Snow White five, Snow White six,
Blood red lips and crucifix
Snow White seven, Snow White eight,
White as snow, don’t stay out late.
Snow White Nine, Snow White ten,
Snow White now killed Snow White then.
6
Rumpelstein High
In the morning, Loki woke up to a knocking on his Cadillac’s window.
“Are you singing in your sleep?” Lucy asked with her nose pressing to the window from outside, her face blocking the sun.
Loki straightened up in his seat with drowsy eyes, shooing her nose away from behind the glass. Lucy backed up as he rolled down the squeaky window.
“Good morning to you, too,” Loki said, sticking his neck out to look at the parking lot. It was blooming with cars and students, and seemed utterly normal in daylight. “I was singing? What was I singing?” he wondered with one eye closed, his other eye trying to make peace with the glaring sun. “What is with the changing weather here in Sorrow?” he whispered to himelf sleepily.
“Some silly rhyme,” Lucy remarked. Her face glowed with energy, and her blonde hair was marvelously waist-long. Even now, Lucy didn’t look like she was dressed for school. She looked as if she were going out to another party. Loki wondered if the demon girl he’d been in love with before looked as pretty as her. “You were singing something like: One-two-I-love-you. Like a nursery rhyme, you know? And you were also snoring. I detest boys who snore,” Lucy added.
I was singing a song I learned from little girls who I couldn’t see?
“Who said I want you to love me?” Loki rubbed his eyes with both hands. “Besides, don’t blame a guy who comes from a place called Snoring when he’s snoring. It’s like our national anthem.”
“Do all people in Snoring look so scared in their sleep? Nightmares much?” she folded her hands before her.
“I’m a Dreamhunter. I eat nightmares for dinner,” Loki said, running his hand through his hair while looking into the rear view mirror.
“A day ago I would’ve lent you my comb, just to try to impress your pretty green eyes,” Lucy said.
Loki didn’t reply. He knew Lucy was a spoiled kid, and was disappointed with him after failing to kill Dork Dracula. He was occupied with one big hole in his sock, trying to put on his shoes.
“Is that a hole in your sock?” Lucy shrieked as if she’d seen a cockroach worming out of it.
“Relax, it’s just my toe, saying ‘good morning’ to you,” Loki said, wiggling it.
Lucy bent over and whispered in his ear, “We both know you’re the lousiest vampire hunter in the world, so save your comebacks. And if you’re not good to me while you’re here visiting my father’s school, I swear I’ll—”
“Wow,” Loki stood up, forcing her to take a step back. “I think we’ve started off on the wrong foot. Let’s forget about that night at the party and start all over again, shall we?” Loki smiled and held out his hand. “My name is Loki Blackstar, and I’m here to save your town. Thank you very much.”
Lucy didn’t shake his hand so Loki brushed her away and started stretching his arms and legs in the parking lot. A couple of girls walking by, holding books to their chests, giggled at him over their shoulders.
“Morning aerobics anyone?” Loki mumbled, not staring back.
They could be demons, Loki. Remember Pippi Luvbug? Stay cool until you kill the vampire princess.
“So you don’t happen to know anything about little girls singing creepy songs late at night in Sorrow, I assume,” Loki asked Lucy.
“What girls?”
“I thought so. Never mind. How about a Train of Consequences?” Loki assumed she wouldn’t have heard of it either and he doubted others knew about the crazy things he’d seen last night.
“Train of what?” Lucy wondered.
Before he could explain, the earth underfoot started rumbling. It started with a faint drone as if there was a giant burping underground and then the drone turned to a rattle. Loki’s eyes widened. He saw the cars in the parking lot shaking. Teens stopped in their places but none of them looked surprised. It felt like an earthquake that was about to start but changed its mind.
When it stopped, everyone went back to their business, as if this was normal.
“Phew,” Loki blew out a sigh, noticing Lucy had been amusing herself with the scared look on his face.
“You’re such a pancake,” she laughed.
“Why am I the only one worried about the earthquake that just happened?”
“Because it happens all the time,” Lucy said. “We’re on an island. It does that almost every day, anytime of the day. Now, follow me,” she signaled for him as if he were her private butler. “My dad left you something in his office.”
“Left me something? I’m not going to meet him?”
“He is very busy; so busy I almost never see him,” Lucy said without turning back.