Fangtasia

This is the beginning

More police, more doctors, slightly more gruesome looking, slightly less hospital time. I had a concussion, 4 cracked ribs, a fractured cheek bone, two broken fingers and more cuts and bruises than the nurses could count. My travel insurance provider must be putting me on some kind of black list.

And I owed Sookie a bikini.

I couldn't drive but Sam was kind enough to drive me back to Shreveport once he had deposited Sookie at her house and into the care of her friends, Tara and Lafayette. We were both similarly drugged up and so very carefully hugged each other, groaned in pain and then giggled, causing more pain.

I was a bit nervous about the car ride with Sam, especially after our not-so-good-natured first and last meeting, but I cunningly avoided that by falling asleep as soon as I was in the front seat.

I woke up to Sam gently calling my name. "Alex, I didn't know where else to take you"

I frowned at him, causing pain in my face, and then looked out the windscreen to see the red lit Fangtasia sign.

I groaned and wanted to roll over away from Sam but it hurt too much. I didn't want to see the less than perfect paint job, and the stained tables that were usually masked by the mood lighting. I didn't want to see anything clearly. I just wanted to slip into a hot bath and then into a soft bed and slip into oblivion while my body healed.

With that thought I addressed Sam "Turn around and when you hit the T-junction, turn right."

He looked at me strangely, but started up the car and followed my instructions.

I honestly didn't know I knew the way to the empty house but suddenly the car pulled up into the drive and I felt myself relax. Sam got out and came round my side of the car and helped me out, thank God; every step hurt. When we reached the front door Sam stopped.

"Just open the door" I mumbled, but still he didn't move. I looked up, my instinct was to move my eyebrows up, but I fought against it, scared it would somehow break the stitches in my cheek.

"I can take you back to Sookie's if you want?" Sam looked like he genuinly didn't want to be there.

"Its fine. Just open the door."

I saw his jaw flex a couple of times but he reached out and opened to door. Then let go of the handle as soon as he could. I took the hint.

"I can make it the rest of the way."

"Ok. Well, I hope you feel better soon" and he was walking back to his truck. No gallant show of chivalry to help me inside then.

It took too much brain power to care so I stumbled into the house, closed the door behind me, shutting out the distant noise of Sam driving away, and made my way to the living room. After the painful journey, I carefully lay myself down on the sofa and fell asleep. I was actually looking forward to not seeing anyone.

I woke up to a dark and quiet room. I lay motionless for a couple of seconds, trying to figure out what had woken me. When nothing became obvious I turned over, snuggled (as much as I could) into the sofa and meant to drift back to sleep but realised with a start something very important.

I didn't hurt.

I stood, went and flipped on the light and held my arms out to look at. No scratches there. I felt my face and there was no swelling, no pain, and no stitches in my cheek. I lifted up the t-shirt I had borrowed from Sookie and my stomach was smooth and blemish free.

I had the unmissable feeling of deja vu, just times the confusion and fear by 1000.

"You are just as you were."