swimmers were
everywhere. Even though Mark was the only lion in
the water, he was impossible to spot.
A thunderous
silence echoed across the pool. The lifeguard
signaled everyone to exit the water. A man
dressed like a vampire pulled a small child from
the water. He began performing mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.
Thank goodness
he's not sucking life out of him, Linda thought.
He's bringing in air, not taking out blood. Linda
tried to avoid staring at the scene, but when she
glanced back, she noticed a lion's ear lying on
the deck. Then, unable to contain herself, she
let out a scream loud enough to frighten Freddy
Krueger.
Emptying her
lungs, Linda cried, "Mark? Mark? Honey, are
you okay? I'll be right there!"
She ran to be
by his side. In the background, a junior
lifeguard yelled, "Please, no running on the
pool deck." Linda almost toppled the guard
over as she raced to Mark's side. She swore she
wouldn't breathe another breath if something
happened to him. Why wasn't she paying closer
attention to him?
The vampire
disappeared. Mark spat up most of the pool but
recovered.
Paramedics
were checking his vitals and assuring her that
Mark was fine. "Go home and rest," they
said when they were leaving.
Linda must
find her hero, even if he is a vampire in
disguise. If it weren't for him, she would be all
alone. Life without Mark would be unimaginable.
This perfect stranger might complete their family.
Linda looked
around the crowd and spotted the vampire. She
rushed to his side, embraced him, and kissed his
green, decaying cheek.
"Hey,
lady? What the hell was that for? I know it's
Halloween and I can be anyone I want to be for
the day. Today and every day, though, I'll always
be gay."
"I got
carried away thanking you for saving my little
boy. Sorry," Linda said, her cheeks flushed
with embarrassment.
"I wish I
could take credit, but you've got the wrong
vampire."
And in the
distance, Linda spotted at least four more
eligible vampires. She scrunched her lips,
grabbed her ChapStick, and puckered up. Ready or
not? Here I come, vampire contestants.
She decided
that a more subtle approach was necessary this
time.
"Thanks
so much for rescuing my son," Linda said as
she reached out and shook Vamp 2's hand.
"Is your
son in my algebra class?" the Count wonders
with a smile.
"My son
is five. Wrong vampire. I'm looking for a vampire
who saved my son from drowning," Linda said.
"Couldn't
be me," admits Vamp 2, "I'm afraid of
the water and can't swim a stroke."
Linda shakes
her head and wonders why anyone would go to a
pool party if they can't swim.
Around the
corner sits Vamp 3. He looks like he waddles when
he walks, but he isn't a duck. He weighs at least
300 pounds and is around 5 feet tall. He would
never be a contender for "Baywatch."
Linda crosses
him off her list. Time to find Vamp 4. She spies
on him smiling in the distance.
"Mommy,
the guy left his teeth behind," Mark
interrupts. "How's he going to eat his
Halloween candy?"
"What guy?
Goodness. The poor old man must be having a hard
time talking, too," Linda said.
"No, Mom.
I mean the vampire that rescued me," said
Mark as he handed his mother the plastic fangs.
"Hmm,
evidence?" Linda's mind starts spinning.
"Let's ask Aunt Judy to help us find our
vampire. She always knows what to do."
***
"I don't
know what to do with this, Linda. This is
unethical. I can't help. Besides, these are
plastic fangs. You know I work in canine DNA
testing, not human," Aunt Judy said with a
frown."
"What's
the difference?" asks Linda.
"You're
barking up the wrong tree," Aunt Judy laughs.
"I'll see what I can find out since it seems
so important to you. Don't hold your breath,
though. How important is it to thank this guy?"
"Very. I
need to find the vampire who saved Mark. Please!"
said Linda.
***
"You're
welcome," Aunt Judy said. "His name is
Seymour Blood. He lives a few blocks away from
you." Aunt Judy hands Linda the contact
information.
"You're
kidding? With a name like that, I'm afraid to
meet him."
"You'd
better get there before sunlight," Aunt Judy
said with a wink.
***
The sun is
down. Linda hesitates before knocking three times
on the ceiling of Seymour's front porchway. She
heard in a song that it was good luck to do such
a thing. She waits for him to open the door.
Seymour opens
the door and asks, "Why were you knocking on
the ceiling instead of the door?"
"You know,
they say it's good luck to knock three times on
the ceiling," said Linda. "At least you
didn't knock twice on the pipe."
"Come in,"
said the stunning six-foot-two stranger, shaking
his head. "How did you find me?"
"A little
canine DNA and some bloody good research."
"I don't
have a dog. I'm afraid of bites," said
Seymour, shaking his head.
Linda thinks
that she wouldn't mind Seymour sinking his teeth
into her.
"You left
your teeth behind at the pool. They'll come in
handy for your next meal," Linda said, using
humor to break the tension.
"Thank
you," Seymour said, "but I have a
feeling you didn't drive this far to hand over
false teeth."
"No. I
came to thank you from the bottom of my heart for
saving my son, Mark. If it weren't for you, he
wouldn't be alive today." Linda leaned in
and kissed him full of gratitude. It almost
knocked Seymour off his feet.
Seymour lets
out a sigh and says, "Let's try that again.
Can every day be Halloween? I'll be a snake and
shed my skin." He imagines peeling off his
clothing.
"And I'll
be a mouse so you can devour every inch of me,"
Linda says as she realizes Halloween isn't so bad
after all.
Sinking
Teeth into Halloween by Beth Richardson
Copyright July 2025 All Rights Reserved
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