MONSTER, stefan salvatore [2]

Black Hole Sun

CHAPTER 35: BLACK HOLE SUN

The Salvatore Boarding House

From what Natalie had seen, Kai was a lot of things, but he wasn't boring. She wasn't sure how long he had been there, but she suspected that eighteen years was a good guess, seeing as 1994 was eighteen years from back when she died the last time. He had a few fun stories about how nobody was there to help him do things he had no idea how to do. 

He was still taped to a chair in the living room, but he and Natalie were speaking while Damon was drinking and looking at them in what seemed like bitterness. "And, of course, I broke into the Oval Office and took a picture of myself at the window, looking all JFK. But then, I was, like, wait- how am I going to get these photos developed?"

"Did you ever get them developed?" Natalie asked, leaning her chin in her hands and speaking like the story was the most interesting thing she had ever heard. She was so bored that she was just humoring him while he was speaking, it didn't mean she liked him anymore, considering that he tried kill her. 

While Natalie knew that she didn't actually care about Kai or anything he actually had to say, Damon wasn't liking the way he was speaking to her so casually. "Natalie, don't encourage him. We don't even know him."

"We already know he's a better conversationalist than you," she retorted with a smile. She could see Kai smile and open his mouth as if he was going to thank for the compliment, which it wasn't. "Don't worry, it's not a compliment. It doesn't really say much."

Damon smiled bitterly again at the interactions between the two and glared over at Kai, finding him more unlikable with every second. "Can you just answer the damn question? How are we going to get out of this Twilight Zone?"

"I got a question for you, first. Why do you think we're stuck on a repeating loop of May 10, 1994?" Kai asked with a smile, causing Damon to raise his eyebrows as if to say he had no idea.  "Doomed to relive a solar eclipse forever and ever, and ever."

Natalie was getting worried that Damon would actually start killing Kai. "How the hell should I know?"

If Kai could have shrugged, he probably would have as he smiled casually. He almost seemed like he didn't care that he was tied up. "Well, I heard you tell Natalie and Bonnie this place was your own personal hell. I'm kinda curious why."

"Now that you mention it, I am too," Natalie agreed, shoving a piece of stray hair behind her ear. Damon glared between them, finding them teaming up extremely repulsive. He almost felt like he had to puke. 

Damon was saved from giving any explanation as Bonnie entered the room, carrying a whole bunch of things Kai had asked for. "I found everything you asked for: can-opener, shower drain, grinding wheel, jam, pocket knife, volume O of the encyclopedia, a nail and a black marker. Now what?"

"Can't show you with my hands taped," Kai smiled, causing Bonnie to grab the pocket knife she brought, ignoring Damon saying her name warningly as she cut his restraints. He rubbed his wrists, although he didn't seem too bothered. "Thank you."

"Now, how is this pile of junk going to help us get out of this weird hellhole place again?" Natalie asked, narrowing her eyes at the newly released guy with a grimace. He only told them what he needed, not why. 

"I'll explain..." Kai assured, but turning to Damon with a tone of voice that usually told someone that a but was coming at the end of the sentence. "As soon as Damon tells me what he did on May 10, 1994."

If Damon hadn't disliked Kai already, he definitely did now. "What difference does it make?"

"Let me put it this way- Bonnie's magic is one part of the equation. My as-yet undisclosed knowledge is the other. And Natalie's getting to come with because of her great conversational skills," he smiled at her shortly, to which she smiled tightly back. "Which means you would be hitching a ride home for free. I just want to know if you deserve to come along."