All over, not that it matters.

You sit in the parking lot across from Kappa house, head buried in your arms on the steering wheel. The rest of the night hadn’t proven much luckier. The few agonizingly bougie antique stores you’d stopped at were replete with useless, old crap, but nothing that fit the bill you were looking for. Pawn shops were mostly closed or just filled to the brim with regrettable financial decisions rather than solutions. You considered heading back to the Last Stop, but it was closed by the time you worked up the nerve to confront Ken again. Breaking in was a possibility … but you still aren’t sure what he is, so that felt like a bad move.

Looking up, you stare at the sorority house, lights still on in some rooms despite it being almost four in the morning. Atlee’s in particular is, though she’s pulled the shades closed since the last time you went scouting. ‘I have to stop this,’ you think with a sickening pulse as you see shadows moving inside. You can’t be sure, but it wouldn’t surprise you if it was Atlee again, “inducting,” some other poor girl with no idea what she’s in for on the other side. ‘Can I? I don’t know shit about this kind of thing. A week ago, I was living in fear of exams, not monsters. And she’s getting stronger every day … but fuck, no one else is cleaning this up.’ Your phone pings lightly as you get a text.

Andy: Hey, I did some research, and I’ve got a few ideas? But I’m not sure if any are right.

Andy: Anything radioactive is divisive! Kind of hard to get ahold of, though.

Andy: If we’re checking pawn shops, maybe pawned wedding rings? But then again, that could just be for turning a useless rock into useful money, so roll of the dice there.

Andy: A calculator with all the buttons besides the numbers and the divide key broken came to mind, but I don’t know where you’re going to find an OLD calculator with that specific damage. Or if doing that damage would ruin the magic of the thing.

Andy: Anything on your end, Elvira?

You give a weak smile. Having friends helps a lot. Andy and Eva are about the only reasons you haven’t totally broken under all this pressure and these life changes. Besides, if you don’t fix this shit, you know they’ll still try, and neither of them are as weird as you. Andy’s scarier a lot of the time, but she’s only human if she has to ward off a dozen zombie coeds with knives (or worse, guns), and Eva’s more than human now, but not nearly as well-trained, putting her about in the same boat. Hell, the only reason you think you could take them is your ability to call up shadowy tendrils and become some nightmarish, massless thing without giving that up. It’s motivation, though. Helps you shake off the weight of not feeling like you made much headway tonight.

Jaq: No, just got involved in a hold-up at a pawn shop. It was weird, but nothing to speak of. Can you check out The Last Stop in Redfield for me, if you get the chance? The guy clocked me, zero effort, and still didn’t even help after I saved him from gun-toting assholes.

Jaq: Though he’s definitely not just a person, so be careful. I don’t think he’s evil? Concern for your city’s health usually isn’t a villain trait. But that doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous.

Jaq: Nowhere else even had anything I thought approached being just right. I really appreciate your help, though. Between Eva’s classes and not being able to go out during the day, it’s a huge help.

Jaq: But more than any of that, STAY SAFE. I don’t have many friends, be real rude of you to take one away.

Deciding against the feral urge to just set Kappa house on fire and throttle anything that comes out, you push the start button on your car and drive back to the dorm. Scanning your card, you trudge back into your room until you hear a small clattering noise. Bolting the rest of the way, you just see Eva, wearing an oversized orange shirt for sleep, the cup she uses to hold her pens and markers spilled all over the floor.

“You okay, sweetie?” you ask her softly, leaning down and helping her collect them back up. Down on the ground together, you can spot the weak, black streaks down her cheeks where she was clearly crying. The crumpled tissue in her hand, stained black, and the Kleenex box askew on the desk paint a fairly straightforward picture of her doing this by accident while trying to not let you see her cry.

“Totally!” she manages with an impressive amount of pep for someone who completely isn’t doing okay. “I was just … I couldn’t sleep, you know?”

“Have some idea what staying up all night is like, yeah.” She grins and you back at her, though hers is light and fragile. “Anything you need? I know all this is … a lot. And I’m really sorry I dragged you into it.”

