Amber Silverblood: Silverpack

Chapter Forty Three

We did it.

I don't remember much, and most of what I do remember is just a blur. A delicious cheesy blur. All I know is that it took more than an hour, and it wasn't pretty. When I came back to my senses, I was sitting back in my chair, my face and shirt practically painted red with pizza sauce, patting my stomach happily. Stark and Kimberly looked much the same. The only one of us who had retained even a shred of dignity during the insane feast was my mom, but I didn't care. If she didn't want to really live, that was her problem.

"Holy crap," I said dreamily, "I've never felt so full before."

"I'm never going to eat again," Kimberly added.

I became aware of a presence beside me, and I turned my head to see Andre standing there with a look of mind-blown awe.

"I have worked at this restaurant for fifteen years," he said in a reverent voice, "and I've never seen anyone finish the American Dream that fast."

I smiled. "Well, I guess we're— burrrp!" I covered my mouth. "Sorry. I guess we're just talented."

"There's only four of you, too," Andre went on, shaking his head. "The smallest group I've ever seen finish it was, like, seven people!"

Stark held up his hand. "So, it's free, right?"

Andre hesitated, but then nodded. "Uh, yes sir. You beat the challenge fair and square. I just... I don't know how, but you did it."

"Great!" Stark clapped his hands and rose to his feet. His knees wobbled beneath him, and he let out a yawn. "Happy birthday, Amber. Now let's go home."

Murmuring our agreement, Kimberly and I got up too. The world swam in front of my eyes, and this time it was a yawn that escaped my mouth. Kimberly let out a smaller yawn, and Stark rounded things out with a huge one that sounded like it should have come from a bear.

"I don't know about you girls, but I'm going to sleep all night long after eating that," he said, making his way to the door. "In fact," he held out his car keys, "I probably won't even make it home. Jennifer, I'm gonna need you to drive."

"You'll all be lucky if you don't gain twenty pounds tonight!" Mom grumbled good naturedly, snatching the keys out of his hands. "You should have saved some for leftovers. Then I wouldn't have needed to cook for a week!"

"You folks come back, all right?" Andre called after us as headed out the door.

"Then I would've had to pay for it," Stark argued. "I ain't payin' $75 for no dadgum pizza!"

We all climbed into the car, with Mom in the driver's seat this time. It took Kimberly a few clumsy attempts to buckle herself in, but as soon as her seatbelt snapped she collapsed with her head on my arm and fell asleep immediately. Mom turned the key, bringing the car to life, and put it into reverse. But just before she backed it out...

"Those people just followed us out of the restaurant," she said, looking at something in her rearview mirror.

"So what?" I asked, more than half asleep myself.

"While you three were busy pigging out, I noticed them staring at us the whole time we were in there."

"We weren't exactly being subtle," Stark grunted, but sat up and turned around to look out his window anyway. Suddenly, his back went rigid. "Jennifer, drive."

"Are they—"

"Now!"

Now that caught my attention. Doing my best to shake the sleepiness out of me head, I turned around. Sure enough, there were two people standing just outside Pepperoni Nation's door, a man and a woman. At first I didn't see what would make Mom and Stark so nervous. They both just looked like normal, everyday people. But then it struck me: they were staring right at us.