Vampire Mother by Yash Seyedbagheri

When Nick’s eight, Mama dresses up as a vampire, replete with long black gown, thick fangs. 

            “Mama’s a good vampire,” she promises. “No one will hurt you.”

 Eight years later, Halloween. Nick’s father tries to bust their door down, demands his son. She’s a crazy artist, depraved.

Mama, still a vampire, sinks fangs into Nick’s father. Such precision, Nick thinks.

Nick can’t bite or fight.

He tries to shove his father, but arms flail. Mama keeps biting, until Dad collapses. Nutty bitch, he mutters, slinking away, blood coursing like sickly rivers.

Mama smiles. Nick smiles back, hopes smile conveys love. Gratitude.

Yash Seyedbagheri is a graduate of Colorado State University's MFA program in fiction.  Yash's work is forthcoming or has been published in journals such as 50 Word Stories, Silent Auctions, City. River. Tree. and Ariel Chart.