Vampire Games

 

"What are you guys talking about in here?" asked Anthony, sticking his head in the doorway. I'd heard him coming and kept my face buried in my hands.



"About adult things, butthead," said Tammy angrily. "Now go away."



"You're the butthead. You go away."



"He can stay," I said. "And you both just lost TV and video games for the night."



"Can I still play computer games?" asked Anthony.



"Aren't those the same as video games?"



"No, Mom. Duh."



"Then those, too," I said. "And no one goes on the internet, either. Oh, and both of you hand over your phones."



They did so grudgingly. We had a fairly wide-ranging Netflix account. Apparently, anything with a screen these days could access the TV. I thought of anything else I might have missed, going down my mental checklist: TV, Xbox, phones, computers, laptops. I snapped my fingers.



"Leave your iPads in my office, too."



"But Mom!" they both said in unison.



"That's what happens when you call each other names. We're a family. We don't call each other names."



"Since when?" asked Tammy.



"Since forever. And especially now. If you want to question me further, young lady, you can see what life is like without a DVR player."



"Sheesh. Sorry."



"That's better. iPads. Office. Now."



They stormed off. Tammy grabbed her iPad from her desk. I heard Anthony rummaging around his room for his own. I silently longed for the days when no TV had been enough. I also silently longed for the days when I could eat heaps of guacamole and chips. They returned a few moments later, both looking glum.



"Anthony, come in and shut the door. I'm going to talk to both of you."



Anthony's eyes widened a little. After all, he had done a darn good job of concealing our secret from his sister, although I suspected, with her newfound gifts, his secret wouldn't be concealed for long.



Too many secrets, for too long.



I patted the carpet in front of me and told them to sit. They sat. It was time for the truth, and so, I reached out and took their hands and told them everything. From my attack seven years ago, to my ability to fly, to their father's revulsion for me, to Kingsley Fulcrum being just as much a weirdo as me.



I told them everything.



Everything.