Part 1:
“Have you ever been at a railroad crossing? And the gate was down. But ... there was no train?”
“I guess,” I answered.
“That's the Halloween Circus Express," the man announced.
“It's invisible?"
“Most people can't perceive us in the waking world."
Apparently I never could.
Until now.
“Behind the engine,” he said, “are fifty boxcars, a second engine, fifty more cars, and a caboose."
“I guess,” I answered.
“That's the Halloween Circus Express," the man announced.
“It's invisible?"
“Most people can't perceive us in the waking world."
Apparently I never could.
Until now.
“Behind the engine,” he said, “are fifty boxcars, a second engine, fifty more cars, and a caboose."
“Each car is home to a circus act. We're a circus on wheels."
“For real?" Dale asked.
“The Express is many things, but ‘real'? That is debatable."
The man introduced himself as conductor-slash-ringmaster Rex Umbrella.
Close-cropped hair.
Slightly anxious eyes.
A gray button-down shirt.
He in no way looked like a vampire.
“For real?" Dale asked.
“The Express is many things, but ‘real'? That is debatable."
The man introduced himself as conductor-slash-ringmaster Rex Umbrella.
Close-cropped hair.
Slightly anxious eyes.
A gray button-down shirt.
He in no way looked like a vampire.
“Not all of us wear cloaks," he said. “I don't even have fangs."
“How do you suck blood?"
“I'm not a bloodsucker. My kind? We feed on mucus."
“You're joking. That's gross!"
“Yet drinking blood seems normal to humans? Both are bodily fluids. At least I never bite anyone."
“I've seen her eat calamari," Dale added. “They're all rubber! Don't let her get high and mighty."
“I'm sorry, Mr. Umbrella, I really shouldn't judge. You said you needed our help?"
“Please, call me Rex. And yes. Aboard this train is a criminal."
“What's the crime?"
“Identity theft. Our train also exists in dreams. Someone is stealing dreamers' information."
“Really?"
“Stealing and then selling it. And that goes against our code."
“Halloween Circus code?" Dale wondered.
“I've eliminated all but nine suspects. Please interview them. Report who you find guilty."
“We'll take the job," I said.
“How do you suck blood?"
“I'm not a bloodsucker. My kind? We feed on mucus."
“You're joking. That's gross!"
“Yet drinking blood seems normal to humans? Both are bodily fluids. At least I never bite anyone."
“I've seen her eat calamari," Dale added. “They're all rubber! Don't let her get high and mighty."
“I'm sorry, Mr. Umbrella, I really shouldn't judge. You said you needed our help?"
“Please, call me Rex. And yes. Aboard this train is a criminal."
“What's the crime?"
“Identity theft. Our train also exists in dreams. Someone is stealing dreamers' information."
“Really?"
“Stealing and then selling it. And that goes against our code."
“Halloween Circus code?" Dale wondered.
“I've eliminated all but nine suspects. Please interview them. Report who you find guilty."
“We'll take the job," I said.
“One question," Dale added. “Rex Umbrella? Odd name for a vampire. What's it mean?"
“I detest the sunlight. But there's so much work to be done. So I took to carrying an umbrella at all times. In case of the light."
The lion and I stared at him, then looked at one another.
“But ... you're not carrying an umbrella."
He stopped and flashed a smile, the first one since we'd met him.
“It appears I'm a man of many contradictions."
“Huh," Dale grunted.
“And it appears you two are quite perceptive. Excellent. If you would, please begin the process."
He led us on down the line, toward our first interview on the Halloween Circus Express.
“I detest the sunlight. But there's so much work to be done. So I took to carrying an umbrella at all times. In case of the light."
The lion and I stared at him, then looked at one another.
“But ... you're not carrying an umbrella."
He stopped and flashed a smile, the first one since we'd met him.
“It appears I'm a man of many contradictions."
“Huh," Dale grunted.
“And it appears you two are quite perceptive. Excellent. If you would, please begin the process."
He led us on down the line, toward our first interview on the Halloween Circus Express.