“You didn’t drag me into anything,” she argues, shaking her head as she places the cup back on the desk and you both stand. “You’re the most important person in my world, Jaq. Letting you do this by yourself wasn’t even an option.” A bolt of guilt runs through you at that. “Most important person,” sounds like the kind of stuff Andy told you ghouls say. Which means, of course, you DID drag her into it … but it’s not like you can send her away or anything. If the bond’s set in, she’d just try to find her way back, and probably get hurt along the way. Maybe even taken advantage of by a cruel, opportunistic vampire. ‘Of course, you could just be saying that so you can keep her,’ your dark voice whispers to you. ‘No judgement. But if you are, and you are, you should really be putting her to full use.’

“So, um, I didn’t find anything,” you say, forcing yourself to recover. “I mean, I found the place you told me about. And it was definitely WHAT I was looking for, but some old guy named Ken runs the place and he knew I was a vampire from the jump. And then these thugs came in, like classic mafia shit, and were going to shoot him if he didn’t agree to sell to them, and even though I sent them packing, still refused to help me.”

“Christ, what an asshole.”

“Yeah. I mean, I get why he said he doesn’t trust me. The only other vampire I can remember meeting was a total psycho, and Andy’s stories don’t sound a lot better. Anyway, every other place on the list was a bust. Just white people aesthetic crap, nothing with any real meaning behind it. At least, not that the store owner knew about.”

“Well, I can go check it out tomorrow? Sunday morning’s probably pretty prime time to check out anything in Redfield,” she asks with a shrug. “Then again … if he can spot you, I’d be shocked if he couldn’t spot me.”

“Maybe just stick to whatever your Sunday plans already were. Andy’s going to check it out, anyway. And she’s pretty much just human.” You talk as you change into comfortable sleep pants and a loose-fitting shirt, though yours doesn’t drape down to your knees like tiny Eva’s does. She’s lost in thought for the moment, face pensive and distant. A smile crosses your lips. She just looks so cute when she’s all intrepid.

“That makes more sense …” she admits with some defeat after a few seconds of thought. As you start to get into bed, she interrupts you. “Jaq?”

“What is it, Eva?” you answer, a little cautiously and nervous of what’s about to happen.

“Can you … sleep with me tonight?” she asks meekly. Your eyes must pop out of your head by how fast she corrects. “Like, literally! I just … I keep having these nightmares. And I sleep better with someone. It’d just be nice if you could hold me?”

“All the warmth and comfort of an icebox over here.”

“I’m always warm, anyway. Please?”

“Of course, babe,” you tell her, pushing aside the fears crashing into your head. Sure, it’s probably not the most responsible thing you’ve ever done … but bound to you or not, she’s still your best friend. She’s actually the most important person in your life, too. Unsurprisingly, she takes the little spoon position instead of hanging off you like a koala, and you pull her close to you, rest one arm under the pillow (confident it’s not going to fall asleep anymore) and the other drapes over her side to rest your hand on her stomach.

“Thank you,” she breathes out, snuggling back into you. She lays her warm hand over yours and squeezes it. “Everything’s just so scary, and we’ve been so busy trying to make it right. I miss just hanging out with you. This isn’t me bitching or anything? I get it’s majorly important. Just … feels good to have my best friend here, when everything seems big and loom-y.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” you say, resting your head behind hers. “We’re going to get through this, and I’ll always be here for you, too. Real ride or die bitch.” She snorts in laughter. “Seriously, I believe in you. I’m sorry if I’ve been … distant.”

“Did I do something?” she asks, looking back over her shoulder at you.

“No! No, no, I just have a ton on my mind.” Not technically untrue. “Trying to figure out who I am now has been … sort of time-consuming.”

“Well, I know you’re Jaq.” You wish you felt as confident as she sounds saying it. “Oh, I did have a few more spots I dug up around town. Is that too shop talk-y right now, or is that kosher before we go to bed?”

“I was never really one for going kosher, but I guess I super don’t have a choice now …” you joke, thinking of what your mother would say. She freaked out enough that you used to eat bacon. “Lay it on me. Give me something I can put some hope into.”

As Eva tells you about some weird historical sites with relics of wars and crimes, artisanal shops that might have something legitimate on display, and anything else she can think of, you two stay pressed against each other. You can’t be sure about her, but you feel safer with her in your arms, like nothing can get to her or you. As both of you drift off near morning, sleep finally overtaking Eva’s nerves, the feel of each other wards off any nightmares trying to penetrate this small sanctuary in a sea of terror.