Surviving Paradise (Full Draft Version)

CHAPTER 24

"Hold the door Ollie, no ones gonna help you. Willy look in my eyes it won't hurt as much."

"No, oh fu--PLEASE don't do this. Do me. Will let him do me. Because he will die if he does..."

CHAPTER 24

Jane had called the Lambert's last night, and Allisa felt terrible about the outright lie her parents had believed of her falling asleep on the couch at the Black House while watching a movie. Allisa herself phoned them the second night, feeling no better when she had to make up another story.

The truth however would send her Mom or Dad into a heart attack or stroke for sure.

Allisa would not be medically out of the woods for seventy two hours, but there was not one sign to cast any doubt on anything except a full recovery. She had never shown any signs of turning after the first couple of hours. The injections that remained could be taken at the Black House. Depending on her heme, she might need supplementing injections for up to a few months.

The Black House was a tall dark shadow looming against the night sky, lamplight barely visible through one or two of the upstairs windows, but it had never looked so welcoming as Ashton turned into the driveway and hit the button to the automatic garage door.

Will unlocked the door and they filed through to the kitchen.

“I don’t suppose there are some awesome leftovers in the fridge.” Allisa asked wistfully.

Jane dashed that hope, dryly imparting the news that Will had not cooked a meal in weeks. Will retorted something to the effect that he didn’t remember being hired on as their freaking chef. Ashton grabbed a drink from the fridge, hesitated and took another, and retraced his steps to the back porch to drink them in privacy as usual.

A half hour later, Will was tipping the pizza delivery vamp, boxes were pawed open, and for at least five to ten minutes there was only the sound of chewing, and aluminum cans clinking against the coffee table. Ashton flipped through the television channels, remote in one hand, and a pizza slice in the other.

“I can’t believe you guys did not eat for a day. I mean me, I was busy trying not to turn into a vampire and stuff, but y'all could’ve grabbed a snack sometime in the last twenty four hours.” Allisa joked when they had finally slowed down their feeding frenzy enough to speak. Secretly she was touched that her friends had not left her side.

“What?! And miss anything?” Ashton joked. “You know the second someone leaves, that’s when the fun begins.”

“Wasn’t nothing fun about that.” Jane glared at Ashton, purposely using bad grammar to chastise him for what she considered to be a joke in bad taste.

“Sure it had it’s moments.” Ashton argued in fun. “Like watching Will go off on the doc at least a dozen times.”

Allisa’s lips had turned up in a reflexive smile, but it froze as soon as Ashton’s words sank in. Jane’s surly glare had been replaced by a grin and she joked with Ashton about the side bet they should have made, putting money on exactly when Will would haul off and hit the doctor.

“Wait, what?!” Allisa sputtered and tried not to choke on the bite she had just swallowed.

Will rolled his eyes, and grabbed another slice of the pepperoni and jalapeno thin crust.

Jane and Ashton took turns relaying volatile moments between Will and Sayer.

“Still the best,” Ashton insisted, “was when I heard Will push him against the wall and he said,” At this point Ashton and Jane both burst into laughter, obviously this being a retell that they were finding more humorous with each time, “...he said ‘Dude, what the fuck was that...”