“Just this one book please,” six-year-old Benny said. He gave The Legend of the Vampire to the librarian. On the cover was a picture of a scary man in a dark cape. He had two sharp teeth and blood red lips.
“Oh, Benny, are you sure that is a good book for you?” asked twelve-year-old Jessie. She was twelve and kept an eye on her younger brother. “I could help you pick out another.”
“No, I want this one, Jessie,” Benny said. “Henry found it in the local author’s section.”
“It was written by Mr. Charles Hudson,” explained Henry. At fourteen, he was the oldest.
“Oh!” exclaimed ten-year-old Violet. “Is that the author Grandfather told us about this morning?”
“I think it is,” Henry said.
Mrs. Skylar, the librarian, smiled at the four Alden children. “Mr. Hudson is a local author who has written many exciting books. The Legend of the Vampire is one of his best selling stories. It’s set right here in Greenfield.”
Violet shivered. “A vampire in Greenfield?” she asked.
“Vampires aren’t real, Violet,” Jessie said. She put her arm around her sister’s shoulders.
“Are you sure?” asked Benny.
“We’re sure,” Henry said. “Vampires are not real. They’re just part of scary stories that people like to read for fun.”
“Not real—like ghosts and monsters under your bed?” asked Benny.
“Yes, exactly like that,” Jessie said.
“I like scary stories,” Benny said. “They always have mysteries in them!” He opened the book to the first page. “‘The cem … cem …’” Benny was just learning how to read.
“Cemetery,” Henry helped.
“‘The cemetery on …’” Benny scratched his forehead.
Violet looked over his shoulder at the page. “Whittaker Street,” she told her little brother.
‘“Was … dark … and …’” Benny sounded out the words. He sighed. “It’s too hard for me. Can you read it to me, Henry?”
“Sure, Benny,” Henry said. “But it’s getting late now. We promised to meet Grandfather at eleven o’clock.”
Jessie looked at her watch. “You’re right, Henry.” She handed her library card to Mrs. Skylar and checked out her novel. “Grandfather said that he wanted us to meet an old friend of his.”
“Do you have the address where Grandfather wants to meet us?” Violet asked.
Henry patted his pocket. “Yes, I have it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s very far. It’s on the east end of town.”
“Will we be passing any places to eat on the way?” Benny asked hopefully.
“Oh, Benny!” Jessie laughed. Benny had a big appetite. “How can you possibly be hungry after all those pancakes Mrs. McGregor made for you this morning?”
Mrs. McGregor was the Alden’s housekeeper. She was a wonderful cook as well.
Benny patted his growling stomach. “I don’t know, Jessie,” he said. “I guess that’s one mystery I’ll never be able to solve!”
The Alden children laughed and hopped on their bikes. In ten minutes they found 52 Whittaker Street. It was an old, quaint house with a small lawn and a blooming flower garden. Grandfather’s car was parked out front. He stood on the pale lavender porch talking to a tall man with white hair and a white mustache.
“What a beautiful house!” Violet exclaimed. She was wearing a pale purple top that matched the color of the porch almost exactly. It was her favorite color.
“Why, thank you,” the man said, smiling at Violet.
Grandfather rested his hand on Benny’s shoulder. “Mr. Hudson, I would like to introduce you to my family. This is Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.”
After their parents died, the Alden children ran away. They lived in an abandoned boxcar in the woods until their grandfather found them. He brought them to live with him in his big, white house in Greenfield.
“We’re very pleased to meet you,” Jessie said.
“Mr. Hudson?” Violet’s face flushed red. “The famous author?”
Mr. Hudson laughed. “I’m not all that famous, you know,” he said.
“You are famous!” Benny cried. He pulled The Legend of the Vampire from his backpack. “Your book was in the library!”
Just then a big, blue car screeched to a halt in front of the house. A young man in a business suit jumped out. He hurried up the sidewalk.
“This is the last time!” he said. He hammered a “For Sale” sign into the lawn. His face was red.
Grandfather looked puzzled.
“Don’t mind Josh,” Mr. Hudson said. “He is my realtor and someone keeps stealing his sign from my front lawn. He’s been quite upset by it.”
Benny looked at Josh banging away on the metal sign. “What’s a realtor?” he asked.
“A realtor is a person who tries to help you sell your home,” Jessie explained.
“Let me give Josh a hand.” Grandfather went over and held the sign steady while Josh hammered.
“Are you moving away from Greenfield, Mr. Hudson?” Henry asked.
“No. I love Greenfield,” Mr. Hudson said. “I don’t really even want to sell my home.” He sighed and looked up at the pretty house. “I’ve lived here all my life, but it is too big of a place for one old man to take care of on his own. When the house is sold, I’ll move to an apartment on the other side of town.”
“You mean if the house is ever sold,” Josh said, wiping his forehead.
“Now, Josh,” Mr. Hudson scolded. “Just because the sign keeps disappearing doesn’t mean we can’t sell the house.”
“No, but the broken flowerpots and the old cemetery out back don’t help either.”
“Old cemetery?” asked Violet.
“Yes,” Mr. Hudson replied. “It’s quite historic. Some of Greenfield’s first citizens are buried back there. You kids are welcome to go take a look. It’s actually very beautiful and peaceful.”
“Except when the vampire is prowling,” Josh added.
The Aldens were too surprised to speak. Violet’s face turned white.
“Don’t pay attention to Josh,” Mr. Hudson hurriedly said. “He gets overly excited sometimes. The vampire is just an old legend.”
“But, you said you saw …” Josh tried to argue.
“Now is not the time or place to discuss this, Josh,” Mr. Hudson said, glancing over at the Aldens.
“Let’s take a walk out back,” Jessie said to her sister and brothers. Benny held tightly to Jessie’s hand, and Violet stayed close to Henry’s side as the Aldens walked back to see the old cemetery. The grass was neatly cut between the rows of the weatherworn headstones.
“What’s a legend, anyway?” asked Benny as the children walked.
“It’s an old story that has become famous,” Jessie said.
“Like Paul Bunyan and his big blue ox,” Henry said. “That story is a legend.”
Just then the Aldens heard a loud sound in the quiet cemetery. They stopped walking and stared at each other.
Benny groaned. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” he said. “I’m so hungry my stomach keeps growling.”
Henry laughed. “I think your appetite is becoming a legend, Benny.”
“I know,” Benny said. “Right now I think I could eat more than both Paul Bunyan and his ox!”
Violet bent over to look at an old headstone with a pretty flower carved on its front. “This one is hundreds of years old,” she said. “The person buried here died in 1742.” As she stood up, something caught her eye at the edge of the cemetery.
“Look!” Violet gripped Henry’s arm. “There’s someone staring at us over there!”
Henry, Jessie, and Benny turned just in time to see the man. He wore a long, dark coat. When he saw that the children had spotted him, he ducked behind a tree and disappeared into the woods.
Violet shivered. “That was odd,” she said.
“Not really, Violet,” said Henry. “Maybe he was just taking a walk, the same as we were.”
“I’m sure Henry’s right,” Jessie said. “But let’s get back to Grandfather now.”
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