Vampires in the Lemon Grove

In many of the stories, guilt and regret are symbolized through supernatural objects. This can first be seen in “Reeling for the Empire,” when Kitsune’s thread turns from a vibrant green to a pitch black. This change in thread color symbolizes her inability to let go of the regret that is festering inside her. While Kitsune initially believes that the black thread means that she’s sick, in reality, the black thread is the start of Kitsune’s transformation into a moth. In this way, the black thread symbolizes how Kitsune uses her regret to her advantage.

In “The New Veterans,” Derek Zeiger’s living tattoo symbolizes his inability to let go of his guilt over his friend’s death. His tattoo captures the exact moment his friend died, which is also the exact moment that Derek failed to acknowledge the red wire he thought he saw on the road. The fact that the permanent tattoo magically changes with Beverly’s touch symbolizes Derek’s internal shift from feeling guilty to learning to forget the past.

Similarly, in “The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis,” a lifelike doll reminds Larry of the boy that he used to bully, and prompts him to feel incredibly guilty over what he did. As pieces of the doll begin to disappear, they become symbolic of how Larry and his friends broke Eric piece by piece through their bullying, until he didn’t seem like a real person anymore.