Alex's next day began the same way — he still had to pretend to be injured. So when he woke up, he put the bandage back over his eye and the cast on his arm to avoid raising any suspicion. He had to keep playing the role of a wounded man — all to prevent Marilyn Thornhill from accelerating her plans. It was far too early for that, and definitely not in Alex's interest.
He didn't want Marilyn to ruin the upcoming Parents' Day with her ritual to resurrect a distant relative — Joseph Crackstone.
After getting dressed, Alex headed to the only decent café in Jericho — "The Weathervane." As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed that Tyler Galpin wasn't working today. After ordering coffee, Alex sat by the window and pulled out his phone. The moment he unlocked it, dozens of messages from Enid lit up the screen — wishing him good morning and asking how he felt.
Reading her messages, Alex couldn't suppress a smile, especially remembering the previous evening. He and Enid never actually managed to finish the movie — she turned out to be far too persistent when it came to kissing. But during dinner, the conversation shifted back to her mother again, and Alex once more had to explain that Enid was not a house pet and wasn't obligated to comply with every whim.
He noticed determination appearing in Enid's eyes — for the first time in a long while, she was ready to stand up to her mother and firmly say "no" to the endless complaints about her still not transforming into a wolf. Alex was genuinely glad he managed to push her toward this earlier than in the series.
He also confirmed that in Enid's family only her mother pressured her. Her father quietly supported his daughter, and her uncle and aunt thought she shouldn't rush things. The one thing he couldn't understand was why Enid's mother was so obsessed with the idea that her daughter had to be "normal like everyone else."
His thoughts shifted to the upcoming Parents' Day. Alex hoped he would manage… and not punch Enid's mother in the face for her constant nagging.
Sipping his coffee and replying to messages, he realized that Enid was currently in class — and still glued to her phone. After finishing his drink, Alex decided to go to the hospital and check on Dean. He didn't hurry and walked at a relaxed pace. On the way, he stopped by a store to buy Eugene proper snacks — hospital food never made anyone happy.
At the hospital, Alex immediately went to the ward. Eugene said he would be discharged by the end of the week — for now he was being monitored because of the injury on his leg, and walking on his own was still painful. After talking to him a little longer, Alex checked on Dean and made sure he was recovering properly. Judging by the feeling, in a couple of days Dean would be good as new.
Saying goodbye to Eugene, Alex left the hospital looking like a man who had absolutely no idea what to do with his time.
Scrolling through his phone, he even wondered whether he should visit Amara, who was currently acting like an offended sister somewhere in Philadelphia, visiting yet another church. After thinking for a moment, Alex decided to visit her — if only for company and conversation.
Finding Amara was easy — she was in an empty church, staring at a dead priest. Alex closed his eyes, used tracking magic, and then stepped through a portal from a nearby alley.
A moment later he stood in Philadelphia, near the Holy Trinity Church. He crossed the street, opened the door, and walked inside. There sat Amara — as if nothing had happened — in her usual black dress, calm, almost contemplative. The priest's body was impaled on a large cross, blood dripping in a thin stream onto the altar.
Alex's footsteps echoed through the empty hall. Amara didn't need to turn — she knew exactly who was watching her. Only one being could do such a thing.
Alex reached the first rows and sat on the opposite side of the aisle, crossing his leg over the other and looking at the priest's body with the expression of someone nearly impossible to impress.
"Why did you come?" Amara asked, turning her head calmly.
"Dean is still recovering after using your power. And I'm terribly bored, nothing to do. So I decided to visit you. What are you up to?" Alex drawled lazily, lighting a cigarette.
"Are you seriously asking? Is it that hard to guess what I'm doing?" Amara's voice carried a hint of sarcasm.
"Oh! Our girl learned how to speak with sarcasm! I'm so proud of you… Kids grow up so fast. Not long ago she was just a young lady taking her first steps in the world, and now — a grown woman! Uncle Alexander is so-oh-oh happy…" Alex said theatrically, wiping imaginary tears.
Amara looked at Alex with an empty, tired gaze — and for a moment she thought there was nothing surprising about the fact that he had become friends with Dean. Of course not. Both of them were walking chaos, each in their own way.
She averted her eyes, unwilling to continue the topic. Alex, noticing the complete lack of reaction, stopped theatrically wiping nonexistent tears and simply smirked, taking a drag from his cigarette right there in the church as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
They sat in silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of the burning cigarette and Alex's quiet, lazy humming — he was murmuring some calm tune to pass the time. Glancing around absentmindedly, Alex activated his magical sight and immediately saw the traces of Chuck's presence: there were many. Most of them — on the priest's body.
