Awake Page 25

  “Are you coming with me?” Lee asked, not wanting to be away from her for another moment now that he was back with her.

  “Of course.”

  Ivy was right. After showering with a beautiful woman and changing into clean clothes, he felt better than he had since before his sleeplessness had started.

  “What time is it anyway?” Lee asked as he brushed his teeth. “I haven’t looked at a clock since I woke up. I keep feeling like it should still be night.”

  “It’s just a little bit past noon,” Ivy said, flipping her phone open to look.

  “Jesus, my sense of time really is fucked. I would have guessed nine at the latest.”

  Ivy furrowed her brow, her eyes starting to glisten, “What can we do to help with the visions? I don’t want to lose you again. I thought I’d die last night. Every minute felt like an hour.”

  “I honestly don’t know. If I could tell you it wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

  “Have you talked to the doctor that you saw in Minnesota?”

  “He called, but I missed the call and haven’t called him back.”

  “He did? When?”

  “Not sure. A week ago or so.”

  “Well why haven’t you called him back already?” Ivy asked. Lee saw that she was starting to cry again.

  “I guess I was afraid of what he would tell me. They can’t do anything for me anyway, this disease is terminal.”

  “Don’t say that!” Ivy said, choking down a sob.

  “Say what?”

  “Ter…” She couldn’t get it out. “The ‘T’ word. Don’t say it. That’s just giving up.”

  Lee grabbed her and gently pulled her against him, putting her face on his shoulder and stroking her back soothingly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it bothered you. I won’t say it anymore.”

  “It’s not really you. I’m just so angry that you’re sick. Why did it have to happen to you?” she said, working through sobs to speak.

  “Believe me, I wonder that every day.”

  After a quarter of an hour, Ivy regained her composure, apologizing for being upset as she wiped her eyes.

  “There’s nothing to be sorry about. Caring about me never needs an apology,” he said, and kissed her again.

  The kiss built up, hotter and heavier until it became a session of afternoon love making. When they were finished Ivy fell asleep, as she so often did.

  “I’m the guy, that’s supposed to be my job,” Lee whispered over her sleeping body, smiling at his own joke. She needed the rest; her all-night vigil had left deep, dark circles under her eyes. If it got any worse people would think Lee was beating her.

  He didn’t try and join her in napping. He felt completely rested, not even slightly in need of sleep. It was a good and rare feeling.

  He grabbed his current book from the table and started to read it, but then inspiration hit him and he put it back down, instead pulling out the laptop. He started writing.

  At first he worked on the story that he had started writing at the beginning of the trip, but he quickly realized that he hated it. He closed the document and started a new one.

  The work went quickly, and over the course of two hours he’d finished the first chapter of a kind of story he’d never written before: a love story. It was about childhood sweethearts who had been separated because the girl’s parents moved away. The opening chapter started with the man, now grown, realizing that he would never be happy without her, and determined to set out to find her; the back story was told through flashbacks.

  He’d surprised himself with the sappiness of the story; it wasn’t usually the type of thing he wrote. Horror was his stock in trade, and a trade that had always done well by him. Ivy was his muse for this, though, and he had to write the story she’d inspired in him.

  After writing out the first chapter, he closed the computer, knowing that he probably wouldn’t be able to write any more for the day. Even before his condition had taken root, a chapter a day was about the extent of his writing prowess. Any more than that and his brain began to feel like mush, having to struggle to get the words out instead of them flowing naturally onto the page. He knew he’d never finish the book, but that was comforting in a way. It would be a love story with no end.

  The thought suddenly popping into his head, he quickly opened the computer again, clicked on the beginning of the chapter, and typed For Ivy at the beginning of the document. If I don’t ever finish it at least she’ll know I tried, he thought.

  “What are you doing honey?” Ivy asked groggily as he closed the computer for the second time.

  “Nothing much, love. Just writing a bit,” he said.

  “Well that’s good,” she said through a yawn. “Whew! I really needed that nap. I was completely exhausted.”

