The doll cast a large shadow on the wall for a microsecond with the next flash of lightening. Herb didn’t see it as he reached in his pocket for the velvet box from the jeweler. He’d saved up and had a small dagger crafted of pure silver: silver for her vampiric heart, silver for the cross she wore every day, silver for the gray hair that filled the voodoo doll’s heart.

He steadied his hands over her, the dagger held threateningly at the doll’s heart while softly calling her name.

“Ms. DuPrau.. Do you know who I am? I’m Herbert Tulliver, the boy you refused to recommend for the maths program that he needed to get into med school.”

“Mmmff?” Ms. DuPrau’s dreams had turned ugly, but her eyes did not flutter open.

“Herbert Tulliver, the last name you will ever need to know.” Her head tossed on the pillow and she rubbed at her eyes. As she opened them and saw his face, her mouth dropped open to scream and the silver dagger jabbed into the heart of the doll.

Herbert felt a sharp pain as they both screamed.