Well… Chuck's plan truly was insane. But at the same time monstrously effective. For a being of his level, it was no secret that the Creator never intervened in the affairs of His creations. Therefore, the only ones Chuck had to worry about were the Lords of Order and Nyan-Nyan herself.
Thinking about the Lords of Order made Alex grimace. Just let those idiots stay quiet and not ruin all my work.
And then he remembered something else. Who led this whole group of fanatics obsessed with "balance," the fight of "good and evil," and hatred toward everything connected to Chaos? The answer presented itself — his brother Michael. Even though Michael could not interfere openly because of their father's rules, that didn't stop him from gathering "the pure of heart," who played the role of the Lords of Order.
Confirming his guess, Alex's phone vibrated. The message was from the Creator. Short, but enough — Alex's suspicions were confirmed.
"I hope Michael keeps those morons away from my work," Alex muttered, exhaling smoke upward.
"Who are you talking about?" Amara asked, hearing his words.
"My brother," Alex replied lazily. "Turns out he runs a group of fanatics whose heads are filled with nothing but destroying evil, restoring balance, and all that nonsense. 'Justice,' you know? I haven't met them yet, but I'm sure they're complete idiots."
Amara shook her head.
"I'm once again convinced that your family is very strange."
"Maybe." Alex flicked the ash and put away his phone. "Do you want to grab something to eat? There's a pizzeria nearby, they say it's good."
"Why not," Amara said calmly as she stood up.
Alex smiled, rose to his feet, and headed for the exit. Before closing the church doors, he cast one last glance at the crucified priest — then left the building.
The pizzeria turned out to be very close, but neither of them felt like eating inside. Alex ordered a pizza to go, and they headed to Rittenhouse Square — the park was just a few minutes away. Finding a quiet spot away from the crowds, they settled on a bench and talked about everyday things while eating.
Amara told him where she had been and what she had seen. Alex listened attentively, occasionally asking questions simply to keep the conversation going.
When the pizza was gone, he went to get coffee and returned with two cups — one of which he handed to Amara.
They stayed in the park for several more hours. Finally, Alex stood up.
"Want to visit Dean?" he asked, tossing the empty cup into a bin.
Amara looked up at the sky thoughtfully."Maybe, but later. For now, I just want to enjoy the sounds of the world. They… calm me. After so many years of confinement, when I was alone with my thoughts… this world feels surprisingly pleasant. Even despite everything Chuck did to it."
Alex let out a quiet chuckle, lighting a new cigarette."I'm glad you didn't go insane. It would be unpleasant to kill a friend."
Amara smiled faintly."It's nice to hear that you consider me a friend, Destruction."
"Don't call me that," Alex grimaced. "When I hear it, I feel like some kind of final boss."
"Aren't you?" Amara asked with soft amusement. "After everything you told me, you're far more like a villain than the ones you had to deal with."
"I'm not a villain at all. I'm sweet and kind." Alex made the most innocent face he could. "Just look into my kind eyes. Do I look like a villain to you?"
Amara looked at Alex, who was vainly trying to look innocent, and couldn't hold back — a quiet chuckle escaped her lips. No matter how hard he tried, his gaze still revealed his true nature. Hearing her laugh, Alex also burst out laughing, throwing his hands behind his head as if completely relaxed.
After saying goodbye to Amara and lazily waving at her, he was about to return to Jericho. But after taking a few steps, he noticed a child staring at him with his mouth wide open. Alex paused for a moment… and, deciding to entertain himself, stepped forward and simply vanished into thin air. The boy immediately let out a cry of astonishment, trying to convince his alarmed mother that "the man just disappeared right in front of him!"
Amara, still sitting on the bench, heard the excited shout, turned her head, and saw the boy desperately explaining something to his mother. She smiled softly at the scene, got up, and decided to take a little walk through the park, enjoying a rare sense of calm.
Alex, meanwhile, appeared in Jericho at the exact same moment — in a small alley near the hotel. The short walk and conversation with Amara had helped pass the time, and he even felt an unexpected lightness. There was no romance in their relationship — he saw Amara purely as a good friend, someone pleasant to chat with, eat pizza, and drink coffee.
Returning to his room, Alex only then noticed that he had been walking around all day with an eye patch and a cast — and hadn't even felt discomfort. He simply shrugged indifferently, removed his cloak, and collapsed onto the sofa, covering his eyes. After such a busy day, he allowed himself a little rest — and fell asleep almost instantly.
