Chapter Twenty One - Part One

Charlie

Completely engulfed in cleaning and organizing, I lose track of time. The doorbell chimes throughout the house, putting a stop to my manic frenzy. Almost skipping to the door with my hands rubbing together with anxiousness, a shriek of excitement greets my friend at the door.

“No car?” I ask.

I stare at Juliet as she holds up two large bottles of wine, one in each hand. She invites herself in and immediately goes to the kitchen to put the bottles in the fridge. “Nope. I plan to get tipsy.” She swings back around meeting my stare. “So what’s on the schedule for tonight?”

“Drinking. Drinking...and more drinking obviously.” I reply as she waggles the bottles in the air.

“Well...I did bring a movie to watch.” She digs in her oversized purse searching for something. It takes a moment before she pulls something out, waving it in my face.

That’s the best movie she could find. I do have to say that it’s better than another movie I can think of, but Warm Bodies…a zombie love story. It’s just the thing I want to see right now, a dead man who tries to be as much alive and human as possible for his attraction to a living breathing girl.

Is this some sick joke or a really bad dream. Maybe just maybe I’ll wake up and laugh at myself.

“Don’t give me that look. There is nothing wrong with Warm Bodies. You know I have a crush on Nicholas Hoult. Now why don’t you get some snacks for us while I get the movie ready.”

I roll my eyes as I turn my back on her. “So bossy.” I joke, which get a laugh out of her. Minutes later I join her on the couch. The movie is already at the title screen, waiting for the play button to be pressed. I force myself to relax, enjoy the moment, endure the moment...several moments...an hour and forty minutes to be exact.

Regrettably I laugh and cry and by the end of the movie I grow disappointed that it has to come to an end. With all my attention put on the TV, I didn’t even notice that Juliet drank my soda along with eating a majority of the chips.

Both of us stand up to stretch our stiff limbs in our pursuit to the kitchen for refills of chips and soda. Halfway there the doorbell rings. Juliet looks at me with a full mouth of chips from the now empty bowl, her eyes asking the question of who’s at the door without her physically saying a word. I shrug, completely frozen. The thought of Maxwell showing up here tonight out of all nights when I told him not to makes me bite my tongue in anger. Feeling at home Juliet races to the door before I can get a handle on my emotions, a sly smile on her face as she expects a familiar stranger to be waiting on the other side. I race after her only to have her shove me to the side.

I can feel her swallow the mouthful of food as she brushes crumbs off her shirt. She tosses her head back wagging her eyebrows up and down. She gives me a quick wink before she answers the door, trapping me behind it. “Can I help you?” Juliet questions our visitor after she opens the door just a crack. From where I stand, I can’t see who it is, but she’s seem Maxwell before and the blank look on her face says it isn’t Maxwell.

“Is Ms. Preston available?” His deep smooth voice stops my heart. The searing in my lungs lets me know I haven’t died of a heart attack…yet. With a chill shivering its way through my body, I can’t help but to fear the man behind the door even though I have no idea who he is.

“Maybe, why?” Juliet says bluntly.

“If I could come in and talk to her.”

“Sorry, no boys allowed tonight,” Juliet quickly retorts back.

“Maybe she can come out for a walk. It’s quite a beautiful night.”

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” The rudeness that makes Juliet…well, Juliet starts to seep into her voice.

“I’m a friend of Benjamin and even Maxwell.” The way he said it sounded like he added Maxwell’s name on at the end to justify his visit, not because he’s an actual friend.

I see Juliet’s eyes veer toward me, searching for some kind of clue that I know this man, but I just shake my head. Any friend of Benjamin is not welcome here and if he truly is a friend of Maxwell he must not be that important because Maxwell never introduced us. His voice is new to my eardrums. I know for a fact that I didn’t hear it when we were in Austria.

Juliet takes my silence as her clue to get rid of this man. “I really don’t know either of those people, so no offence, but no can do. Maybe you can come back tomorrow...with this Benjamin or Maxwell. Have a good night.” She gives the door a little push and it slowly shuts in the man’s face, ending the conversation.

