” But Laura says he drinks a lot of coffee to stay awake.”

” Proof, he’s the walking dead,” I added.

N.J. nodded slowly.

” Grandpa will be over in the morning,” I said. ” That’s when we make our move. I want a grandpa, not a Grand-pire!”

” Me too!”

The next morning grandpa came over just as he always does. He quickly sat on the sofa and instantly fell asleep.

“N.J.” I called. ” He’s sleeping!”

” I’m afraid!”

” Me too, but grandpa needs our help!”

” Why do you have that mirror?” N.J. asked.

” They say that vampires can’t see their reflection in the mirrors.”

” But he has his eyes closed,” said N.J.

” What does that prove?”

” Nothing I guess.”

We had to act quickly before mom and dad got up. I carried the frozen steak to the sofa, and N.J. brought everything else. He didn’t like the smell of the garlic, but he carried it anyways. My dad always called him a trooper. I guess that’s because he always had poop in his diapers.

I grabbed the mirror and put it to grandpa’s face. He couldn’t see himself so that’s when I was convinced he was a Grand-pire. N.J. handed me the garlic and I put it on his chest along with the steak.

” Now what?” N.J. asked.

” The coffee!”

” What?”

” We forgot the coffee.”

” There is a pot brewing on the stove,” N.J. said. ” Grandpa put it on before he fell asleep.”

” Go get it.”

” But it’s going to be too hot.”

” It’s okay N.J. old people can’t feel the heat. They’re always cold.”

N.J. nodded and ran to get the coffee.

” Don’t worry grandpa,” I said as I looked into his Grand-pire face. ” I’m here to help you.”

N.J. came back slower as he was trying to avoid spilling the hot coffee on him. ” Are you sure this will be okay, Acee?”

” I’m sure.”

N.J. smiled.

Everything was all set. We had the frozen steak and garlic on his chest. We tested the mirror, and the last thing we had to do was pour the coffee on him.

” How do we know he’d be cured? ” N.J. asked.

” He suppose to scream,” I replied.

” Because of the hot coffee?”

” No, no of course not,” I replied. ” Because when the vampire leaves his body, it’s going to hurt.”

N.J. nodded.

” Ready?” I asked.

He nodded again.

I dumped the hot coffee on my grandpa and in an instant he shot up to his feet screaming in total agony.

That was the day we helped free our grandpa from the vampire world.

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