I clutch Grampire’s threadbare robe around me as I survey her backyard. The polite observation is that it’s messy. Rustic, even! The truth is that it’s a certified dump.

  I pick through the tall grass, speechless at what I’m seeing. The front yard has random debris and barbed wire, but this is on another level. Old tires, rotten wood, collections of odd tools and furniture. I squint into the sun. The garbage heaps go on for what has to be a mile. The grass is so tall, it’s up to my waist. In the distance, a rusted metal hull of a car sits by the river.

  “This is insane.” I wade into the tall grass, but maybe I shouldn’t? I don’t have anything on except for my borrowed robe—no shoes, no socks. What if I step on a rusty nail (because I’m a hundred percent sure there are some out here) and get tetanus? Actually, wait, can werewolves get tetanus? I’m not sure and I don’t want to find out the hard way.

  But! This is a new adventure. I’ve got to see what I’m working with in order to repair the house, right? A part of me wants to just curl up on the dirty rug and cry, but I stuff that part down and troop further into Grampire’s yard.

  There are indeed rusty nails, but also interesting items. There’s a water damaged wooden chest locked tight, and a strange child’s sword that’s warm to the touch. I pick up a Russian nesting doll, half of it faded from the sun. I slip it into the pocket of the bathrobe, but it tumbles right back to the ground. I stick my hand into the pocket and groan when I feel a gaping hole.

  “Okay, first step: explore. Next step: somehow get Grampire a new bathrobe.” I say my list out loud as I trudge through the grass.

  Despite the danger, the soil feels cool against my bare feet, and the mosquitos aren’t too bad. They don’t like werewolf blood nearly as much as human, thank the goddess. I wander further out, and when the house seems a bit smaller from distance, a medium sized pond comes into view. Frogs hum and dragonflies dart in zigzags over my head. A cute little white duck (goose?) dives underwater and comes back with a beak full of grass. See? Grampire’s property isn’t all bad. I turn back toward the house and pretend to frame it with my hands. It’s a dump…for now. I bet I can turn it into something beautiful. Just like I did for the wizard’s garden! And maybe Grampire won’t curse me for it.

  “Malia?”

  I look up sharply. I thought I heard my name, but the pond’s water and the moving river make me unsure. I pick my way through the grass toward the sound, to my right. “Umm, hello?”

  “Malia! Over here!”

  I gasp as I recognize the voice. I take off running, easily dodging all the hazards in Grampire’s yard. I leave the chocked clearing and enter a familiar woodland, over a hill, still following the voice. I run until my favorite cousin comes into view, waving tearfully from across the river.

  “Fern! You’re here!” I wade into the river and she meets me halfway. Before I know it, Fern’s wrapped her arms around me and I’m crying and hugging her back.

  “Oh goddess, I thought the Bonecrusher ate you,” Fern sobs. She hugs me fiercely, then holds me at arm’s length. “Are you okay? What did she do to you?”

  “I’m fine, really.” I wipe my eyes, a little embarrassed. I try not to cry around my family because it shows weakness, but I can’t help it. I can’t believe Fern came to see me. She’s the only one of my family who even looked back when Grampire banished them.

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  Fern gives me a wobbly smile. “I can’t believe you’re the first werewolf in years to tangle with the Bonecrusher and live.”

  “I didn’t tangle with her. Actually, she’s pretty nice.”

  Fern seems incredulous. She starts to answer, then looks down at me. “What on earth are you wearing?”

  “Oh, well, I didn’t have clothes so Grampire lent me her bathrobe. I’m gonna have to find her a new one, though, because this is ridiculous—”

  “I’m sorry, what did you just call the most powerful monster in the state?”

  I grin at my cousin. “Grampire. She’s not a monster, just a vampire! Though she is really scary. That part’s accurate.”

  “Wow. No kidding.” Fern shakes her head. “I can’t believe you befriended her too. Can I call her Grampire or just you?”

  “Umm…” I have an unpleasant flash to last night, when Grampire threw the bat at Uncle Alder, and the intense fear my body felt when she was just walking around. “Maybe just me to be safe.”

  Fern nods seriously. “Heard. The Bonecrusher it is.”

  “Anyway, what’re you doing here? You came to find me?”

  “Of course I did! Hold on, I brought you some things.” Fern traverses the river to her side. The thought strikes off, like a piano out of tune. Her side of the river also used to be my side. And now…is Grampire’s side mine too? Or am I a barely-tolerated guest? A lone wolf without a territory, without a home. The thoughts trouble me so much I don’t notice Fern returning until she’s shoving a box into my hands.

  “Here you go! I thought you’d need basic stuff.”

  I look down and gasp. It’s my box from the cabin. Just a small pile of clothes, a toothbrush and toothpaste, my tennis shoes, and my phone are in it, but I’m about to cry. “Thank you so much, Fern. Grampire has nothing in her house. Not even running water.”

  “Oh goddess.” Fern clears her throat and smiles. “Think of it like camping? An extreme version.”

  Great. Worse comes to worse, I can live as a wolf for a while, but that doesn’t mean I want to. I grew up on hot showers and air conditioning. This is gonna be rough.

  I think about the dilapidated bed and breakfast, with its rotting floors, trash heaps, and the smell of death around every corner. Even in the daylight it exudes a menacing aura that screams STAY AWAY. That’s going to be my temporary home…unless I can fix this fast. I turn back to Fern, determined.

  “How’s everything back home?”

  Fern sighs. “It’s a mess, Kudzu. Everyone’s in an uproar about what Dad did. And like, I can’t believe he would hurt you!” Fern touches my neck, then her hand falls. She glares at her feet. “I don’t know if I can forgive him for this.”

  “Do you think I could…” I hesitate, but decide to go for it. “Do you think they’d let me come back?”

  Fern looks up at me and my hope shrivels to nothing. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “I know the death thing is scary, but I’m not dangerous!” I blink frustrated tears out of my eyes. “Besides, Grampire thinks there’s a way to reverse the curse. If that happens, surely they’d let me come home.”

  Fern nods slowly and some of the hope regrows. “Yeah…! If you got rid of the mark, they’d have to change their mind. I bet—”

  We both stiffen as someone howls in the distance. It’s not that far away, really. Fern rolls her eyes. “Ugh, I can’t stand my brother.”

  “What did he say?”

  Fern frowns. “You didn’t hear him?”

  I swallow the lump in my throat. It feels like gargling tetanus-encrusted nails. “I heard, but I can’t understand him.”

  Fern’s eyes widen as she realizes what I mean. She doesn’t say anything; she just wraps me in a huge hug.

  “We’ll get this figured out and you home,” Fern murmurs in my ear. “I’ll work on it too, okay? Don’t worry.”

  I nod, wrinkling my nose against her shoulder so I won’t cry again. “Okay.”

  Another howl sounds, much closer. Fern scrambles away from me and goes back into the woods I once called home. “I gotta go. Meet me back here tomorrow, okay? Same time.”

  “Okay.” My stomach growls and I force a smile. “Bring some snacks. Vampires don’t eat.”

  “You got it.” Fern retreats behind a tree, already kicking her shoes off. When she emerges, she’s a wolf. She nods at me and before I can say anything, she disappears into the woods.

  I stare after her for a long time. Only after I’m sure she’s gone do I let a few tears fall.

  “Bye,” I whisper. I swipe my cheeks and force a smile. Goodbye sounds too final. Too sad. I’m not dead yet. And now I know Fern’s on my side. It’ll work out. “See you tomorrow.”