AND THE LIFE-BEYOND-LIFE GOES ON

They left. The vampires are out for the night. Little Bastid Annie's still here. She wanted to go kill somebody tonight, but Papa wouldn't let her. She doesn't require it. And she doesn't need it. And she's not getting it. So she's out in the back, staring at the fish in the koi pond...Poor fish. I think the cherubs are upstairs watching a DVD of Lady and the Tramp. They like that one, Dumbo too. You should hear them, especially the 'bigger' ones who can talk a little. They trill - Let's watz Dummo!!...It's so cute. They cry when Dumbo's mom gets locked up. Oh, you gotta see 'em. If we weren't afraid, we'd put them on You Tube. I'd  like to see how many hits they'd get. But Papa's a little bit selfconscious about the internet now. That video, the one he made with the two flight attendants came out. Remember, one of them wants to get in showbusiness? They have a 'for your consideration' preview on You Tube. In the credits, they call Papa 'The Silver Fox.' That part he likes. But God forbid people start to notice him. That would be a disaster. Only it won't happen. He's got that 'look.' You know, the vampire 'look.' He shoots 'em that and they  go all blank and forget what they were gonna say. I don't know where he is tonight. Maybe over at Baylah's. He enjoys watching humans get drunk. Says he likes the vapors. You know how he is with aromas. Jonathon went out by himself. All quiet. All serious.  Had a lot of those little, glass, blood vials with him though. His blood, too. So that means tonight he's playing  'great benevolent healer.' That's his favorite. Wait...I'll channel Zebulon. I'll know where he is... Gimme a minute...(wilkravitz gets all glassy-eyed...that ain't rough for him).....A hospital. Graduate Hospital, I think it is. He goes in. Schmoozes the receptionist a little and rides up in the elevator. Third floor. That's where they keep the newborns. Like a zoo, they have them out on display. But that's for the healthy ones. Sick little nutty-buddies are off to the side, behind yet another panel of glass. Some of them are hooked up to machines. Some of them are in trouble. Jonathon looks at the two nurses. He's thinking something he's using his power. OK, he did it. It's a done deal. They feel it, both of them. Their stomachs are doing flip-flops like a pair of  Chinese gymnasts. They jump up and carefully waddle off to the toilet. Diarrhea attack...One of Jonathon's best achievements. He's a master. But he waits a few seconds. You know, to make sure nobody's coming. They ain't. So he sublimates through the glass panels. And before you know it, a few drops fall on the lips of one little angel. And a bit of ruby elixir kisses the mouth of another.  Before you can say 'Doctor Polidori,' they've all been vaccinated, and he is out of there. Next shift...no sick babies. This hospital's only the first. Two more stops yet to go. Old folks. Sick immigrants. Everybody. Then he quietly walks down the street with his head bowed chanting prayers. What do people take him for? I don't know. Stylish, black outfit. Light weight, trim leather jacket. Smart, little bootkins. Long black loose, curly hair. He looks like that guy who got thrown off American Idol a few years ago. You know...Constantine Whoever, or maybe a young Antonio Banderas, or that kid from the Entourage. That's what they notice, especially the young ones. Who cares how 'weird' he is? It's Center City. They're all weird.

Speaking of weird, Lana is up to something with Roland. He's the other one, the elf-kid who stays in the background. Nice soul. doesn't bother anybody. Mostly communicates telepathically like  those pointy-eared ones tend to do. What's he look like? You know the one who played a young Spock in that movie version of Star Trek? Like him, only younger and skinnier. And his hair's longer too. OK, now can you picture it? Luna thinks he's adorable. Can't stop talkin' about him. Always touches him. Smiles at him. Tickles him under the chin. And the kid seems to like it too. I don't think he's ever played 'cowboy and the lady,' if you know what I mean. So she had it all made up. Dressed him up just right, like those fake vampires you see on television. Put a knit cap on his head. Pulled it down over the tips of his ears and waa-laa, you got a hot, sulky ninth grader. I think they're at Dave & Buster's. She's givin' him handfuls of those tokens. He likes the games. Could play 'em for hours. And then when he gets bored, she'll take him somewheres and teach him new games. But that's still in her head. They haven't done that yet. They ain't got that far. He still needs twentysix tickets to get some glow-in-the-dark frisbee. Can you imagine, a kid who can fly and read minds wants a four dollars and ninety-nine cent frisbee? Not to mention the fact that he's also like maybe fourhundred years old....Only here. Only in our story. Only in 'the wonderland.'.....Look, at least Johnny Jump Up's been quiet....I think.....Lemme go out back and check on them fish....That little bitch is too damn quiet.......Jeremy Cisco! That's the name! He's the one! That's who he looks like..............

JONATHON FEELS THE CALL

Jonathon gets this way before the coming of the Passover sometimes. He grows very contemplative and quiet. And he asks why God came for him? That's the pivotal mystery of the season. For symbolically God takes every believer up out of Egypt. He has saved you for a purpose, the faithful are told. And Jonathon is certainly faithful. So he lays in his basement 'resting' cabinet and he thinks. It used to be he'd look up things in his copy of La Ciencia Vampirismo. But now he reads his Bible. Sarah sleeps beside him. She is so good. He is grateful to have her. And he wants her to be secure and happy. Yet he wonders if they should live this way. Why do they need such a house? Why do they need all the wealth? Why do they need such comfort? He knows about Reverent Ones, old vampires who lead plain, pure lives. They live in caves, or long forgotten places. They collect no manner of costly thing. Indeed, they are true hermits, existing only to do their task. They take the sinful 'home.' Once each month, when the moon is bright, they feed. And their human meal disappears from the mortal world, lessening the evil and pain among humanity. Jonathon is called to that. Yet he has ties to the others. He has a life here. Can he leave? Does he have to leave? Or can he change things here? He listens to Sarah's quiet breathing and little by little he falls asleep...Now don't think that this is all I shall tell you this day. Zebulon will tell you more. But this is happening now. And I thought you would like to know.