Scene 13 – Epilogue
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“An Epilogue?” Jonas asked. The last page of the newly-printed copy of the script was blank. He took it back from Riel and stared at it anyway. “I don’t know. Maybe. I don’t think it needs one anymore. I’ll take that off the table of contents.” He sat on the chair beside the hospital bed in his one-room recovery ward and clenched his pipe in his teeth, let the lazy streamer of smoke drift and dissipate in the air. “What did you think of our new and improved version, by the way? Jacquie impressed me there; I hadn’t really thought of her as the creative type. I’m actually thinking of letting her play Vain. Especially if she’s talked you into taking the role of Daniel.”
“The script was fine.” Riel smiled. “No, that’s not fair. It was good, really. Better than I expected. But I’m more concerned about Jacquie. Shouldn’t she be the one in here for your candy-stripers to fawn over? I thought you would have shown her a little more concern.”
“It’s not like there are vampire doctors advertising in the phone book, Jack. But I did send a couple of girls around your place. She just needs to recuperate. And there’s only one medicine for her, buddyboy – that’s you, and all the red stuff you have swirling around inside. A lot more red stuff than you should have, and barely even a scar to remember it by.” He shook his head, and finally drew on his pipe. “I swear, I’d give a billion for half of what you’ve got, and you don’t even appreciate it.”
He stretched, then patted Riel’s leg through the sheet. “Keep her well-fed, and she’ll be back to her old bouncy self in no time. So you get better, and she’ll get better. And who would have thought that letting my girls drool over you was the best thing for gaping, sucking, belly wounds?”
He snickered, as did the deadgirl in the too-short white frock and nurse’s cap leaning against the doorframe. “Besides, from the sound of your voice, I’d say you have more than enough concern for both of us. That’s good. I’ve got another fifty-three girls to look after, and that’s just in DC. Just don’t go too far head-over-heels, Mr. Solo-Vampire-Hunter with a soft spot for incorrigible vampires.”
Jonas stood, and took a few steps toward the door. He stopped by the ‘nurse’, winking when she smiled a pair of long fangs at him. “Now seriously, Riel – this is important. Are you or aren’t you going to play Daniel for me? If you do, Jacquie will love you forever; she told me so herself.”
When Riel opened his mouth to protest, Jonas nodded. “And I promise I’ll get those faces from your laptop back from Shibboleth by the end of the week. They’re running the name you gave me, too – Lillian or whatever – but that’s a pretty weak lead, kid. You’re either going have a million hits on that or none. That’s the best I can do – I don’t have the kind of access I used to. It’s better than poke in the eye. Deal?”
Riel inclined his head as much as his pillows would allow. “Deal.”