By this time, classes had ended in Nevermore. Wednesday, as usual, didn't waste any time: she decided to go back to Jericho to check on Alex's recovery and, at the same time, to find out what steps he planned to take in his investigation.
Changing into casual clothes and throwing her backpack over her shoulder, she first went to the hospital to visit Eugene. Wednesday still felt a lingering sense of guilt for not persuading him not to go into the forest at night. After making sure Eugene was fine, she headed to the hotel.
Entering the lobby, Wednesday glanced at the receptionist briefly — and realized that breaking the lock a second time in a row would be foolish.
"Thing, distract him," she whispered.
Thing slipped out of the bag and immediately caused chaos at the front desk. While the receptionist tried to shoo away the strange "creature," Wednesday quickly approached the counter, found the spare key to Alex's room, and slipped it into her pocket. Everything looked as if she were just passing by.
Going up to the floor where Thing was already waiting, she approached the door, inserted the key, and quietly opened it. Once again, Alex was sleeping so soundly that it seemed as if the world around him didn't exist. Even the fact that someone had entered his room didn't disturb him at all.
Closing the door, Wednesday went to the bed and sat on the edge, silently studying his serene face. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts — none of which she would ever voice. After watching the sleeping figure for a moment, she unzipped her backpack and took out a small box, carefully placing it beside him.
Inside the box, arranged in perfectly neat rows, lay thin acupuncture needles.Thing, upon seeing them, began waving his fingers far more frantically than usual, trying to figure out what exactly she was planning.
"I heard acupuncture is very effective during recovery," Wednesday explained calmly as she pulled out the first needle.
Thing froze, swelling with horror, and then started waving again — this time pleading with her to reconsider, or at least make sure she actually knew how to use them.
"It's fine. I'm confident I can handle it. I tried testing this on Pugsley, but he runs too fast and keeps locking himself in his room. And now I have the perfect test subject," she said in a completely serious tone, bringing the needle closer to Alex's shoulder.
And then a sleepy, hoarse voice sounded:"Go ahead and try poking me with anything."
Wednesday and Thing both looked at Alex. His gaze was sleepy and dark — so much so that Thing even noted to himself that he looked exactly like Wednesday in the mornings.
Ignoring both her with the needle in hand and Thing standing by his bed, Alex silently got up and went to make himself some coffee. Under Wednesday's watchful stare, he prepared a strong drink, sat at the table, and closed his eyes, trying to wake up at least a little.
A couple of hours of sleep was painfully insufficient — Alex felt it in every cell. While he went through his usual "resurrection ritual," Wednesday slowly rose from the bed and approached him. Stopping beside him, she lifted the needle and, while Alex still had his eyes closed, calmly jabbed it into his healthy arm.
The needle didn't go in.It merely bent.
"My dear Wednesday, are you bored?" Alex asked, opening his eyes and looking at her. The girl was studying the bent needle between her fingers with great interest.
"The needle couldn't pierce your skin. It's either a defective tool or your skin is denser than normal," she said thoughtfully, taking out a second needle.
"And instead of just asking, you decided to try stabbing me again?" Alex clarified, staring at her with a blank expression.
"Why ask when I can verify it myself?" she replied calmly and jabbed the second needle.It bent as well.
"Convinced? Or are you planning to try something more serious?" he asked, taking a sip of coffee.
"I think so. Now I'm curious how tough your skin really is," Wednesday said and pulled a knife from her pocket.
"I've always wanted to ask… why do you even carry a knife with you?" Alex instinctively pulled his hand back.
"For self-defense. Isn't that obvious?" Wednesday replied with a look that suggested Alex had just asked the stupidest question in existence.
"Most people use a taser or pepper spray for self-defense, not a knife," Alex pointed out — and barely managed to pull his hand away from her first strike.
"Then the person won't learn their lesson. A knife teaches it permanently," she said coldly, delivering another blow.
Alex just sighed, watching her attempts to pierce his hand, calmly sipping his coffee. He knew that even if he told the truth now, Wednesday wouldn't believe a single word without proof. And he wasn't about to show her — at least, not until their relationship had progressed much further.
Tired of the endless attempts, Alex gently intercepted her hand holding the knife. Wednesday froze, meeting his gaze, and tried to push harder… but even with all her effort, she couldn't move his hand an inch.
