Chapter 8
17 MINUTES LATER …..
Damon and Dwayne stand in their positions next to the center podium. Ryan holds a new set of cue cards in his hands.
The stage around them has been mopped clean. The lights have been repaired. The splatter tarp no longer covers the audience. In fact, unless you were watching the instant replay on the Jumbo-tron, you would never know what had just occurred.
Announcer: Fourth position face-off – take three. In five…
Four…
Three...
Two…
One…
"Welcome back to Vampire Family Feud – where Feud takes on a whole new meaning," Ryan attempts to crack a joke. The audience applauds politely.
The camera pans in for a close-up of Damon; his once-cocky smile is now an annoyed glare. He wears a black tee-shirt with THE X FACTOR written in bold white print across the chest. A pair of black sweatpants with the same logo running down the leg, cover his lower half.
Across from him, Dwayne wears a royal blue tee-shirt with the AMERICAN IDOL logo. His hair is wet and hangs in strings covering his face. He is not happy either.
"One hundred humans surveyed, top six answers on the board," Ryan begins.
The camera pans to the board, where the top six answers have yet to be revealed.
"Name something that starts with the word Belly."
Damon's hand slams down on the buzzer.
"Damon?" Ryan asks.
"Belly Dancer," Damon replies.
"Good answer," his family calls out (sounding a little scripted) in support.
"Show me Belly Dancer," Ryan says.
DING!
The number two spot flips over.
"We're going this way," Ryan points to the Petrova-Salvatore Family. He walks toward their podium a few steps behind Damon.
"Hello, Caroline," he greets the blond vampire who is wearing a black baby doll tee with THE X FACTOR logo across the front.
"Hi Ryan," Caroline chirps. "I have an answer."
"Good," Ryan says with a bit of relief.
"Belly Ring," she tells him.
"Good answer, Caroline." Elena claps her hands together.
"Show me Belly Ring!" Ryan calls out.
BUZZZZZZZZ
A red strike appears.
"Awwwww," Caroline groans. "Why wasn't that up there?"
Ryan moves to Katherine, his least favorite guest.
"What's your answer?" he asks her.
"How about Belly Hair," Katherine replies.
"Not bad," Ryan nods his head. "Show me Belly Hair."
BUZZZZZZZZ
Two red strikes appear.
"Stefan, there's two strikes and five answers left," Ryan reminds him. "If you don't get this right The Lost Boys have a chance to steal."
"Belly Button," Stefan says confidently.
"Great Answer!" Elena jumps up and down excitedly.
"Show me Belly Button!"
DING!
The number one answer flips over.
"Elena?"
"Ummm," Elena pauses to think. "How about Belly Ache?"
"Show me Belly Ache!"
DING!
The number five spot flips over.
"Back to you Damon," the host says staring at the print on Damon's shirt. "What does that say?" he asks.
The camera comes in for another close-up of Damon. The vampire has somehow manipulated the writing on his shirt to read THE SEX MASTER.
"Wishful thinking, Damon," Katherine laughs.
Damon gives her an evil look.
"Can you just answer the question?"
"Belly Flop," Damon replies as he continues to stare coldly at Katherine.
"Show me Belly Flop!"
DING!
The number three answer appears.
"Caroline – it's up to you now. There's two strikes already."
She nods in understanding.
"Name something that starts with the word Belly," Ryan reads from his cue card.
Caroline exhales, thinking hard.
"Three seconds," Ryan tells her.
"Belly…," Caroline trails off, biting her lip.
"Two…"
"Belly…."
"One…"
"Belly Rubs!" she blurts at the last second.
"Belly Rubs?" Ryan asks, rhetorically.
"As in rubbing someone's belly?" Elena looks strangely at Caroline.
"As in rubbing a dog's belly," Damon clarifies.
"He's a werewolf NOT a dog," Caroline informs Damon as patches of crimson appear on her cheeks.
"They do enjoy that tremendously, don't they?" Katherine muses. "I know Mason did. Too bad HIS brother never came around. I could have had some real fun…"
"Katherine," Stefan sneers. "No one cares about your disturbing-sibling fetish."
Katherine's jaw sets and she meets Stefan's gaze. "On the topic of disturbing fetishes…," she purposefully looks at Elena, the mirror image of herself. "I think yours is much more…"
"SHOW ME," Ryan says rather loudly, interrupting her. "Belly Rubs"
BUZZZZZZ!
Three red strikes appear.
"And now we go to The Lost Boys for the steal," Ryan walks across the stage, skipping the rest of the family as he stands next to Max.
"Belly Chains!" Paul yells.
"Belly Jelly!" Dwayne laughs.
"Belly Shirts!" Marko exclaims.
"Belli-ssimo!" David calls out.
"Two answers left, Max." Ryan bends the cue cards. "If you get this right, The Lost Boys win the game."
Max looks down the row at his team. Then he looks up at the board.
"I'm going to say," his lips purse together. "Belly Up."
"Good answer, Max." The Lost Boys all applaud.
Max gives them an unnerved glare.
"I think you just won the game," Ryan whispers to Max.
There is an air of tension in the room.
The Lost Boys lean forward over their podiums awaiting the answer.
The Petrova-Salvatore Family joins hands and offers up a silent prayer to The Game Show gods.
"For the game," Ryan points to the board. "Show me Belly Up!"
BUZZZZZZZZZZ!
A large red strike appears.
"No way!" Ryan's jaw drops. He looks at Max in disbelief. "I can't believe that wasn't up there."
"Show me number four," the host says.
"Belly Laugh," the audience reads.
"And number six."
"Belly Fat," the audience reads.
"We've got a tie score," Ryan announces as he heads back to the middle podium. "Caroline. David. Let's Play the Feud."
Caroline claps excitedly to the beat of the theme song as she makes her way to center stage. She smiles and waves to the audience.
David's leather trench coat drags across the floor as he glides into place. His crystal blue eyes sparkle as he winks at Caroline. She shyly smiles back.
David extends his hand over the podium and shakes Caroline's.
"Good Luck," they wish each other before placing a hand behind their back and their game hand next to the buzzer.
"One hundred humans surveyed, top four answers on the board," Ryan reads from his cue card.
The camera pans to the four covered answers.
"Beside a horse, name an animal that some people ride."
David's and Caroline's hands move quickly. They slam down on the buzzers, but Caroline rings in first.
"Caroline?" Ryan says.
BANG
The sound draws everyone's attention to the side of the auditorium where an emergency exit door swings open.
"Tyler?" Caroline says in surprise.