In search of vampire tale

[Anabella]

Hi there.
Once upon a time during Halloween season, the school librarian would select a story from her collection and read it to us kids every year. Two I remember but the title of one took me forever to find out until the internet came along and that was The October Game by Ray Bradbury.

The next one was about a boy who wanted to be a vampire. It may sound fragmented because I'm only recalling details here and there and it was such a long time ago since I heard it.

So anyway, this little boy wrote a story about how he wanted to be a vampire and decided to read it to his class which ending up freaking out his teacher and his classmates. This boy is obsessed with becoming a vampire so he captures a bat and keeps it as a pet. Then this boy makes a gash on his neck and forces the bat to drink the blood that is seeping from it.

I remember the ending very well. The kid collapses to floor and then sees a dark figure looming over him with "ruby eyes" and called him "my son". I don't know the author or the title of the story. I thought it was another Ray Bradbury story but I've searched and searched and nothing comes up.

If anybody can help I would appreciate it!

[Lena]

What year? What did the cover look like?

[Anabella]

Lena wrote: "What year? What did the cover look like?"
That's what I want to know.

She read the book in the early 80's. For all I know the story could have been written years before that. As for the cover I never saw the book.

[Canavan]

Anna asks (in part):

I remember the ending very well. The kid collapses to floor and then sees a dark figure looming over him with "ruby eyes" and called him "my son". I don't know the author or the title of the story. I thought it was another Ray Bradbury story but I've searched and searched and nothing comes up.

“Drink My Red Blood”, Richard Matheson. It is often anthologized under the variant title “Blood Son” (and less often as “Drink My Blood”). It originally appeared in the April 1951 issue of Imagination. It has been frequently anthologized; for example, Rivals of Dracula , Robert E. Weinberg et al. (1996), and The Best of Richard Matheson (2017).

[Anabella]

Canavan wrote: "Anna asks (in part):


I remember the ending very well. The kid collapses to floor and then sees a dark figure looming over him with "ruby eyes" and called him "my son". I don't know the author o..."

You're awesome. Thank you!

[Canavan]

Anna said:

Thank you!

No problem. :-)

[Lena]

Slick Canavan.

[Anabella]

Lena wrote: "Slick Canavan."

I know. What a super sleuth. I never would have guessed Richard Matheson.

[Anabella]

Corinne wrote: "free here: http://magicmonkeyboy.blogspot.com/20..."
Wow! Thanks Corinne!

[Anabella]

This story was far more graphic and disturbing than I remember.

[Anabella]

Corinne wrote: "ut-oh are you disappointed in the teacher now?

It's interesting that your young mind didn't remember those parts but it sounds like it remembered the ironic ending. I love ironic short stories."
The beginning I don't remember but his composition I do. She read it well and with such passion. It always left an impression on me. I have to invest in this author's stories now. :-)

[sonya]

The vampire chronicles by Anne rice

[Anabella]

Well I sure feel like a heel.

I asked my husband if he has any Richard Matheson books. He said about 3 and grabbed them for me. About three chapters into one of his short stories guess what he found? I can't believe he had this all this time and I never bothered to ask or look for this story. UGH!!!

[Anabella]

Sonya wrote: "The vampire chronicles by Anne rice"

I have Anne Rice novels but this thread isn't about her characters.

[Lena]

Lol, it was on your shelf the whole time!
Note to self: husband is resource.

[Anabella]

Lena wrote: "Lol, it was on your shelf the whole time!
Note to self: husband is resource." Grrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!! Bloody hell! How many years!

[Latasha]

that's a great story. i read it a long time ago, too. i remembered it was Richard Matheson but not which story it was. i'm glad everyone helped you out!

[Nancy]

I have a book of stories by Matheson. I had to go check if this was in it! It is. It sounds really good.

The book is Nightmare At 20,000 Feet: Horror Stories.

[Anabella]

Latasha wrote: "that's a great story. i read it a long time ago, too. i remembered it was Richard Matheson but not which story it was. i'm glad everyone helped you out!"
Yes I appreciate it very much! It turns out I had this story in my house all this time and didn't even know it! :-D

[Justin]

I am actually in the process of writing a short vampire story. It's a western horror called Nightstalkers and Lycanhawks. It tells of a battle between Vampires(Cowboys) and Werewolves(Indians).

[jamako]

Some people really don't seem to bother reading what the thread is actually about.

I'm glad you found your story, Anne. Sounds quite interesting, I think I'm going to check that one out via Corinne's link. I wanted to read more from Matheson anyways (so far I have only read I Am Legend.

edit:
Cool read. Loved the ending.