When it became clear she wasn't going to stop, Alex let out a heavy sigh and allowed her to do what she intended.
The knife struck his hand — and the blade bent like foil.
"Now satisfied, my dear Wednesday?" he asked calmly.
"Quite," she replied, studying the twisted metal. "Next time I'll bring a drill. I'm curious how much you can endure."
"Let's skip the drill, alright? I appreciate your attention, but let's not have experiments on this scale," Alex said with a tired smile.
"I'll think about it. But no promises," Wednesday said, sitting across from him with her usual cold expression.
Alex looked at Wednesday with a weary gaze as she calmly, almost expressionlessly, flipped through a thick compendium on monsters. And a thought crossed his mind: perhaps in the future, Wednesday would want to test even more things on him — things she deemed potentially harmful.
Not that Alex was worried — the very idea that Wednesday showed affection in such… unusual ways amused him. Neither of them realized yet that her behavior already carried a strange, dark fondness. Wednesday simply did what she wanted, without bothering to question "why."
They continued sitting in peaceful silence: Alex sipping his coffee and scrolling through the news on his phone, while Wednesday, with the thoughtful expression of someone who had discovered something truly interesting, studied her book.
An hour passed. Alex ordered takeout.
When the delivery left, Alex, with his habitual, automatic gesture, first placed a plate in front of Wednesday, then, without thinking, leaned down and kissed the top of her head — so naturally that he didn't even notice himself.
He had done this so many times with his other close ones that it barely registered.
Wednesday felt the kiss and lifted her gaze… But Alex was already sitting across from her, calmly eating his dinner. She shifted her eyes to the neatly placed plate and the steaming coffee — just the way she usually drank it.
Wednesday glanced at Alex once more, still processing his gesture. She almost missed the moment — it had happened so naturally, so… habitually, as if it were meant to be.
Thing, watching everything from the edge of the table, was ecstatic. And when he saw that Wednesday hadn't said a word, just accepted the food and kept reading, his excitement went almost completely over the top. The only thing he regretted was that he didn't have a phone to record this moment and show it to Wednesday's parents.
After a short pause, Wednesday lifted the book and turned it toward Alex.
"You mentioned the Wendigo. Have you actually encountered these creatures?" she asked, pointing to a page with their description.
"Mmm… relatively recently," Alex nodded, chewing another bite.
"What are their habits? The book only lists general info," Wednesday asked calmly.
"I'd call the Wendigo…" he thought for a moment. "Maybe the term 'perfect predator' fits. The curse makes them monsters, but the legend itself is closely tied to hunting.
Wendigo can track, wait, and lure. They're intelligent, strong… and very patient. If you want, I can show you what they really look like, and what their lair looks like."
Wednesday raised an eyebrow.
"The book says they're solitary. And yet you speak of them in the plural."
"I'll explain. It all started on Blackwood Mountain…" Alex began.
He went on to tell the full legend of the Wendigo: how these creatures came to be, what caused their birth, and the tragedies that followed. He explained how a human could become a Wendigo and how the monsters sometimes drag their prey into the lair to turn them into one of their own.
Wednesday listened attentively, without interrupting.
Alex knew she wasn't the type to enjoy "ordinary" conversations.
She was drawn to the mystical, the dark creatures, curses, and all things eerie — which meant he could talk to her about it for hours.
And they really did talk for about another hour — about cursed houses, ghosts, ancient entities, and vanished monsters.
At one point, Alex was sitting right next to her, explaining from the book what each creature was and how it could be killed. Wednesday occasionally glanced at him thoughtfully. For the first time in her life, she felt so… comfortable. Time seemed to disappear when she was with him. She didn't fully understand what she was feeling — it just felt good to be near someone who understood her without words.
Finally, she spoke again.
"I wanted to ask something else."
"And what interests you, my dear Wednesday?" Alex turned to her, leaning closer.
Too close.
"First… why do you lean so close to me every time?" she asked calmly, though her voice softened.
"And… it says here that these creatures are gods. Are they really gods?"
Alex leaned even closer, their faces less than a centimeter apart.
"I just like to do this," he said honestly. "And about the 'gods'… they're just ancient monsters with a bit of power. People once worshiped them out of fear. In reality, they're ordinary creatures that like human flesh. Like those Pagan gods Dean and Sam killed. When the world began to change, their egos were hurt — so they got offended. Creatures once revered as gods find it hard to let go of their 'divine' pride."
Alex's nose lightly touched Wednesday's.