“Where in the hell do these people come from? Who is Benjamin and why did you lie to me about Maxwell?” I cower from the agitation in Juliet’s voice as she turns her snarl on me.

“I have no idea. And just because he’s supposedly friends with Maxwell does not mean I lied to you about him. It’s complicated.” I keep on telling people the same thing, it’s complicated. Truthfully, there’s no better explanation and it’s not like it isn’t completely honest.

“And...”

“Benjamin is an old, long time friend of Maxwell’s. I only met him once.” Well, I only wanted to meet him once, I correct myself in my head for my ears alone.

“I don’t know if Maxwell is expecting any other friends of his to show up, but this one didn’t ask for him…he asked for you.”

“I heard.”

“I say we watch another movie and pop open another bottle of bubbly. You can call your secret boyfriend and talk about your unexpected visitor tomorrow...or later after I leave.” She wags her eyebrows at me again.

“Very funny.” I strut to the kitchen, grab another bottle along with the corkscrew and march back to the living room. What other lovely masterpiece did you bring with you to watch?”

“I didn’t, but I do have a Netflix account. Care to binge a show?”

“What? Why didn’t you lead with that instead of making me watch a zombie movie?”

“Oh, don’t get me started you liked it.” She works the remote and quickly brings up Netflix, signs in and starts scanning shows. “So what’ll be? The Umbrella Academy, Stranger Things or The Order?” Before I have a chance to decide she decides for us. “The Order. You’ll like it. I’ve been meaning to watch it for a while now. No better time than with my girl.”

I haven’t had much time or interest in Netflix so imagine my surprise when The Order comes and I find myself suckered back into a paranormal drama. Hours go by and I’m enthralled in the show. Werewolves, magic and daddy issues all rolled up into ten amazing episodes, but after seven Juliet can’t stop her yawning.

“I’m calling an Uber because I’m exhausted. The only way to stay awake is to drink more. Waking up with a hangover is one thing, waking up with a hangover and body aches from sleeping on a couch is just asking for feeling like hell.”

We watch one more episode while we wait for her driver to come. Her phone gives a little chime and she hops up onto her feet. “Promise me you won’t watch the last two episodes without me.”

“Promise.” I say as I walk her to the door and give her a quick hug before she heads out.

I watch the driver leave the driveway and disappear down the road leaving me alone. Leaving me alone with my mind to wander back to the Maxwell. To the stranger that showed up at my house.

Looking at the mess that covers the tabletops makes my lazy gene kick in. I don’t know if being in my pajamas is making the bed call my name or not, but I decide against cleaning the mess and try to go to sleep. However, just because I feel the pull of sleep doesn’t mean that sweet dreams follow.

Nightmares haunt me. Even though I didn’t see the man who gave me an unexpected visit, I imagine him. First, I’m conducting an event I’m failing at miserably, ruining the party and all eyes turn toward me with glowering scowls on their faces. Instantly, I can pick out his face staring back at me in the surrounding guests. He’s nothing but a shadow with no features whatsoever, but I know it’s him.

I only toss and turn from that dream to be thrown into another one, the most common dream known to man or woman. I’m running for my life that’s threatened by an imaginary figure and no matter how fast I run or how hard I think I’m running due to my exhaustion, the killer just gets closer. I’m running for what seems like miles without seeing one single person. The dream’s ending is no different than it is to anyone else. Right before this unseen stranger goes in for the kill, I wake up.

My ears start to ring from my cell phone blaring, the screen partially lighting up the room. I begin to wonder if this unexpected call or the typical dream’s ending is what woke me. With my eyes getting watery from the bright light of the screen, I try extra hard to read the name of who’s calling this late at night. Giving up, I just answer it.

A familiar voice starts talking before I say anything. “Charlie…Charlie, are you awake?”

“Janessa? What’s going on? What time is it?” My eyes are closed, wanting more sleep since my nightmares kept me awake most of the night.

“It’s Juliet…she’s in the hospital. Can you come down here...you know, to keep me company?” The occasional sniffle of her nose is the only evidence I have that her tough front broke, which means something bad...very bad happened.

