The Last Corvus (completed)

Ch. 19 Isadora

Chapter 19

Isadora

We're not the first ones to arrive. Jem and her boyfriend (Henry?) are sitting on the floor on a folded blanket, devouring each other with their eyes. I try to suppress a blush at the fact that I always seem to interrupt them in this situation. Are they always like this, or do I always just catch them at a bad time?

"They're always like this; it's not just you."

Linden, he always seems to have all the answers.

"I do not."

Oh, for crying out loud! Why can't I stop broadcasting!

"I don't know. See? I don't know everything. Why don't you try to get their attention?"

I know that in this case, "try" is the correct term; they look like they're in their own little world. "Um. Hey, guys."

They look up and finally notice us. Jem welcomes me with a warm smile and a wave; which I return with equal warmth. It's only taken two days to make more friends than I've had in the last year. Or so I think until I see Henry's sneer as he wraps his arm around Jem and whisper something fiercely in her ear. She looks at me sadly and frowns, seemingly disturbed by his words.

Lin diffuses the mood by holding up the disc and reminds us of the point of our gathering. Seeing my choice, Jem smiles and Henry continues his ongoing facial theme by slightly scowling. Does he not like it or does he just hate me in general? Well, at least someone's seen it. I was beginning to think I was a weirdo. 

Skip that; I've known that my entire life.

Lin inserts the disc into a slit in the wall and sits on the couch, patting the spot next to him as he fiddles with the remote. I sit as far from him as possible, vaguely thinking about the need for popcorn.

There's a knock at the door and Dr. and Mrs. Jones come in; she takes the black Lay-Z-Boy that Linden slept on as Dr. J wheels himself beside her. Lin looks around, hits play, and then clicks on the French subtitles as Phillipe walks in and sits on the floor between me and Linden.

Linden looks confused that the movie starts out with a little boy playing virtual baseball, but once Grandpa enters and shows the book he nods in understanding.

I lip synch every word, knowing them all by heart. Sometimes it's incredibly sad knowing a whole movie word-for-word; shows just how much of a life you really don't have.

It gets to my favorite part, where 'The Dread Pirate Roberts' tricks Vacini with the idocane powder and she pushes him down the hill, leading to the fire swamp. Everyone gasps when Buttercup gets swallowed by the quicksand and at the ROUS's. Jem and I laugh conspiratorially at them, knowing what's coming next.

The movie skips just as it's getting to the storming of the castle part, and I mimic the "mawage" speech for them. Everyone laughs at my rendition just as the movie starts back up and we listen to the speech over again. I watch Inigo chase Count Rugen through the halls as my eyes get heavier, my eyelids drooping closed.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Feeling a soft pressure on my nose, I snuggle deeper into the warmth next to me. I hear someone chuckle in a far-away, semi-muffled voice, "looks like you've got a growth, Lin."

"She's exhausted. She's had a long day," a much closer and deeper voice responds. Coming closer to wakefulness, I smell a wonderful mixture of Chinese food and Big Red gum.

"You must be a wonderful pillow, she looks so comfortable."

"Peaceful." With that I recognize the voice and jolt up to a sitting position next to Lin on the couch, the movie's credits still rolling. My cheek flushing with warmth from where it was against Lin's shoulder, I look around at the few still sitting in the room, all watching me, and I feel my other cheek match the heat of the first.

The only people still left in the room are Jem, Henry, Linden and I. It could have been sooo much more humiliating.

I can barely keep my eyes open, I'm so tired. I contemplate and, no, it takes too much energy to talk. "Night, guys. Have fun... Doing whatever it is you do at night." They probably go hunting, but I hope not. But, then again, they are vampires. And Linden told me they have movie nights early so that they had all night to hunt.

I shiver, suddenly glad Linden found me when he did. I could have been dinner.

They bid me goodnight, with a few badly stifled chuckles from Jem and Henry. Now I don't have to guess what they'll be doing.

I go to close the door behind me, but am stopped by Lin trying to open the door; the door not swaying to either side. We smile and both let go at the same time, making him chuckle softly as he pulls it open and follows me across the hall.

"Maybe, next time, we could watch Van Helsing. The one with Hugh Jackman, the good one." I love that movie. Hugh Jackman shirtless, mmmm.

"Maybe, but I kind of liked this reprieve from the vampiric monotony. We'll see next week."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"As..." The next words better not be you wish or I swear-

"You..."

Oh...

"Wish."

No!

I try to restrain the urge to simultaneously choke him and melt as he unlocks his door and slips inside. But then again, that would take too much energy.