"And how were they killed?" she asked almost in a whisper, looking him straight in the eyes.
"With wooden stakes. Right in the heart," Alex replied. "If they were real gods, a stick in the chest wouldn't have killed them."
After Alex's answer, Wednesday realized that their noses were touching, and she once again felt his warm breath on her face. She wondered again why Alex so easily invaded her personal space—and why she didn't mind.
Wednesday remembered the kiss that had been the payment for his previous answer. Her thoughts drifted back to that warm, strangely pleasant feeling. And before her mind wandered off in unknown directions, she calmly, as always, placed her hand on his cheek and gently pushed his head away, literally forcing Alex out of her personal space, which he had stubbornly breached time and again.
Seeing her calm expression, Alex just smiled, leaned back on the chair, and glanced at the time. It was just before six in the evening—plenty of time to spend with Wednesday.
He looked at Thing, sitting on the bedside table. The living hand looked disappointed. Alex couldn't understand what could have upset this limb. But the reason was simple: Thing had been expecting a kiss between Wednesday and Alex. Alas, not all expectations are destined to come true.
"I heard tomorrow is Parents' Day. Are your parents coming?" Alex asked, turning his head toward Wednesday.
"Yes, they're coming. Why do you ask?" she replied calmly.
"Just curious what they're like. You're so gloomy yourself, you like dark things, and when you watch horror movies, you always root for the killer," Alex said, slightly swaying in the chair.
"They're unique personalities," Wednesday replied, thinking for a moment.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Can't explain in just a few words. But if you like watching the most disgusting ways people show affection, then my parents are exactly like that. If it were up to them, they'd probably sew themselves together to be even closer," she said.
"Is it really that bad?" Alex asked, though he already knew perfectly well how Gomez and Morticia usually behaved.
"I've even toned it down. Even jackals during mating season don't behave this disgusting," Wednesday said coldly, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Hmm… The important thing is that they love each other. I'm not one to judge people for how they show love," Alex said, coughing awkwardly and already picturing the scene in his mind.
"You say that now. When you see it with your own eyes, you'll understand what I meant," Wednesday said, averting her gaze from Alex.
"Wait, you actually want to introduce me to your family? I'm so embarrassed… What should I do?" Alex said, pretending to wring his hands, pressing his healthy palm to his cheek like a shy schoolgirl.
Wednesday silently watched Alex with her empty, expressive gaze. Just as she was about to tell him he was overthinking things, a sudden thought pierced her mind.
She remembered the murder case involving her father. Looking at Alex, she realized he could help uncover the truth and expose her parents if necessary. Alex was the only one she could trust in this matter, since he had said from the start that the case involving her father looked suspicious.
She understood perfectly that Alex was intelligent, observant, and noticed things that others overlooked. In her mind, a plan was already beginning to form: how to introduce him to her parents in a way that would seem natural and not raise any unnecessary suspicions.
But for now, Alex didn't need to know about it.
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed when you meet my parents," Wednesday said calmly.
"I don't think your family could be stranger than mine. Still… I'd be glad to meet them," Alex replied with a light, genuine smile.
"Why?" Wednesday asked, looking at him intently.
"You guess, my dear Wednesday. Maybe because they're your parents. Or maybe… just out of curiosity. Who knows," Alex said, once again invading her personal space.
Wednesday looked at Alex—his face was again far too close to hers. She let out a quiet sigh and, with her usual gesture, pushed him gently away. Alex just laughed, letting her do it.
After spending some time together, they simply sat side by side in silence—like an old married couple who understood each other without words. Wednesday, of course, wouldn't say it out loud, but she enjoyed being near Alex, who seemed to intuitively sense her mood and interests.
Glancing at the time, she realized it was time to return to Nevermore. This time, Alex wasn't going to let her go alone and insisted on giving her a ride back. They left the hotel, got into Dean's Impala, and headed to the academy.
When they reached the gates of Nevermore, Alex stopped the car right by the main entrance. Wednesday calmly opened the door and was about to step out.
"Not even going to give me a goodbye hug?" Alex asked with a slight smile.
Wednesday froze at his words. Slowly, she turned her head and met his gaze. For a few seconds, she was silent, reflecting on the day. Alex had answered many of her questions, explained things she had only vaguely suspected before. And even that unexpected kiss on the head before dinner… it hadn't felt unpleasant—on the contrary, it left a strange, almost pleasant warmth.
Having made her decision, Wednesday leaned toward him and quickly kissed him on the lips, leaving a clear mark of her black lipstick. Once again, she caught Alex off guard.