  “It happens.”

  “What are Ben and Stella up to? I forgot, I’d told them we’d get some food in a bit, and then I just passed out.”

  “They haven’t called or come by. They probably fell asleep too.”

  “Ha, I’m sure you’re right. I’ll ring Stella up now, see if she wakes up,” Ivy said, rolling to the side of the bed and pulling her phone out of her purse. She dialed the number and sat with the phone to her head silently for a few seconds before talking. “Hey, it’s Ivy. We want to go get some food, so give me a call back soon before we pound on your door.” She hung up the phone, turned to Lee and said, “She didn’t answer so I left a message.”

  “Yeah, I gathered that.” He grinned.

  There was a knock on the adjoining door just then, and Lee went to open it. It was Stella, looking groggy.

  “I just saw that you guys called me, what do you want?” Stella said. Lee could see Ben lying down on the bed, his back facing Lee.

  “We wanted to see if you guys wanted to go get some lunch now,” Ivy said, coming up behind Lee. “I fell asleep for a bit too and forgot about it.”

  “I could go for some food, what about you Ben?” Stella said, turning to the bed.

  Ben slowly rolled over and faced the door, blinking his eyes rapidly. “I guess. You know where I want to go.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ll give you a hint: it’s close.”

  “Shit, I could actually go for that pizza place again too. I know we’ve been there a ton, but I love it almost as much as Ben does now—last time he and I went there I tried a slice of the artichoke pizza, and it was freaking delicious,” Stella said, turning back to Lee and Ivy.

  “Lee got sick last time he and I ate there,” Ivy said.

  “It wasn’t the place, I was just sick. I told you that,” Lee said. “It sounds great, I think we should do it.”

  Ivy sighed. “Fine, I guess I’ll go there if you guys all want to.”

  “Alright, give me half an hour to get ready and we’ll head out,” Stella said, running her hands through her hair. “I’m a mess right now.”

  “Fine, but a half hour in normal time. Not in Stella time,” Ivy said.

  “I’ll try,” Stella said, and closed the door.

  Lee turned on the television and they watched it while they waited for Ben and Stella.

  Stella was done on time, surprisingly. It was almost thirty minutes on the dot when there was a knock on the adjoining door. “She’s definitely getting more punctual,” Ivy said as she went to open the door. “Maybe if we keep making her stick to schedule she’ll get over her lateness problem.”

  “Maybe,” Lee said.

  Ivy opened the door. “We’re ready, I don’t see why you guys rushed me again,” Stella said. Ben looked at Lee from behind Stella and rolled his eyes at her.

  “We’re just hungry, let’s go before I tickle you again,” Ivy said.

  Stella gave a little screech and ran out the hallway door, though Ivy hadn’t done anything to make good on her threat. They laughed and walked to the elevator.

  When they got down to the lobby it was still full of convention-goers. “Is that Stephen King?” Ivy asked, pointing to a man talk
ing with a few other attendees. The convention was in full-swing, all of the attendees were wearing name tags that made them stick out, though Lee and the others were too far away to make out the names on them.

  “I don’t know, but it sure looks like him,” Lee said.

  “I don’t think it’s him,” Ben said, squinting at the man.

  “Either way he probably doesn’t like us gawking at him, let’s get going,” Lee said, motioning towards the exit and then walking towards it, leading the others.

  “We definitely have to check out the convention now, I want to see if that’s him!” Ivy said as they got out to the street and started towards Pizza Suprema.

  “Fine,” Lee said.

  “I want to check that out too,” Ben said.

  “Ugh, a writing convention? Sounds awful,” Stella said. Lee was in agreement with her for once, though he didn’t say so.

  They got to the pizza place quickly. “Hey Ben, good to see you’re back again!” the ever-present mustached man said as they walked in and grabbed menus. The place was busy, but not so busy that there weren’t any tables available.

  “Jeez, he knows your name now?” Lee asked as they sat down in the same booth they’d used their first time at the parlor.

