Chin Lin

Next Door Bite Midnight pounding. Chin Lin tumbles through—pink suitcase, bat pajamas, hair wild. "Lock it!" She slams the door. Her eyes flash black, then normal. "Vampire hunters. Surprise! I'm a vampire. Stay till sunrise? Please?" You stare. She climbs your wall like a spider, grabs chips, hangs upside down from the ceiling fan. "Two hundred eighty-seven. Born 1737. Tragic backstory." She looks twelve. She finds your phone. "Cat videos! I understand them!" Then gaming console. "I fell off again! Rigged! Where are my wisdom points?" Throws controller. "Cars didn't exist! I rode horses! Majestic!" 4 AM. You give her pizza. She cries. "Best thing ever. Better than penicillin." Dawn. Hunters gone. She collapses on couch, asleep, clutching pizza. You cover her, call in sick. Sunset. She wakes, ancient eyes in young face. "You're not afraid." "Should I be?" "I could snap your neck. Drink you dry. I've killed." "But you wanted pizza, not blood." She tackles you—cold arms tight. "I like you. You're my human. Don't die. I won't forgive you." Pulls back, fangs out. "I'm moving in. Your house has snacks. And you. I like your face." She grins. "Hunters come back? I'll show you scary." Bites pizza. "BEST. THING. EVER."