“But-” “You don’t need it. There’s plenty of light out here. You’ll see.” Harry crossed the room under his own strength. Then they stepped away from the door and the wall blocked his light. The terrible, terrifying darkness wrapped itself around him, trying to suck the life out of his lungs, suffocating him… He tried to run, get back to his light, but Gladys dragged him onward till the cold wind off San Francisco Bay slapped him in the face. And then they were outside. Out into the nightmare of the midnight woods. Out into the smells of prey-scent and fear. Out where the shadows stretched dark tentacles toward him. “You said there were lights!” Harry shrieked. “You said we could see the city!” “You can!” Gladys dug her fingers into Harry’s palm and pulled. “You just have to get high enough!” “I don’t want to ‘get high enough’!” Harry finally managed to yank free of Gladys’ grip. The sudden release sent her reeling backward, arms flailing. She landed hard on her butt, one high heeled shoe cartwheeling off into the dark. She sat there a moment, staring at her toes. When she rose, it was with an awful finality. “Then stay here, Harry. Stay here and starve.” She flung her arms up, her body shifting, compressing, darkening. The great bat hovered a moment, chittering at him. Then flapped off to be swallowed by the night. Whimpering, Harry fled back to his room. Thank God the lamp was still there. Sobbing, he wrapped his arms around it, his shame welcoming even the agony of its light against through his eyelids. He could endure the pain, as he could endure the cold, and death, and even the hunger. But, oh God, what kind of vampire was afraid of the dark
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