Reception

Chapter 22 - Screen Watchers

Sarah's eyes opened to a bright, sunlit room. Her sleep-filled eyes shifted to each corner of her surroundings, trying to piece together the night before. Her temporary amnesia was annoying, but quickly faded as she spotted her desk, left on from the night before.

"Oh," she groaned, "I have to keep working on you."

Sarah ripped the comforter off of her hurriedly, stumbling out of bed. It was her normal routine to not care how graceful she was in the morning. That's what morning's were for!

Squinting through her eyelashes she found a few piece of underwear and a towel in her closet and opened the door to the upper hallway. The shower was immediately on her left. The thought of a nice, warm shower made her beam. It was only a few quick steps to the door. Sarah flung it open with her usual morning-bravado.

And paused.

A smallish girl was in front of her, panties around her ankles. Her auburn curtain moved a little as her head slightly turned to Sarah, "Oh my-... Alice, I'm so sorr-" It was all Sarah could manage before a scream pealed through the air.

Sarah slammed the door in front of her quickly, hurrying back into the safety of her room.

"Okay, maybe I'll wait on the shower," she reassured herself.

It was only moments later when Sarah heard two sets of heavy footsteps stumbling up the stairs and stopping in the hallway.

"What's going on?" came Damien's voice, sounding a little drugged.

"She peeped on me!" Alice cried out.

"It's not like I wanted to!" Sarah defended through her closed bedroom door.

"You did a good job of not wanting to!" came the sarcastic reply following a flush.

"Oh! Bite me!" Sarah snapped before skulking to her desk chair and flopping down onto it.

Sarah continued to keep an ear to the hallway, but the three voices spoke at a more normal volume and faded as footsteps followed them down the stairs. She sighed and ruffled her stubborn hair. Deciding that it was better that she work on the prisoner for now and wait on the shower she set to work.

The answers came easier than they had the night before. Her mind wasn't as cloudy and she felt her normal, alert nature return to her. After a half an hour or so Sarah decided that she was close enough in her repairs to warrant a break.

And a shower.

*****

Breakfast was hot and delicious. Damien expected no less of the "perfect boyfriend."

"You're getting good," commented Damien between bites of scrambled egg and pancake.

"Gee, I hadn't noticed," said Michael as he rolled his eyes. "You realize that this is my programming and not my actual skill, right?"

Damien shrugged, "Tomato, potato."

Alice, scarfing down bites of food, managed a quick comment, "That's not how it goes."

"It is in his world," chuckled Michael, flipping the frying pan in front of him. Pancakes flew up into the air and landed picture-perfectly back down.

"By the way, where's Joshua?"

"He's still in the guest room down the hall," said Michael, pointing to the left hallway he had led Alice down only hours before, "He looked pretty tired so I decided not to wake him."

"Probably for the best," said Sarah, coming into view and picking up a plate near Michael.

"Well, good morning, Peeper," grumbled Alice.