“Yea, I’ll get dressed and be there in…where exactly am I going?” My voice is dazed from lack of processing the information. Part of me thinks this must be a dream.

“I’m in the ER’s waiting room. I’ll fill you in when you get here.” I’m left with dial tone.

I put the yoga pants I had on earlier and a long sleeved top on before retrieving my cell phone again along with my keys to leave my house in a blur. Thank god I didn’t drink too much or else I would’ve never made it there.

I don’t even remember driving to the hospital, parking the car, or walking inside. It’s when I see Janessa, Harlow, and Brock huddled together in the corner of the waiting room that reality hits me.

“Man, you look like crap,” Brock jokes when he sees me heading in their direction.

“Thanks for that. It isn’t every day that I get woken up at two in morning to an urgent call telling me to go to the emergency room.” Normally I would have a better comeback, but tonight I’m not in the mood for a fight. He’s right anyways. I probably have dark circles under my eyes, my hair isn’t brushed, and I don’t even know if my clothes are matching.

“Harlow, Brock, why don’t you go home and rest? I’ll call you tomorrow morning to tell you Juliet’s room number,” Janessa says in our fellow friends’ direction. After they leave the room, she turns to me, gesturing toward a chair. “I know she would want you here when she wakes up.”

I don’t bother asking why Harlow and Brock were here only to immediately leave after I get here. “What happened?”

“A neighbor of hers called 911 after hearing her screams coming from inside her house. The elderly woman claimed to see a shadowy blur rush out the front door. Whoever it was, was long gone by time the police got there.”

“What are you saying? Someone attacked her?” My knee begins to bob up and down, bouncing on the ball of my foot. Nervousness or something that can be perceived as the jitters masks my panic. A shadow with inhuman speed…friends with Benjamin…a vampire.

“The police didn’t give me much information when they questioned me the second I got here, but they said that the front door had been ripped off its hinges. They’re keeping it under surveillance for the time being. They didn’t even take anything or anything of value that we know of; they just went in there and…” Tears begin to stream steadily down her checks.

“What kind of shape is she in?” I’m not sure I want to know, but sooner or later I’ll be allowed to see and I want to be prepared.

I remain silent waiting until Janessa is ready to speak. “I don’t know.”

“Well, I’ll sit here and wait it out with you.” And I do exactly that. I put my feet up and wiggle in my seat, finding the perfect spot. The spot doesn’t remain comfortable for long and hours pass by with Janessa and myself changing positions several times or just pacing the waiting room floor.

Somehow Janessa and I fall asleep lying across the rows of chairs. A light nudge on my shoulder wakes me up; a small puddle of drool dampens my sleeve. A woman in a white lab coat greets me. “You’re here for Ms. Anders, correct?”

I see Janessa’s already awake, waiting for the nurse to continue. I nod due to my dry throat closing up. “She’s been moved to a room in the intensive care unit, room 316. I’m afraid that only family can go in at this time, but there’s a waiting room up there for you sit in if you’d like.” She says the last part mainly to me, because even though Juliet and I are close, I’m not family.

“That would be great, thank you,” I reply back.

“How is she?” Janessa barely manages to get out.

“She’s been beat up pretty badly. She has a broken radius, a severe concussion, lacerations and significant bruising. She handled surgery to fix her break very well and as far as the doctors can see there is no internal bleeding. She did however have to have a blood transfusion, which isn’t common with injuries like hers, but...this may sound odd, but she has two puncture marks on her neck. They could have been from a weapon of sorts, we’re unsure.”

She was bit.

The nurse gives a few instructions to get to her room and leaves us to find it on our own. Janessa walks into the ICU with her head toward the floor as I sit in the small waiting room. I’m prepared to sit in this chair all day and night if I have to and to my surprise the nurses are extra nice compassionate as they bring me a pillow for my head and a blanket to fight the chill within the halls.

“As soon as she wakes up I’m sure she can friends in.” One of them says to me.

