?

As they left their rural singlewide home for the city, George began having immense chest pain. He wished his son could drive. But Jonny was only fourteen, so all he could do was offer sympathy. Sympathy didn't help the huge crushing weight he felt crushing his chest. He had only time to pull over to the side of the road. As the weight doubled, he mumbled, ''Love you, son,'' and then flopped forward onto the wheel.

Jonny freaked. He poked at his father, but he would not revive. They were in the middle of rural southwestern Arizona, no phones in sight, and what was he going to do? He tried to clear the waves of panic from his mind long enough to think. He got out of the car and looked in all directions. Jon thought he saw faint lights from a distant farmhouse and he decided to walk there.

Pappy hadn't been feeling well for some time. He'd tried to work, but his heart bothered him too much. Jonny was really scared, for his mother had died just two years earlier, of stomach cancer. The lights grew stronger as he approached the farmhouse. The moon was full, which helped illuminate his path.

Tears welled up in Jonathan's eyes as he approached the farm. He heard and saw busy workers, even though it was night. Jon felt his stomach churning, his breathing going shallow and acid gathering in his throat.

But Father needed help! So he forced himself to talk to the nearest worker, a man the same height as he was, with dark hair that reached just to where his neck met his shoulders.

The man's probing eyes terrified Jonny when the man turned to face him. They seemed to see too much. But he seemed not an angry man and he really listened as Jonathan poured out the details of the crisis.

''Wait one moment, I'll be right back,'' Michael told him, as he went off to speak with another worker, a tall skinny man with enormous red hair. Then Michael returned, ''Can you lead us to where your father is?'' Jonny nodded, wide-eyed.

Michael's red car pulled up besides Jonny's father's white truck. Michael exited and opened the truck door. Jonny watched Michael place his pale hand on his father's brown neck, to check his pulse. Michael's huge grey eyes grew even larger. He walked slowly to Jonny, and said somberly, ''I have bad news to report. Your father is dead. He's been dead for some time, so there is no chance of reviving him. I'll take you back to the farm with me.''

Jonny run to his father's truck, and pulled open the door, examining for himself. When he could not awaken him, he turned back to Michael, certain he would pee his pants. Michael calmly assured him, ''We'll do what we can at home.''

Michael noted the truck's placement carefully. Once at home, he called the police and reported the details. A woman about Michael's height, with reddish light brown hair, entered, and inquired of the events.

She went to Jonny and offered a hug, ''Oh, you poor boy! You've been through so much. Can you tell me who your relatives are? Do you have a nearby aunt or uncle?''

Jonny stammered, ''No, I don't have any aunts or uncles.'' Gwen looked at him with hazel eyes that seemed to probe in the same intense way as Michael's, ''Do you have ANY relatives, any relatives at all?''

Jonny softy said, ''Just my granny in Nebraska. But she ain't feeling too good, either.'' Gwen had led him to a computer, which she sat before, and urged him to sit beside her. She called up an online phone directory, ''What's your Gramma's name?''

Jonny stared at the screen, while he woodenly answered, ''Henderson, Naomi Henderson, in Omaha, that's where she lives.'' Gwen brought the matching phone number up on the screen, and jotted all the info down.

''It's late, but we'll call anyway,'' After a couple of minutes, Jonny heard Gwen relay the news of Father's death. Then he struggled to make sense of her replies, ''You can't? You're in and out of the hospital? I understand. Do you want to speak to your grandson?''

And the phone was handed to Jonny. Granny Naomi had cancer, in a very advanced stage. She was sorry, she'd love to have him, but she didn't expect to live very long. She'd call each week as long as she was able, though.

Jonny was washed senseless with terror now. He looked to Gwen. Her reddish hair reminded him of his mother's hair. There was something in her mannerisms, as well. Gwen embraced him, and gently said, ''We keep a rather nocturnal life. It is something I know you are not used to. You are welcome to stay up with us or sleep, whatever you want. If you choose to stay awake during the day, just don't make too much noise. Also, we must see to food for you.''

Gwen called out to Michael, ''Go get Goldie or Sonya. They will know what a young man likes to eat. Loan them the car or take them shopping, please!'' Michael nodded agreement and left the room.

Jonny just looked at Gwen with wide eyes. A fog of unreality descended upon him. He was quite dizzy. Gwen got him a large metal mug of water. He sipped at it gratefully. He was so dizzy, just so dizzy. Gwen gently reminded him, ''You're in shock. This is a natural reaction.''