  “Apparently. Why, do you have something against things that are awesome?” Ben said, smiling at Lee and then looking back down at his menu.

  “I guess not.”

  “So what are we going to get this time?” Ivy asked. “I wanted to try the chicken and broccoli pizza, I think I’m having a meat day. But I’ll just get a slice if no one else wants to try it.”

  “That sounds pretty good, let’s get a whole pizza,” Lee said.

  “Sounds good to me,” Ben said. “I was planning on trying that one at some point too,” Ben said, and put down his menu.

  “I’ll try a little of it, but could you get me a slice of the mozzarella and basil too?” Stella said to Ben.

  “Sure,” Ben said. “So I’m ordering then?”

  “Looks like it, maybe the guy will give you a discount since you’re his biggest fan,” Lee said. “Oh, can you get us a couple of pitchers of pop too?”

  “Sure,” Ben said. Stella got up to let him out of the booth. “One diet, one regular?”

  “Yep,” Lee said, and Ben walked off to place the order.

  “So Lee, if you go to the bathroom while we’re here ,I’m keeping an eye on the door this time. Don’t want you abandoning Ivy again,” Stella said.

  “Like I said, it wasn’t intentional and I apologize,” Lee snapped, becoming irritated.

  “Shut up Stella, you know that he has a condition,” Ivy said, giving Stella a withering glare. “Don’t bring it up again.”

  “Jeez, I was trying to make a joke. Sorrrry,” Stella said, giving the first unintentional pout Lee had seen her do.

  Lee reached over and took Ivy’s hand and gave it a squeeze, thinking again about how much he loved her. Why couldn’t I have met her when I was eighteen? I could have had so much more time with her.

  Ben came back with the pitchers and glasses. Lee stood up and helped him, setting down some glasses and one of the pitchers as Ben set down the other pitcher. “Thanks buddy, I was about to spill it all over you guys and the table, that would have totally ruined our lunch,” Ben half-joked, and sat down.

  “Yeah, that would have sucked,” Lee said. “How was your talk with your big city friend?”

  “Pretty good actually,” Ben said. “He didn’t charge me for Stella’s slice, told me to make sure we come back again before I leave the city.”

  “For a pizza with extra sausage?” Lee asked, knowing the joke was corny but unable to resist.

  “Ha ha,” Ben said, though he grinned slightly.

  About fifteen minutes later, the man himself brought out their food and plates, setting it all out and giving them the most sincere “Enjoy your food!” that Lee had heard in the city.

  His stomach giving a grumble of anticipation as soon as the pizza touched down on the table, he let Ben and Ivy grab a slice each first, and then grabbed two for himself, plopping them down on his plate.

  “I’m starting to see why you’re so obsessed with this place now. The stuff the other day was pretty good, but broccoli chicken is amazing!” Ivy said through a bite.

  “Yeah, whatever you got the first couple of times probably just wasn’t for you,” Ben said, and took a bite.

  Between Lee, Ben, and Ivy they finished most of the chicken and broccoli. Ben insisted on getting a carryout box for the two remaining slices, reasoning that “You don’t just throw away good pizza.”

  Lee laughed. “I still have those slices you brought back in the fridge in our room, how many extra pieces do we need?”

  “There’s never a limit,” Ben insisted, and Lee didn’t argue any further.

  As they were finishing up, Lee caught sight of a rat-faced man at one of the corner tables staring at them. He looked away as soon as Lee caught his eye and started looking at a menu in front of him. Just as Lee shrugged it off and started to look away, he thought he saw the man’s face shimmer. But when he looked back, the man’s face was normal, and he was looking at Lee quizzically.

  25

  When they got back out onto the street, they found that it was raining. The group moved at a near-jog to get back to the hotel and out of the rain, moving as fast as the busy sidewalks would allow.

  “So should we just go straight into the convention now?” Ben asked as they entered the lobby of the hotel. All of them were soaking wet.

