Finally Spring had arrived and the earth renewed itself with budding trees, flowers and warmth. Vince turned eighteen in March and celebrated by buying himself a car and taking and passing his drivers test in it. His injuries had all healed very well. With the exception of a small scar over his left eye there was no outward suggestion of the terrible beating he had suffered.

He finally told his parents about the old gold coin he had found but he did not disclose the exact amount he was paid for it. He made cash presents to them for all their support.

He entered the groundskeepers cottage and gave it a good cleaning as it had been unattended for a few months while he recovered. When he finished cleaning he took a seat and called Alexandra's name aloud and she appeared again in the blink of and eye. They sat and talked for hours just as they had done all during his convalescence at home.

A photographer from National Geographic had heard of the teenagers efforts to single-handedly clean up and fix up this ancient cemetery and interviewed Vince. Pictures and a story soon followed and every body benefited from it and Vince enjoyed momentary fame. The professional weed whacker that he had placed in layaway was retrieved and in two days time the place began to look great.

"Soon you will be finished with school? " Alexandra questioned him one afternoon.

"Yeah, all I have to do is get through the final exams and find a way to avoid prom."

"What is prom?"

"You don't know?"

"There was no prom in my day."

"So Vince began the long explanation of what prom was."

"You have no desire to go?" she asked.

"Only if I can take you and I know I can't."

"Is there not one female that you would like to go with?"

"Yeah, but they all have dates already."

"You need to keep your eyes and heart open."

During school hours prom and graduation were the hot topics of the day. He joined in the discussions about graduations but avoided all discussions concerning prom, because as far as he was concerned he wasn't going. That was until he met Lorelei.

She was a precursor to the Goth or vampire movement. She always wore black clothing which contrasted to her pale complexion and it gave her a forbidding appearance. She was five foot and 6 inches tall and very well built with long red hair and flashing green eyes. She had transferred in shortly before Vince had been hospitalized so she had never met him and only heard about him.

He was surprised when she appeared at his lunch table and asked to sit with him.

"You're the one they call Dr Frankenstein? " she asked.

"Yeah, that's me."

"They have dubbed me Vampire Girl."

"Welcome to the club."

"I'm Lorelei."

"I'm Vince."

She began to join him at lunch time and they talked for weeks before she asked him for a tour of the cemetery. He was hesitant at first but finally agreed. So on the first day that he didn't have to go to his job after school he took her on a tour. Upon entering the ground her eyes grew wide like a kid that was staring into a toy store window at Christmas.

"There are many spirits here," she stated.

"How would you know that?"

"Because I can sense things most cannot."

He showed her around the cottage and then went out on a tour of the grounds. When they neared the Di Winter mausoleum she suddenly grabbed her head and went to her knees.

"Pain, so much pain here," she moaned. Then she raised her head and looked at Vincent.

"This is where you were attacked."

"Vince could only nod his head in amazement. How on Earth could she know that? Vince helped her stand up and she walked around the mausoleum inspecting it.

"Alexandra," Vince called aloud.

She appeared next to him, "I am here beloved."

"She senses you."

"Aye, that she does."

"Can she see you?"

"Some people do possess the gift, we shall see."

Alexandra remained standing next to Vince until Lorelei completed her inspection of the small structure. As she walked toward Vince she suddenly stopped and just stared before she continued moving toward him.

"Something wrong?"

"There was a lady standing next to you."

"You can see her?"

"I did for a moment, but my concentration wandered and I lost her."

"Can you describe her?"

"She is tall and thin with dark hair and very pretty."

Vince discovered that Alexandra was no longer next to him and they continued their tour. She appeared again while they walked.

"Yes, beloved, she can see me."

"What should I do?"

"Say nothing for now and trust me."

A week later on a Saturday found Vince circling the mausoleum several times while reciting the poem he had heard Di Winter speak over and over. It just didn't make sense to him so he summoned Alexandra for help.

"Aren't you and Di Winter friends?" he questioned.

"No, not really."

"But you're both spirits."

"What of it?"

"Can't he just tell you where it is located?"

"No, it doesn't work that way."

"Switch my name from front to back," Vince repeated the first part of the poem.

"Have you inspected the name on the front?"

"Its etched in stone."

"Is it?"

Vince inspected the plaque above the door and tugged on the bottom and to his surprise it moved a little. He grabbed the edges and pulled harder and it moved a little more. He needed something to stand on as there was not much strength in his extended arms and he needed his trusty spray can of Kroil.

He went to the tool shed and returned with a small wooden stepladder and his spray can of lubricant. He then applied it liberally to the stone plaque. As he finished was was dismounting he heard a voice call his nickname.

"Hey, Dr Frankenstein."

He looked over his shoulder and saw Lorelei approaching. She looked great today in a black mini skirt, boots and a sweater. She stopped and stared at the stone bench near the mausoleum for a moment.

"Hello, I am Lorelei."

Now if anyone was watching it would appear that she was addressing thin air. Vince knew she was speaking to the spirit of Alexandra that had been seated there, but played ignorant.

"Who are you talking too?"

"Don't you see her? Its the image of the young woman I saw the last time I was here."

Vince looked a Alexandra and she nodded.

"Yes, I see her and talk to her."

"I just said hello, I wish she would speak to me."

"Maybe she will."

"Anyway, I came to ask you about prom."

"What about it?"

"Are you going?"

"No, I wasn't planning on it."

"That's too bad, I was hoping to share a dance with you."

"Who is taking you?"

"I am taking myself, you don't need a date to attend."

Vince stuttered and blushed a little, he then cleared his throat that for some reason seemed very dry.

"Lorelei, would you like to be my date?"

"Really? Of course I would."

"Now I am not going to wear one of those awful colored tuxedo's, is that going to be a problem?"

"No, as long as you don't expect me to wear some Gawd awful pastel Evening gown."

She ran up and thew her arms around Vincent and gave him a quick kiss before she literally ran out of there.

"Bravo my Vincent, bravo," Alexandra said.

She then walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him and placed a kiss on his cheek. Vincent suddenly felt that we had been enveloped in cold and there was a tingly sensation on his cheek.