wouldn’t budge.
“If we can,” Hartwell replied.
Other people throughout the house woke up and headed through the main room and to the large back porch, which also could be considered a deck or a lanai in some parts.
“Is this going to be like King Arthur’s sword in the stone?” Thaddeus asked as he and Garrison came outside.
One by one, each member of the family tried unsuccessfully to pull the spear from Manuel’s chest. Even Cal Brewster admitted it was too much for the likes of him, “That thing isn’t budging.”
“Well, he can’t stay out here,” Belinda stated.
“Should we store him in the garage?” Agent Blake asked.
“No way, that would be creepy!” Maxwell exclaimed.
And while everyone was discussing what to do with the body of Manuel Ortiz, Hartwell had a vision from the original vampire.
“Family is everything. We can accomplish together what we cannot do apart.”
Hartwell broke out of the trance and yelled, “Hold up! The only way to solve this is to do it together!”
The solution resonated with the crowd and then they made a line of some people holding the spear and the others grabbing on to each other in an efficient chain.
Thaddeus yelled, “Heave!” and everyone else yelled “Ho!”
This pattern went on for the better part of a minute until the rocking motion of the pulling dislodged the spear, which exited Manuel’s body in one final pull. The force of the collective pulled each member stumbling toward the ocean and over the railing of the patio and onto the sand.
Manuel’s body dropped to the floor of the advanced composite material patio and it took less than a minute for his body to heal and then reboot. It had been so long since he felt real, lasting pain. The fallen members of the family stood up and then stood on the other side of the railing, waiting for Manuel to come to.
He awoke and let out a startling gasp like he had been holding his breath. All the pain in the universe seemed to flow to Manuel’s chest as he clutched the area like he was having a heart attack. But the pain quickly subsided and he was able to focus on all of the smiling faces looking at him in the distance.
You would think someone would have jumped over the railing and helped him to his feet, but there was something else afoot.
The line of people parted in the middle and a woman that was knew, but familiar, to the group walked up and asked, “Excuse me, does anyone know where I can find a place to stay for the night?”
Hartwell opened the gate on the porch and the woman walked through and was now visible in the sensor-activated back light.
Manuel rubbed his eyes and then got to his feet. He could not believe his eyes.
“Carmen?” he asked as he was less apprehensive with each passing moment.
“Yes. How did you know my name?” she asked.
Manuel looked at Hartwell and Hartwell mouthed, “My gift to you.”
Manuel smiled and replied, “We are all family,” as the other members of the tribe gathered around Carmen and Manuel and shared love that would endure for the rest of their lives.
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