Then the lid to the coffin opened and George walked over to it. There was no one there. George asked, “What is going on?”

“Just wait and watch.”

George focused on the silk fabric inside the coffin. He watched as it indented as though someone had crawled into the coffin. Then the lid closed.

A few seconds later, the lid opened and Magadelion emerged from the coffin in the flesh. She smiled when she saw George and reached out to him.

George backed away.  “How is this possible?  What are you?”

“I am what I am just as you are what you are and Jay is what Jay is. Did it upset you to think me dead?”

“Yes.”

“I am both sorry and glad to hear that. It was necessary for Louis Napoleon to think me dead. Course he will suspect something when there is news that my body has vanished.”

Jay wrinkled his nose and laughed revealing fangs. “Kitty, stop pretending to be Magadelion.   You know you aren’t.”

“Damned Jay, you spoil all of my fun.” Kitty laughed and purred as she transformed into a bat and flew into the dark of the cave.”

“Sorry, about that. I wanted you to meet Kitty.  I did not expect her to play that joke. Her normal human form looks nothing like your mother.”

George screamed, “I really must awake from this nightmare.  It keeps getting more absurd.” And then George woke naked in his bed. “It was just a dream.  An awful, terrible, jumbled dream is all that it was.”

George got out of bed and lit a lantern. Then George had an awful feeling. George felt as though someone were watching him.  He turned around, and there stood Jay.

George exclaimed, “Oh God! Tell me it was a dream.”

Jay said, “I have no idea what happened to you before the girl found you. In a total panic she came running up to me on the farm where I work and led me to where she had found you in a tree house. She couldn’t get you to wake up and neither could I. She asked me if I would bring you here and so I did. The girl mentioned your grandfather. We looked for him because the girl thought he might know what to do for you but we couldn’t find him. So I fetched a man who sometimes tends to the sick, but he had no idea why you would not wake up. After the man left I told the girl that I would stay here with you until you woke. As faint as your pulse was and because of the wheeze I could hear in your lungs, I actually didn’t think you were going to wake up. I thought you were going to die and I didn’t want the girl to be here for that. I told her to go on to her classes.”

“You keep saying girl. What girl?”

“She said her name is Gurdy.”

“Hum, Gurdy! Odd that she should find me.” George stared at Jay and thought it even more odd that the man standing before him was in his dream. “Do you know a woman by the name of Magadelion?”

“I only know that she and another gypsy were murdered. You weren’t involved were you?”

“Are you sure you didn’t know Magadelion?”

“Look, against my better judgment I decided to help you because this girl named Gurdy asked me to help. If you are involved in the murder…”

“I’m not. I just had this odd dream and you were in it.”

“How can that be?  We have never met.”

“And I never dream except of one place. But either I dreamed it or it happened.”

“Well look, my girlfriend Kitty is probably getting worried. I need to get back to the Inn where I stay when not working.”

Without really considering the absurdity of the question George asked, “Is your girlfriend a vampire?”

“Are you insane.  There is no such thing.”

Still naked, George put his hand on Jay’s mouth and pulled his lips up where he could look at his teeth. George smiled as he thought to himself, “No fangs.”

Jay pushed George’s hand away from his mouth. “I don’t know what you have in mind but stop.”

George said, “Sorry.  That dream just has me confused.  I know it sounds silly but I thought you might have fangs.”

“Fangs! Damned dude, were you this crazy before you got hurt?”

 “I’m sorry.  I know I’m talking nutty. Thanks for helping Gurdy to get me home. If I had money I would pay you for your help.”

“The girl offered to pay me, but that is not necessary.”

“Say, Mr. Dubois, let me get dressed and go with you to the Inn.”

“How did you know my last name?”

“I heard it in my dream. Please let me go with you to the Inn. I know I am still talking nutty, but I fear you might be in danger. I’d hate for you to end up with fangs.”

Jay laughed.  “I’d also hate that, but dude I don’t really think that is possible.”

“I did dream about you.  I do know your last name because of that dream. And there was a well and a cave in my dream if that means anything to you.”