His shoulders heaved slightly, and he made an effort to mumble something, but it came out distorted and muffled. On the left side of the hammock, croching by his side was the frustrated granddaughter. Glaring at Dracula, her lips tightened- forcing the muscles of her jaws to tauten.

Nexus on the other hand, merely smiled;

"You old devil, you had better sleep while you can." 

He slapped Dracula's right shoulder gently- sending the suspended hammock into light oscillations;

"–you're so close to the grave, you're better off practicing sleeping for eternity anyway."

As Nexus turned away, surprisingly, Dracula mumbled a rather sleepy but witty response;

". . .I'm not dying yet. . .you pessimistic brat. . ."

Nexus' eyes brightened- obviously amused by the old man's rebuttal. With trembling shoulders, he threw his head back and howled in laughter;

"Abby, come on," he leaned away from Dracula; "Let's allow the old man sleep. He may actually outlive us all. . ."

....

Nexus prepared to leave, while Abby ran around- looking for a lighter blanket to cover her sleeping grandfather. 

On the teen girl's face, frustration blossomed in patches of red. Sighing in exasperation, she dragged her reluctant feet across the courtyard, fuming at the nostrils. Through her parted hair, her glazed eyes found the white fabric curled at the foot of the southern pillar.

Snarling, she snatched it- and her thin voice squeaked out her complaints;

". . .sleeps all day. . .grunts through the night. . ."

flap! flap!! 

She angrily flapped the white piece of fabric- gripping its edges with her agitated fingers- pouring her frustration into the cotton blanket.

". . .won't speak to me. . .won't listen to me. . .won't see a doctor either. . .!"

She scowled;

". . .I can't wait to grow up and leave this place. . ."

flap!!

". . .as soon as I turn sixteen I'M OUTTA HERE!"

She snapped out the last part- making it loud enough for both Nexus and Dracula to hear her.

Nexus heard. And with an amused look, he glanced at the sleeping old man- waiting for a reaction. But it didn't look like Dracula had heard one bit.

Abby, still shuffling her feet along the compound's floor, swayed her slender frame back and forth- complaining bitterly. Nexus watched her-

At once, the girl's face twisted. Her mouth curved into a mischievous grin, and Nexus knew he had been played. Suddenly, her mask cracked- and an overflowing laughter exploded from her throat! Tossing her head back- letting her hair dance on her shoulders, she stripped Nexus with her slicing laughter.

Tears formed in her eyes- and her red face flushed;

"YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR FACE!!" she squeaked; "WERE YOU ABOUT TO CRY?!"

"That was not funny dude."

"But it was!" she protested; "It was!"

"No, it wasn't. I wanted to take you on an adventure with my flying sword."

With guilty pleasure, he watched the light in her eyes slowly die out. The ridiculous grin on her face disappeared in a twinkle!

"F-f-flying s-w-w-ord?" she stammered- unbelief streaking through her eyes.

Suddenly, Nexus thrust out his right arm- stretching it horizontally.

In Abby's wide open eyes, the reflection of a fist-sized cackling blue light flashed! She swallowed- looking on as bluish white sparks erupted in Nexus' open palm- twirling around each other in vicious flashes. A outline of a long black tube emerged- stretching to a staggering eight inches.

Abby gazed- watching as the elegant blade sprouted from the hilt- growing and glistening till it reached three and a half feet. Nexus' fingers let go- and Abby's eyes nearly dropped from their sockets.

The shiny sword did not drop! 

It remained there- suspended horizontally- humming in low vibrations! The dazzling white blade pointed towards east, and the black glossy hilt pointed westwards. 

Nexus' eyeballs moved only a little, and the flying sword responded- slowly descending in altitude- till it was hovering a few inches off the ground.

"You know what would be funny?" Nexus asked; "–me showing you this, only to take it all away."

He snapped his fingers. And the sword 'vanished.' Abby howled- and fell on her knees-begging him.

...

"NEXUS SLOW DOWN!!!" she yelled.

blitzzzzz!!!

The roaring wind burned into Abby's eyes- sweeping her hair and sleeves behind her! In a firm lock, she wrapped her slender arms around Nexus' torso- feeling the icy blast of the rushing breeze on her face!

Thirty feet high- with both her feet planted firmly on the sword, and Nexus' right arm around her waist, all she could see was a blur of blue and white! Her breaths came- slicing out of her nostrils- shredding the rushing air!

"WOOO-HOOOO!!!" she shrieked excitedly; "Yeahhhhh!!!!"

She slouched deeper into Nexus' chest- clutching him harder as the wind swallowed up her loud screams. Her heart pounded against her chest- each violent thump sounding like tropical thunder!

"Woo-hooooo!!! I'm flyinnggg!!!"

Adrenaline surged through Abby's entire body- erupting from every open pore on her skin! They were so high up- she could barely make out any building on the earth. They flew across the sky- hurtling through the stratosphere like a dagger-shaped comet.

Puffs of white cloud swallowed up their raging forms. And wisps of icy vapor curled out of their lips. Abby made no attempt to unclench her tightly wrapped fingers- not even for a moment.

During the course of the next few seconds, Abby's heart thundered even louder as the air around them slowed.

The gleaming sword- under Nexus' invisible control, swerved to the right- beating the wind as it began its steady deceleration. Amidst the light puffy clouds, the lightning sword levitated- hovering in circling movements- until finally, it ground to a quiet halt.

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