Seattle, WA.

September 1, 2007

15:06

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The door to the bedroom opened and footsteps started walking around the mattress on the floor, I ignored them and buried my head under the blanket.

"Parker," Conner's bossy tone bounced around the small room, "Parker!"

"He's sleeping." I wiggled deeper into the bed.

"It's three o'clock."

"So?"

Based on his sigh I could tell he rolled his eyes, "I've got something you'll want to see." He tried to bribe me.

"Unless it's a ginger sausage and some meatballs, I'm not interested."

"You're disgusting," He pulled the blanket off of me, "Now get up."

I hissed.

He rolled his annoyingly greenish eyes at me, "Seriously, I've got something, either get up or I'm taking it to my grave."

I flipped him off as he walked out.

Conner and I had been friends for a while... Maybe too long. Is ten years too long? ... Has it been ten years? Wait, when did I graduate from high school... Yeah, that sounds right.

I forced myself up and pulled my hoodie out of the pile of clothes in the corner of the room. That's another thing about me, no matter the time of year I'm always freezing, I think that's probably the lack of blood.

I walked out into the small "living room" of our tiny apartment, I guess I should say Conner's apartment. It's basically a closet with a bathroom, how the four of us don't murder each other confuses us too.

Conner sat at the desk against the wall, completely zoned out, his almost fake orange hair kept falling in his face as he typed, he either didn't sleep last night or forgot what sleep was all together, it's happened before.

Aaron and Nate sat on the couch.

Aaron's dark gray puppy dog eyes completely glazed over as he stared off into space, playing with the stud in his lip.

Nate looked as half asleep as I felt, that's how he always looks, though. The fact that he was fully dressed meant he hadn't gone to bed yet.

"Mornin'!" Courtney chirped slamming our fridge shut.

I groaned, "Why are you here?"

"'Cause I love ya and stuff," She blew past me with the rest of last night's pizza, "Also 'cause I don't wanna go to the grocery store."

How do you describe Court... Other than loud and obnoxious... To be fair I could be described the same way. She's small, loyal to a fault, filled to the brim with piss and vinegar, and blonder than a bleached-out Paris Hilton.

Speaking of blond; I tugged on Aaron's hair when I walked behind him, making him jump.

"Hey!" Courtney threw a balled-up napkin at me, "Apologize to the baby now!"

I stuck my tongue out at her and she nailed me in the back of the head with the TV remote before she gently played with Aaron's hair, "He's sorry."

Court has her favorites... I guess we all kinda do, Aaron's three years younger than us so we're all guilty of babying him, it really doesn't help his case that he looks twelve at the oldest.

"Who had Park gettin' up before five in the pool?" Nate joked.

"My money was on next week." Court said.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. Why am I awake?"

"I've got a couple of things." Conner tapped on his keyboard.

"You got a favorite?"

He shrugged, "Near Cherry Creek, it's a little less open..."

"That's like an hour away." I crossed my arms.

"Yeah, but they've had at least three recorded disappearances in the last month. Aaron's estimating fifteen vamps."

I blew out a breath, "That's pretty good, got a plan yet, or we just gonna wing it?"

Conner scoffed, "Yes, I have a five-point plan for how to lock up the apartment when we leave, but I figured we could just wing this." He glared at me, "I had a thought,"

"Hey, that's more than Park's ever had." Nate took the opportunity. As he grabbed a slice of pizza from Courtney.

Con leaned back in his swivel chair, "It's in the open on a trail so I can't get my car up there, and we can't use blood around you."

"Oh, right I almost forgot."

Con just rolled his eyes, I swear one of these times I'm gonna make him pass out, "We need a decoy, however many are up there it's been a few weeks since they ate, they're hungry."

"Is this a good idea?" Aaron asked.

Conner shrugged, "Maybe not, but we have to get them out of there somehow."

"What's the decoy plan?" Courtney asked chewing, "Sit in the grass and try to look juicy?"

"It's a part of a trail, someone could hike up it a bit, the rest of us won't be too far behind."

I shrugged, "That works, I'll do it."

"Mm, that might not work." Conner scrunched his nose.

"What are they gonna do, kill me?"

"That's the point, we need live meat."

"Not it." Nate raised his hand.

Aaron pushed his glasses up, "I'll do it."

Court made a high-pitched squeak before she jumped in, "No, he will not!"

"Um," Conner wavered under Courtney's glare, "Maybe Court's right, maybe it would be better if I did it."

Aaron tilted his head slightly, completing his puppy dog look, "Why? It's not like I won't be armed, and you said you guys would be right there."

Courtney shot Conner a death glare.

Con just shrugged, "It's up to you if you're comfortable..."

"I am. I think?" Aaron squeaked.

"Fine," Court crossed her arms, "But he's not going in alone."