KILLED

Chapter Seventeen

"Yuuum", I sigh, taking another bite of my bacon cheeseburger. "This is heaven."
"So you do still love bacon", my father says, letting out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "That's good to hear."
"Bacon is delicious", I say back, picking up a fry and dipping it in ketchup. "No one can say otherwise."
"What about vegetarians?"
I hold up a finger. "They have tofu bacon."
"And how do you know that?" I shrug and take another bite of heaven.
"I'm a curious soul", I reply after I swallow. "I do research about random things in my downtime."
"I'd love to hear some of those facts", Will says, drinking some of his Coke.
I shrug again. "Okay. Did you know Christopher Columbus discovered pineapples in 1493, on his second voyage to America? He and his ships stopped at the island of Guadalupe and stumbled across what they believed was a deserted Carib Indian village. They tried some and loved it. The name comes from how, in his log, Columbus wrote that it looked like a pine cone, but had the sweetness and firmness of an apple. That's why it's called a 'pineapple'"
"I did not know that", he says. "What made you want to research a fruit?"
"I was interested."
"I forgot about your memory", my dad sighs. "I think it's a blessing. I hope you use it wisely."
"Me too." I start eating again, and after a moment of silence, there's a knock on the door.
"I'll get it", Will says as I move to stand. "Just finish your dinner, sweetheart."
I watch from the kitchen table as my father answers the door.
"Thank you, Xander", he says to the shadows. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir", comes out quietly from the darkness. Then my dad closes the door and turns around, holding my backpack in his hand.
Before I can even think to move, he shakes a finger at me. "After dinner", he says. "Dinnertime is family time."
"Sir yes sir", I say, saluting.
He goes into the main room and sets my backpack on my bed before joining me again.
"I'm going to take a shower", he says. "You can go on the computer when you're finished eating, alright?"
"Kay."
Will laughs and heads into the bathroom, the lock clicking behind him.
I sigh in relief at being alone.
I can finally be myself again.
>>>>--------->
When my father comes out of the shower, he finds me lying on my stomach on my bed, headphones over my ears and watching The Flash.
'Pause it', he mouths, and I do, moving my headphones down to my neck.
"Yeah?"
"You should shower too", he says. "I have an idea for what we could do afterwards."
I tap my chin and answer, "Can I still wear pajamas?"
"Of course." He smiles. "Now go; shower quick so we have more time." 
I do as I'm told, and when I step out in my pajamas, my dad gestures to the crutch, still leaning against the table.
"You need to be using that", he says reproachfully, holding it out for me to take. "It's only been three days, and you're far form healed."
"Okay, Dad." I hobble after him as he leads me out into a quiet hallway, lined with soft cream colored carpet, and I have to admit, it feels amazing on my bare feet.
I follow him to an elevator, not bothering to pay attention to the floor number. After around two and a half minutes of silence, the doors open with a quiet whirring noise, and we step into a lobby, past the front door to another hallway and into the room on the left.
"Wow", I say, looking around. "This is amazing."
"I thought you'd like it", William says, grinning down at me. "What should we do first?"
I look around the room, at the table lined with different board games.
"Battleships", I say, pointing at the game I'm so good at. "I'll destroy you."
"Dont be so sure of that", my father replies, slinging his arm around my shoulders. "This old bird has a couple tricks up his sleeve."
"If you say so", I say back, smiling up into his handsome face. "I guess we'll just have to see."