A/N: Again, thank you (all of you) for your wonderful reviews. They're a great inspiration to me and if it wasn't for you, I truly would not be writing this story. Also, an apology for how spaced out my updates have been. I am having serious writer's block. I think it has something to do with the main character not being Lane, but that is my own fault, so I will not complain. You will just have to bear with me.
In previous chapters, I have neglected my past tradition of replying to reviews in my new chapters. Well, today is your lucky day, for I've decided to start up again in this tradition. I'm sorry if I forget you!
Hothunnies16 – Thank you!
Techy El Nerd – I'm sorry! Well… yeah… Eric's just… very sentimental. But, on the request of something eating him or someone shooting him… you'll just have to wait and see if I put this into consideration. wink
Shooting Starlight – It's a big possibility that he'll have more dreams about her… judging how much he thinks about Lane, you would think he would.
The Oogie Boogie Man – AH! You're right! Her name was Jennifer! AAAH! Ohnoohnoohnoohnoohno…
Libby – Yes, lucky for you, I am indeed not dead. And, you can trust me. I asked my sister, and though she would like me not to be, I am as alive as I was yesterday. (Do you think it's my cough that's making her dislike me? :P Just kidding.)
Jade S – I liked your review… it made me feel good and loved. grins
Love-angel-89 – I have decided to take your advice and continue writing the story. I don't know what I would have done without you. hugs and grins
Moonlights Sundance – Yeah, I know what you mean. I would hate to have that hanging over my head for the rest of my life… or at least for six years. But she died in his arms! And… she was his first love… goodness, 16 still seems like a young age to fall in love (and me being 15… lol).
An important notice!!! In the last chapter, I accidentally said that Jennifer's name was Jessica… all through the chapter. Sorry about that. So, any time I said 'Jessica,' I meant Jennifer. Please forgive me on this one! Thanks for pointing that out to me, The Oogie Boogie Man (haha – that's a great penname).
What happened last?
I rested my head against the steering wheel. "Dang, man, pull yourself out of this," I told myself in a fierce whisper. Tomorrow, I thought, you are going to continue your life as though Lane is a thing of the past and… well she is a thing of the past… "DARN IT ALL!" I yelled at myself. This wasn't going to work. Just take it one step at a time, Eric. One baby step at a time.
After talking her into going with me, Tina and I made the long drive to my old apartment while Brad stayed home with Jennifer. Not only did I need to remove the rest of my belongings from my previous residence so that it could be sold, but I also needed to pick up my car so that I could stop driving Tina's Volvo around everywhere. I needed to get out of their house… and that town as well. If I was going to get over Lane, I needed to be able to gather my thoughts in a place where memories did not follow me around every corner.
Because the drive was just over two hours, Tina and I planned to spend the night in my apartment. The next morning, I would hand the keys over to the manager and be done with the drug-infested place for good. The one and only good thing about Lane's death was that she could not see what I dump I lived in. Though, if she were alive, I probably would not have been living there in the first place…
The apartment smelled mustier than ever. There was even a giant cobweb in the corner of the room. 'How lovely,' I thought.
"I don't know what you ever saw in this place," Tina muttered.
"You sure you don't want to get a hotel room for the night?" I asked her. It would be easier to gather my thoughts without her there.
"No, I… AAAAARGH!" she screeched, jumping up onto a chair. "A MOUSE! ERIC! IT'S A MOUSE! OOOOH, HELP!"
I calmly walked over and dropped an empty wastebasket on the rodent before it could run away. "Tina, it's only a mouse."
"Are – do – do you have more?" she asked, clutching the back of the chair and looking wildly around the apartment.
"It wouldn't surprise me," I said truthfully. I slowly moved the wastebasket out the door and let the mouse free on the porch. With a quick, disoriented look, it ran into the ivy that grew up the side of the building.
"I- well – maybe I should get a hotel room," she stuttered, slowly climbing off the chair.
"Great idea!" I said enthusiastically. "Glad you came up with it!"
She gave me a withering look. "Ha. Ha. Ha."
I gave her a grin. "Yes, I thought it was quite funny myself."
Tina rolled her eyes before she looked around the apartment at all the things I had left behind. There wasn't much. I had sold most of it in a garage sale before I moved up to her place. "And you can't live without this junk?" she asked incredulously.
It was my turn to roll my eyes at her.
"Fine, fine," she said, raising her hands in defeat. "I'll help you pack."
We pulled some dusty boxes out of the corner and began wrapping things in newspaper before they were packed up in the boxes. It was mostly silent while we worked, but I could tell Tina wanted to say something. I picked something up off the floor and looked at it. 'What is that?' I asked myself, looking at the strange object in my hand. 'Oh well; might as well pack it anyway.'
"Eric?!" Tina yelled. I looked up at her and stopped wrapping. "Why on earth are you bringing that?"
"Um…" I didn't want to appear any more stupid because I didn't know what it was. "It… um…"
"You think we have rodents at our house, now?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"No – yeah – um… now that you mention it, I did see one in my room the other night," I lied.
"What?!" she screeched, hopping to her feet. "We have mice?"
"Rats, actually," I said. I had honestly seen one out in their bushes, so it wasn't exactly a lie.
"What?!"Her face looked panicked. "I – um- I have to call home. I can't have Jennifer bitten by one. Where's your phone?"
I pointed to the kitchen counter. Tripping over boxes and newspaper, Tina practically flew to the counter and quickly dialed her home phone number. I looked back down at the thing I was holding. I still had no clue what it was, but apparently it was used for getting rid of mice. I got up and threw it away in the kitchen trashcan, but quickly dug it back out when Tina started yelling at me. "You think we have that kind of stuff?" she screeched.
After stuffing the rodent-killer-what'sit-ma-thingie into a box, I continued packing until Tina came into the room and told me that I had about twenty-five messages on my machine. On reaching the machine in the kitchen, I saw the red light blinking furiously up at me. 'Who on earth would be calling me?' I thought.
I sat down on a stool, grabbed a pen and paper, and pressed the play button. An annoying automated voice rang out clearly through the room, jerkily telling me; "4. 22. PM. July. 13. 2009." There was a click and a message came on. "Hello, Mr. Kirby." The voice was not familiar. "I talked with you on the phone the other day. I'm not sure why you thought I wanted you to sell drugs…
"Anyways, I have a proposition for you. I know, just like almost everyone else knows, that you have survived two experiences on the island Isla Sorna."
I reached out to the delete the message.
"Now, don't worry!" the man said as my finger grew dangerously close to pressing down the button. "You won't have to go on the island… if you accept what I am offering you."
I sat back to listen.
"We will pay you the sum of two…" The message was cut off and a beep resounded around the room.
"Will pay me what?" I asked no one in particular, a bit frustrated that I had not learned the amount. The next message came on and according to the automated voice, it was recorded just a couple minutes after the other.
"Oops, lost you there," the man said. "Where was I? Oh yes. We will pay you the sum of two million dollars if…"
I lost the rest of the sentence because I had fallen off the chair. Two million dollars! Two million dollars!This guy had to be kidding me. Two million dollars!!!!
"So, if you are interested, which we hope you are," the man said, "please call me at 475 201 0958 as soon as you can. I look forward to hearing from you!"
Beep!
I sat staring at the machine, completely missing the next message. Two million dollars!
A/N: Short chapter, yes, but at least I got it up. I will be attempting to write more and get it up this month, but I can't promise you anything. I, sadly, lack the discipline to sit down and write something… most of the time… unless it is a new story plot. Please help me to update faster by reviewing!!