Jon said haltingly, ''I don't, don't think I can sleep. Do you mind if I just stay up with you?'' Gwen assured him it was quite alright. Then she asked him questions about school, ''Are you going to school now? Or it's summer vacation, isn't it?'' Jonny had been off for summer vacation for a couple of weeks already. Gwen continued in the same calm, assuring voice, ''This is good, it will give you some time to recover. You are in high school, now?''

Jonny nodded, ''I don't like it much. Well, there's this one English teacher who was real nice. She had us read interesting books and got us to think. But mostly, I hate it.''

Gwen, glad of a chance for conversation, smiled at him, and inquired, ''Why do you hate it?'' Jonny explained, ''The other kids are mean. They call me 'nerd-boy', I guess because I wear used clothes, I'm kinda fat and my hair is cut weird. And I don't talk much. If it weren't for the mean kids, I'd like school well enough.''

Gwen nodded, and concurred, ''There were mean kids when I was in school, too. I suspect in every age, there's mean kids. You have to seek out those who aren't like that, and stick with them. Then you can be strong against the bullies. I know, I've been there. I was shy in school. I'm still shy, if you can imagine that. It does get better with time.''

Jonny looked at the pretty lady. She was in her forties, he imagined, but she was still fairly slender and her face relatively unlined. It was hard to imagine her as unpopular.

Just this time, Michael came to the door, and announced a refrigerator full of tasty food, for whenever Jonny felt ready. Jonny smiled weakly at him, ''Thanks! I'm not too hungry now, maybe I'll just get a glass of milk.''

Gwen and Jonny talked the entire night, while Jonny drank three mugs of milk slowly. Soon, the farm workers were finished with their labors and entered the house noisily. Jonny looked at each one. The tall skinny one with an enormous nose had amusing mannerisms. A large young woman was nevertheless graceful. A small dark haired woman had wirey energy and a snappish way of talking. A tallish brown haired woman laughed a lot. They all had in common those intense 'see-too-much' eyes.

By this time, not having slept the night, Jonny was exhausted. But he felt scared to sleep in a strange house with people he didn't know yet. He felt safe with Michael, and with Gwen. Sebby, the skinny man, introduced himself, and gave him a hug. ''I once had a son of my own, Jonny. He was named John, too. But it was spelled different.'' Jonny looked at him. He didn't look old enough to have a son, and concluded his son must not have lived very long.

Jonny still felt dizzy, but he found himself warming to the friendly man's gestures. He had the energy of a puppy dog, all enthusiastic. Suddenly, he burst out sobbing in Sebby's bare arms, on his naked chest. He sobbed while Sebby stroked him, ''I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I'm so alone!'' Sebby spoke gently, ''Maybe you can stay with us. Would you like that?'' Jonny sobbed, ''I don't want to be alone.''

Gwen took a big breath when she heard Seb offer their home. That was risky and adventurous of him. What would six blood drinkers do with a young mortal in the house? How would this work? How would the boy react when he learned what they were? And it couldn't be kept secret. Not with him living with them constantly. She took another deep breath.

She thought it best to broach the subject, ''I'm not sure of the exact protocol on these matters, but I'm sure when there is no relatives that can assume care of the child, they become a ward of the state. Which, I think means you take your chance with foster care until adoptive parents are found. That's a great unknown. I've heard of abusive situations involving foster care.

''On the other hand, we are a strange bunch, and you may not know how strange. But we would not be abusive. I'm sure you have time to think it over, on what you want to do.''

Jonny still trembled in Seb's arms, ''You've all been so nice. Can I, I, can I just stay here awhile?'' And he resumed sobbing while Seb held him and stroked his back.

Gwen smiled, ''That will be fine. I'm sure you will want to have one of us take you to your house so you can get your things. But can it wait until tonight? We are all weary and will feel better after sleeping.''

A gnawing nervousnous picked at her. Also hunger, for she hadn't eaten, so she left for the cow field, taking care to make sure Jonny wasn't following her. She thought to herself, ''This is SO not going to be easy. We'll manage, I suppose. We'll have to be attentive to any growing suspicions he has of us.'' While she sank her teeth into a young bull's neck, she forgot her troubles for the moment.

Go to Chapter 22, Research
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