My student wrote about her childhood
fear of vampires, the extensive
preparations she made to her bed each
night to make it vampire-proof, the
number of talismans she possessed to
keep vampires at bay. Her room reeked
of garlic. This student is into mature
years now and I have never heard of a
vampire attack. At least not on her.
She gave me one of her talismans
once. I won’t say I hung it on my bed
post; but it still is in a nearby drawer.
And no – I have never had a vampire
attack. At least not one on me.
2025 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in October 23-29, 2025.
