The boy on the bed studied him. "Hey…that’s my blood," he said.

Doug hadn’t intended to hiss just then, couldn’t remember thinking it was a good idea, but then suddenly he was hissing, with an itch in his gum line that told him his fangs were bared.

"Shit," said the boy.

Doug bolted for the door of the bloodmobile but found his way blocked by the two women and a drowsy-looking Jay. Again he showed his teeth.

"Don’t you hiss at me," said Kendra. "What you doin’ with blood that don’t belong to you?"

Doug froze, then closed his mouth. He wondered briefly if anyone in the history of the world had ever been asked that question before. There didn’t seem to be a right answer. He hissed again, but his heart wasn’t in it.

"I aks you a question. You better put that blood down and stop your hissin’. And take those Dracula teeth out your mouth."

Jay began inching toward the door. The other woman leaned into Kendra.

"He’s trying to steal the blood."

"I know he is," said Kendra.

"He thinks he’s a vampire maybe."

"I’ve taken blood from a stormtrooper and a Superman and at least three cartoon characters today," said Kendra. "He can think he’s whatever he want, long as he TURNS HIS ASSFERATU AROUND AND PUTS BACK THAT BLOOD."

Jay made a run for it. He threw himself down the steps at the school bus door, and Doug thought, School bus.

"Okay," he said, returning to the counter. "I’m just putting it back."

Kendra nodded. Doug hesitated. The boy on the bed gaped at him.

Then Doug ran for the back of the bus, and his heart lifted when he saw it — the emergency exit. He didn’t know a student who hadn’t thought of using it at least once on the way to school, at a stoplight…maybe the stoplight right by the miniature golf place on Route 30.