The World Behind My Wall

Chapter Sixteen: A Prank, Teen Pregnancy, And A New House

By the time Tommy, Elliot, and I finally arrived back home it was 7 pm. The twins sat quietly eating toast next to Ronnie, who was lying on a blanket on the living room floor. Tom and Georg (who I didn't even know were back) were eating, no surprise there, what looked like Chinese takeout. I figured Gustav was with Heidi, and looked around for Bill.

"He's hiding in your closet waiting for you to go up to your room so he can scare you or something. But you didn't hear it from me." Carolyn shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Hey! You weren't supposed to tell her anything!" Tom whisper-shouted, and I slipped my sandals off.

"Thanks." I grin and turn to Annie. "They've both eaten supper, and behaved really well. So I bought them something for being good. Elliot wanted to get something for Jay and Luce so they wouldn't feel left out."

"That's my boy!" Georg proudly smiled.

"Tom, do you still have that fake blood from last Halloween? I have a really good idea." I asked, smirking when Tom said yes. I followed both him and Carolyn into the bathroom, told them my plan, and watched as Carolyn applied makeup and fake blood to my neck, arm, and head. I wanted it to look like I'd been bitten by something, preferably a walker, and would lie at the top of the stairs where Tom would 'find' me and alert his brother.

Silly Bill, thinking he can scare me! Ha!

I pretended to trip and fall over the last several stairs and lay awkwardly on my back. Tom winked, pounding on the bedroom door. "Bill! Something's happened! Something is wrong with Len! She won't stop bleeding!"

"What?! Is she okay?!" Bill flung the door open. My eyes were closed and I couldn't see his initial reaction. Because of that, Tom had one of TH TV's cameramen (Georg and Annie were doing an interview and he hadn't left yet) hide and film it all. I felt Bill pull me close to him, shaking me, demanding I open my eyes. "Call an ambulance, Tom! Now!"

This is where Tom pretended to call an ambulance, when he was really calling Carolyn.

Bill started crying. An awful, gut-wrenching sob escaped his lips and I couldn't let the prank go on any longer.

"Got you." I said, my eyes still closed. I slowly opened them and attempted to smirk, feeling bad for letting him think I'd died. "Got you real good."

"You're so mean!" Bill pulled me into a tight hug and refused to let go. "And Tom, you are such an asshole! Was this your idea?!"

"Nope, it was hers. All hers. I just supplied the fake blood." Tom chuckled and pointed out the cameraman.

"I hate you both so much. Oh my god, Tom. You are such an asshole." Bill glared, mostly at Tom though. He picked me up and carried me into our room, shutting the door with his foot.

Our room.

It still sounded weird and I'm not sure if I will ever get used to it.

"We got you so good! I can't wait to see the footage tomorrow. Sorry for putting you through that though."

"I saw your chest move. And I felt your pulse."

"Mhm. Sure you did." I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, I'm going to have a shower. The fake blood is drying and it feels weird."

~

"Bill. Wake up." I elbowed Bill on the stomach, trying to wake him up. It was 4 am and I knew he wouldn't be all that thrilled about waking up before the sun even rose. But the nightmare I'd just had was quite terrifying and I didn't want to be the only one awake, paranoid that there was someone under the bed. Even if there were two dogs sleeping in the room. "Billlll...."