"That's payment for all the answers I got today," she said calmly and stepped out of the car.
Closing the door, Wednesday headed toward the academy gates. Alex watched her back in complete silence until she disappeared onto the Nevermore grounds. Only when she was out of sight did he quietly laugh. He laughed at how easily Wednesday had once again caught him off guard—and because he liked it.
She loved darkness, strangeness, and coldness, but this Wednesday was exactly the one he liked—even when she took the initiative into her own hands.
Feeling calm, Alex started the Impala and drove back to Jericho to rest before the next day. He didn't yet know how eventful it would turn out to be. Returning to the hotel, he noticed that Wednesday had taken the book with her—a collection of monster legends. Smiling at that, he changed clothes, turned on a movie, and made himself comfortable.
While he was watching, Zhang Ya silently emerged from his shadow and lay down beside him. Alex simply smiled—her presence was exactly what he needed right now.
The next morning, Alex got out of bed, tiredly rubbing his face. The first thing he did was brew himself a strong coffee to fully wake up.
As he sipped his coffee, he heard a notification on his phone—Enid had sent a message. Opening it, Alex read that today was Parent Day and that a "complete nightmare" was about to happen.
Alex immediately understood what she meant and wished her luck for the inevitable encounter with her mother, who would find a reason to be disappointed in anything. After texting with Enid for a few more minutes, he promised to attend Parent Day.
Once he finished his coffee, he felt a faint magical signal from the magical mouse left to watch over Dean. The signal meant one thing—Dean had regained consciousness.
Quickly getting dressed, Alex left the hotel and first stopped to pick up some burgers—he knew perfectly well that if he showed up empty-handed, Dean would start complaining like an old man. Grabbing a dozen burgers, Alex headed to the hospital.
Reaching the correct room, he opened the door… and saw Dean, but not Eugene—apparently, he had already been discharged.
"Dude, where have you been? What day is it? And what the hell happened to me?" Dean asked as soon as Alex stepped over the threshold.
"It's already Friday. You were out cold for six long days. And this," Alex tapped his finger against the cast, "is the aftermath of using the Clicker. I'm almost recovered, but I'm still going around with a cast and an eye patch."
"Damn… I didn't think I'd be out that long. You better tell me—you brought it?" Dean squinted suspiciously.
"Yeah, I brought it. Here." Alex placed the bag of burgers on his lap. "I know you won't eat hospital food."
"You just saved me… Damn, this is delicious!" Dean immediately swallowed half a burger in one bite. "It feels like I haven't eaten in ages. A bit more and I'd really eat a whole cow."
"Glad you're satisfied," Alex smirked.
"Alright," Dean opened the second burger. "So what happened to me that knocked me out for so long?"
"Besides burning through half the power Amara gave you, your insides basically turned into jelly. I only had a broken arm and a slightly scratched eye. You, however, almost became Jelly Dean," Alex said with a grin.
"Well, that explains this monstrous weakness. So… am I recovered now, or am I missing something?" Dean asked, opening his third burger.
"You'll still feel worn out for a while. But it will pass. Your body needs energy—that's why you're so hungry right now," Alex explained, watching another burger disappear in two bites.
"I've had worse days. And if all I need is food, that's actually a plus," Dean snorted, shrugging.
"And I know a place where we can eat for free," Alex said with a predatory grin.
"I'm all ears," Dean squinted.
"Today is Parent Day at Nevermore. And there will be a lavish buffet. Larissa Weems invited us to thank us for saving a student," Alex said, barely containing his laughter.
"Perfect. I'm in. Where's my jacket?" Dean had the exact same grin.
"First, you need to get discharged. Only after that—buffet," Alex said, shaking his head.
Dean nodded in agreement, but first decided to finish the burgers—the hunger was stronger than anything else. Not wanting to interrupt him, Alex went to process the discharge paperwork, eager to get his friend back to normal life as soon as possible.
To be continued…
(I could, of course, skip all these events and go straight to Parents' Day. But how could I pass up the opportunity to deepen the relationship between Alex, Wednesday, and Enid? And just limit myself to a couple of paragraphs explaining what happened. Nope. That's too boring and uninteresting. Anyway, soon Alex will meet Wednesday and Enid's parents, and then meet Enid's mysterious Uncle, whose identity is easy to guess. In the meantime, I'll go have a beer and play Killing Floor 3, in a party with idiots who ruin everything. I love it, I hope they get hit by a car.)
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