The Morganville Vampires: Safe and Sound

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Eve gently shook Claire's arm until she had her full attention. Michael was sitting at the table and Shane was still AWOL. There was an eight pack of cans of Coke in the centre of the table with a big pile of hotdogs beside it. Eve had neatly laid of the sauces and crisps and nibbles as well.

"Why so much trouble, Eve?" Claire asked. Her voice sounded hoarse. "It's just lunch. We're not expecting anyone are we?" She started to worry about her appearance and tried to push back her feelings into a locked box.

"I thought we might make it nice, at least." Eve smiled. "Come on CB. You must be starving." Eve was ready to catch Claire if she was going to collapse. She didn't.

"Where's Shane?" She immediately glanced at Michael incase he had mentioned something to him. But he hadn't as he looked at Eve for an answer.

"He'll only be a minute. He's taking a shower upstairs." Eve passed Claire a Coke and then she gave one to Michael.

"Actually, Shane will be here in a second." Shane laughed as sat down in the chair next to Claire. He seemed extremely happy. It broke her heart. "Alright?"

Claire didn't answer. Nor did she eat or drink. She was hungry but she felt sick with herself. Instead she went to the toilet with the help of Eve - even though she didn't need it. On her way back, she snagged her backpack and brought it to the table. The others carried on talking but Claire wasn't listening, she was leaning over the side looking for the journal she had placed in there.

"...Claire?" Eve had asked her something.

"Claire, are you ok?" Shane placed a hand on her back.

"I'm fine." She sat up slowly and kept one hand in backpack, trying to find the journal by feeling around.

"What are you doing?" Both Eve and Shane were trying to see but they couldn't.

Michael apparently could. "Are you working?" Claire gave up and pulled her backpack up on to her lap.

"Claire, you mustn't." Eve tutted at her. "You were just in hospital. You need to rest. And eat. You haven't had one bite."

"Not hungry." Claire continued to dig through the books in her backpack.

"That's a lie." Shane tugged the backpack away as she managed to find the journal and pull it out. "You told me yourself that you're hungry. Please eat."

"Fine." She placed the journal on the table, took a hotdog and took one bite. "Happy?" She asked as after she had swallowed it.

"You've got to eat properly." Eve crossed her arms. "Especially since you're eating for two now."

That threw Claire completely off eating. Michael froze for a moment, hoping she would tell them. But she didn't. Instead, she picked up the journal and stared at it, trying to get her brain motivated again. She always loved a challenge.

"What's that, Claire?" Michael asked, knowing that she would eat in her own sweet time. "Is that your diary or something."

"Something like that." Claire said turning the journal over to see if there was some trick set if she opened it - you never know with Myrnin. "I have no idea. I swiped this from Myrnin. He has a trunk full of them. With people's names on. This is mine."

Shane looked a little fed up. He took the journal out of her hands and placed it on the table. "Claire, please eat. You look pale and you shouldn't do work until you've eaten and feel better." That'll take a while, Claire thought. "I have a surprise for you... but you have to eat if you want to have it."