"Hello, yes Doctor Wolf?... Yes, it's Joel Hammond, and we've got a problem...No, not Sheila, it's actually Eric...No Sheila did not bite him! Some random Zombie did...No we've decided not to you know...yes...perfect, how soon can you be here?... Late tomorrow morning...yes that works...it too Sheila about 12 or 15 hours...Near the neck...We've stopped the bleeding…Sheila and I don't need to worry...Yes, Sheila bit me...No Abby's fine...Keep her away?...That's going to be difficult...Yes we are prepared if it comes to that...See you then," said an exhausted Joel wrapping up his phone conversation with Doctor Wolf.
"Honey, what'd she say?" whispered Sheila.
"She's calling in a favor so she'll meet us at the house late tomorrow morning. She says to keep Abby away from him though, since he was attacked rather than having eaten the clams, so he could be violent when he transforms," mutters Joel, his voice cracking at the thought.
"That's going to be difficult. They haven't left each other's sides since those two zombies got into the house!" argued Sheila.
"Well Sheila, I don't think we have much of a choice, not unless you want to risk Abby getting bitten, or worse, killed! I don't like it either, but you and I both have no idea how Eric will react once he turns," plead Joel.
"Ugh, I hate it when you're right," grumbled Sheila rolling her eyes and pouting like a child.
"Now the real question is, how are you going to break it to her?" whispered Joel and the couple glanced in the back seat watching Abby stroke Eric's hair, oblivious to anything but the boy draped across her lap.
"Me, why me? Why can't you tell her!" gasped Sheila with mock betrayal.
"Because, you're her mother, boy troubles are your department, even if those troubles involve explaining why she can't cuddle with her flesh eating boyfriend!" whined Joel.
"Dam it, even I can't argue with that one," grumbled Sheila as their car pulled in front of their home.
"Alright, we're here. Sheila you get Abby upstairs, and I'll get Eric down to the basement," ordered Joel.
"Oh, sexy. I like it when you go all assertive," purred Sheila.
"Sheila focus!" groaned Joel, trying to keep it together.
"Ugh fine, but once this is all over, you and I are testing that new endurance of yours." whined Sheila as she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Reluctant to face her daughter, Sheila took a deep breath and pulled open the door. The sight that met her was heartbreaking for Sheila, even though she literally ripped out someone's heart last week. Abby sat in the back of the car shaking, her face pale, blood soaking her clothes, skin and even matted in her hair. Sheila's undead heart clenched for her daughter who looks absolutely devastated. While Abby may have looked bad, Eric looked far worse. His breaths were ragged, each breath seeming to cause the boy pain, the wound on his neck had become discolored, the deep purple standing out as crimson blood continued to trickle out of the wound, having reopened slightly during the car ride. "Abby, honey, we're home," whispered Sheila trying to keep the situation as calm as possible for her already traumatized daughter.
"Mom, what's going on?" muttered Abby still somewhat in shock.
"You and I are going to go upstairs and get cleaned up, doesn't that sound nice?" whispered Sheila.
"But what about Eric, I can't just leave him like this," rasped Abby.
"Your dad is going to get Eric inside and Doctor Wolf will be here tomorrow to help check him over," said Sheila reassuringly.
"You're not putting Eric in the basement, and I'm not leaving him alone, he needs me," said Abby sharply, seeming to snap out of her haze.
"Honey, it's for the best. We don't know what's going to happen when he wakes up. Besides the basement is comfortable, and I spent a few days down their and it wasn't that bad," said Sheila trying to stay positive.
"Mom, really? You chewed through a pole! And there's no way I'm letting you chain my boyfriend up in our dam basement!" snapped Abby.
"Alright, alright. Tell you what, we'll go upstairs, get cleaned up and have some girl talk in your room, and your father can keep watch downstairs while Eric sleeps on the couch," pleaded Sheila trying to bargain with the girl.
"But-" started Abby before Sheila cut her off.
"No, you can't be around him right now! When he wakes up he could be unpredictable, and that's no safe for you and don't think for a second that Eric would ever be able to forgive himself if he hurt you! He'll be safe with your father. Your dad doesn't have to worry about being bitten, and besides, Eric looks up to him and they trust each other, so Eric can trust Joel to help him with the transformation if he panics," soothed Sheila, rubbing her daughter's back.
"Fine, let's just go," muttered Abby, finally seeing her parent's reason and giving in. The two trudge up the stairs while Sheila texts Joel informing him of the change in plans. The two women rinse their hands and faces and take turns using the sink to scrub the blood from their hair. Once they removed the blood and gore maring their skin, Sheila stepped out of the bathroom before quickly returning, wearing pajamas, and handing a set to Abby. Mother and daughter haven't spoken since they headed upstairs, and Sheila can only watch as Abby huts the bathroom door. She stares at the blank door before it creaks open moments later revealing Abby, fresh tears rolling down the teen's face. Before Sheila can even reach out to her daughter Abby takes off, bolting to her bedroom. Sheila follows, shutting the door behind her, and watches as her daughter collapses onto the bed and lets out a heart wrenching wail. Sheila joins her daughter on the bed and strokes her hair.
"Shh, honey. It's going to be okay. Eric's a strong boy, and I don't think he's going to let one little bite stop him. It'll be alright, tomorrow Eric should wake up and he'll be like your dad and I, but he'll still be the same nerdy boy who could build advanced explosive devices as if they were a lego set, but could barely put two words together in front of you," smiled Sheila trying to hold the tears back to comfort her daughter.
"But what if he doesn't wake up? There was so much blood, what if he lost too much blood before the transformation could kick in!" cried Abby.
"Oh honey, he's going to be fine, I mean Gary transformed and well, there wasn't really anything left of him," soothed Sheila stroking her daughter's hair, until Abby's sobs quieted into soft snores.
Meanwhile with Joel and Eric, after watching his wife and daughter disappear into the house, Joel looked at the broken and bleeding teen, that he'd come to see as a son. "Dam it Eric, you really threw us for a curve tonight! I'd expect reckless behavior like that from Abby but you were always the level headed one. The voice of reason for all three of us. And you know, I hate to say it but I'm glad you did. Thank you for saving my daughter, and I'm sorry we dragged you into all of this," breathed Joel. The older man lets out a sigh after hearing no response from the unconscious boy. Joel picks up Eric and carries him bridal style, only sagging slightly at the weight of the teenage boy. Eric lets out a weak moan from being jostled but remains unconscious. "Sorry kid," muttered Joel just as his phone buzzed. Setting Eric on the couch, Joel pulls his phone out of his pocket and sees the text from Sheila.
"Dam it Sheila, outmaneuvered by a teenager yet again," mumbled Joel. Joel reaches into his pocket and pulls out the handcuffs, latching one around Eric's wrist and the other to the coffee table. "Sorry kid, it's nothing personal," mumbled Joel as he heard the click of the cuff around the coffee table, effectively, chaining Eric to the offending piece of furniture. He turns to Eric, and chuckles. "Abby takes after her mother, Hammond women are definitely a force to be reckoned with. We sure know how to pick 'em don't we?" Joel chuckled as he draped a nearby blanket over Eric. He stops, as silence settles over the room as he receives no response from the unconscious teen. It's that silence that finally causes Joel to crack and he drops to his knees beside Eric.
"I'm so sorry kid, no one deserves to have this happen to them, especially to you. Sheila trusts you, Abby loves you and you're like a son to me. You're like part of the family, and now you've gotten hurt all because we dragged you into this, without even asking you. You're too kind for your own good and look what we've done to you. You didn't deserve this, and I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!" sobbed Joel, his muted cries the only thing keeping the dreaded silence away.