Janessa steps out of Juliet’s room several times to join me in the waiting area as she tries to get in touch with their parents, but to her disappointment, she’s unable to contact them.

“No luck,” I say before she retreats back down the hall.

“They’re probably busy; they left the country on separate business trips a while ago.” I expected her to talk further about the subject, but her eyes remain on the tiled floor and just as fast as the conversation ended, she leaves me to return to Juliet. I never met their parents and honestly I never really heard either of them talk about their mother or father, but I know there’s much more to the story that she’s not telling me.

Before I know it morning arrives. Well, a decent time of morning. Several people stop by and leave throughout the day, but I stay. I stay through the sore butt, the restless legs, and the pounding headache. I have to be here when she wakes up. I have to see if she remembers who did this to her. To have the time pass by faster, I call Morgan and even Dave to tell them the news. To my surprise, they arrive at the same time with flowers in hand.

“You look…well…” Morgan searches for her words.

“I know, I know…awful, right? There’s no need to flatter me.”

“You’ve been through a lot and if you looked all gorgeous I would begin to wonder about your friendship with her,” Morgan adds, trying to comfort me.

“Thanks.” I haven’t even looked at either of them since they walked up to me, but Dave kneels next to me, moving his head to cover the spot on the floor that I’m intently staring at. “Yes,” I say to him.

“I brought her flowers,” he says.

“Janessa can take them in her room when she comes out.” I wanted to tell them how I’m not allowed in her room yet, but a frazzled Janessa exits the room, stopping my words.

“She’s awake.” She yelps as she rushes into the waiting room.

Janessa waits with us in the small room. It seems to take forever before a doctor comes to find her. I stay seated as Janessa hops to her feet at the arrival of the doctor.

“How is she doing?” Janessa mutters.

The doctor looks to her, then to me, then to Morgan and lastly Dave before landing back on Janessa.

“Anything you have to say about Juliet you can say in front of them.” Janessa says eagerly waiting for what the doctor has to say.

“Your sister still have a ways to recovery. Her concussion still has to be monitored for the next couple of days. Her head took the brunt of her trama. Her arm will be in a cast for six weeks and scrapes and bruises will take time to heal, but will leave no lasting damage.”

The doctor’s eyes land on me. “I know you’ve been waiting here all night and most of the day, but I’m not sure-”

“I understand.” I interrupt him. “I’ll still stay…” my eyes go to Janessa, “if you still want me to?”

She gives me a curt nod, tears glistening on the rim of her eyes just waiting to roll over and leave streaks down her face to match the already dried ones on her cheeks.

“As long as her vitals remain steady you should be able to see her for a short time tomorrow.” The doctor offers.

Morgan and Dave stand ready to convince me to leave if only for a little while to change into better clothes or take a shower, but Janessa anxious voice stops them from speaking. “Charlie.” she calls. “Can I tell you something...in private?”

I nod before following her to the entrance of the ICU hallway. Her tired eyes meet mine. “She was saying something before they pushed me out. Green eyes. I know she was at your house before that. You don’t happen to know anything about or anyone with green eyes do you?”

“No, but someone showed up at my house and she answered the door, was kinda rude to him.” The words blurt out of my mouth and her eyes lit up, “but I didn’t see who it was. She trapped me behind the door thinking it was funny. If I had known...if I would’ve…”

“Its not your fault.” Her hopes slowly die before eyes.

“We’ll find him. I promise.” My promise seems empty, but brings a smile to her face either for show or for a small flicker of hope.

She leaves me to stand alone in the hall as she goes back to Juliet. Dave and Morgan quickly collect me. “Why don’t I take you home to freshen up. I’ll bring you right back.” Morgan offers before Dave has the chance to.

“I’m fine.” I mutter before plopping back down in the same seat I had been sitting in.

Both of them say my name at the same time. Morgan’s voice is defeated and Dave’s voice is frustrated.

“I said I’m fine. I’ll call you with updates.”

They both leave even though they don’t want to. The pity in their eyes doesn’t even phase me because I’m broken already, beyond repair. This happened to her because of me.

Green eyes...a vampire’s green eyes.