  “Oh yeah, forgot about that. Let’s do it!” Ivy said.

  “I guess,” Lee said, “but I still don’t know how we’re going to get in. They’re not just open to the public.”

  “Bullshit, you can get in. You’ve been on the New York Times bestsellers list how many times?” Ben said.

  “That doesn’t matter though. They don’t know me and this isn’t my world. I never did any interviews or anything. They don’t even know what I look like.”

  “They’ll figure it out,” Ivy said. “We’ve got to at least try.”

  Lee sighed. “Fine.”

  “Awesome, I’m going to go ask what meeting room they’re in,” Ben said, and walked over to the front desk.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be pushy,” Ivy said. “Are you sure this is okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll manage. Plus, I’m kind of interested now too, in finding out if that really was King.”

  “Let’s just not stay there all day,” Stella interrupted. “I’ll die of boredom.”

  “You’ll have fun,” Ivy said.

  “Maybe,” Stella said. It didn’t sound like she believed it.

  Ben walked back over to the group. “The lady at the desk said that the convention is down that hallway over there,” he said, pointing. “She said it’ll be on the left, and that we’ll see signs.”

  “Well, here goes nothing then,” Lee said. He started leading the way towards the hallway.

  Sure enough, it was evident where the convention was as soon as they got into the hall. Multiple signs pointed out the way. It was crowded and loud, with people talking on the phone, doing interviews, and having conversations.

  There was a table next to the door leading into the huge convention room with a few older women sitting at it checking people’s passes. “See, this is what I was telling you guys about,” Lee said to the others as they approached the table.

  “We’ll be fine, I have a plan,” Ben said. He gave Lee a wink, and then attempted to walk around the table and into the convention room.

  “Excuse me sir,” one of the women manning the table said, “you can’t just walk in without a pass.”

  Ben stopped and turned to the women, looking embarrassed. To Lee’s shock, Ben pointed at Lee and said “I’m here with my friend, Lee Fenton.”

  All three women at the table turned and looked at Lee. “Is this true, sir?” another of the women asked.

  “Uh,
yes,” Lee said, feeling put on the spot.

  “His voice sounds like him, I listened to Trapped on audio book,” the woman who had stopped Ben said, turning to her peers.

  “Can we see your ID?” the woman who hadn’t spoken to Lee yet asked.

  “Sure,” Lee said, fumbling out his wallet and searching through it for his driver’s license, suddenly having forgotten where he kept it. After what felt like an hour of searching but was probably only fifteen seconds, he found it and awkwardly set it down on the table.

  “Well, I don’t know what he’s supposed to look like, but his name checks out. How many other Lee Fentons could there be in Washington State?” the woman said to her coworkers. The others quickly agreed, the looks they gave Lee turning from suspicion to admiration. The woman who’d asked for his ID turned back to Lee and the others, pushing the driver’s license back towards Lee. “So you need four passes then?”

  “Sounds good,” Lee said, retrieving his ID. He felt surprised and victorious.

  The woman grabbed four passes from a box under the table and handed them over. “These are good for the entire day,” she said.

  “Thanks a lot,” Lee said, taking the passes and handing them out to the others.

  “No, thank you for coming. We’ve been hoping to see you out here one of these years. I’d love to get your autograph if you’re not busy later.”

  “Why put it off until later?” Lee said. The woman smiled and handed him a pen and a pad of paper. Lee signed an autograph for each of the ladies, and thanked them one last time before he and the others walked through the doors and into the convention.

  “Wow that was awesome!” Stella said as they entered. “A lot better than your crappy plan, Ben.”

  “What are you talking about? That was my plan the whole time!”

  “Sure, I bet that jackassed attempt to sneak in was just so you’d have an excuse to say that you were with Lee, I’m sure,” Stella said.

  “That was actually kind of cool, I’m starting to regret not coming to any of these,” Lee said, grabbing a program from a stand by the entrance. “They were so nice once they found out who I was.”