Don't Stand By Me (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Elvis

August 6th: 11:58

I awoke peacefully, without an outside disturbance, for the first time in days. Violet wasn't shrieking, the RV wasn't being rammed. The sunlight seeping through the blinds hit my face, gently stirring me from sleep. I stretched my aching limbs, stiff from being squished into the bunk bed. Dixon grunted at my side, shifting in his sleep, his arms ending up wrapped around my waist as his face snuggled into my neck. I smiled at the feeling, pulling him flush to my side and nuzzling my face into the top of his head.

"Morning." He muttered, kissing my cheek gently, eyes still closed.

"Morning." I smiled.

"I don't want to leave you."

My heart twinged, "I don't either. But we have to. You are quite the distraction, Mr Deluca."

"Hmm...true, you'd probably crash the RV staring at me."

"Exactly."

"Ugh, I need a shower."

"Me too."

"Should we...?"

"Let's go, quick before everyone else gets up." I snorted as he bolted upright, dashing towards the bathroom.

I watched him walk away with a sad smile on my face, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. Shaking the thoughts away, I got up, stretching once more and quickly following him into the bathroom.

By the time we got out and dressed, everyone was milling around the RV silently going through the motions. Dixon moved to the kitchenette, making a few batches of pancakes to tide everyone over. We ate in silence, shifting glances around at each other. No one seemed eager to break the silence that had settled over us like a damp cloth, heavy and uncomfortable. Once the dishes were clean we sat on the couch, squished together as Brent announced we were about fifteen minutes away. No one responded to him, deciding to relish in the silence a few minutes longer, until Dixon finally decided to break it.

"I..." Dixon began, his voice cracking, "I know this was never a joke, but it's only starting to feel real now."

"I get that." Kiara chimed in softly, "It never felt actually dangerous, like something bad could actually happen to us."

"And now we could all die or go to jail." Violet said glumly, shrieking as I whacked her with a pillow, "I'm just saying!"

"Well stop saying." I sighed, "We need to go into this with a positive outlook. It will do none of us any good if we're convinced that everyone else is dead the entire time."

Everyone nodded their agreements.

"We're here." Brent announced, cutting the engine and standing, stretching and yawning, "We better get a move on."

We all stood, glancing around at each other.

Brent snorted, "Alright, hugs and kisses people then let's move on."

The next few moments felt like a blur, flashes of someone else's life and not my own.

"Be careful, I'm starting to like you." Pearl smiled, patting my shoulder before moving over to Violet.

"Hey," Kiara stepped to me, glancing up at me with concerned eyes, "Are you in there?"

"Just about."

"Good." She pulled me in tightly, wrapping her arms around my neck, "You better not die."

I clung to her, not able to let go just yet, "I'll haunt you if I do."

"I...you know I am not good with this emotional stuff, El. But...you know how much you mean to me, don't you?"