Read Online The First Last Day by Dorian Cirrone - Free Book Online

father in the movie is just like Dr. Frankenstein. He starts off with good intentions but, instead, creates a monster.”
    â€œWhat are his good intentions?” Kevin asked.
    â€œI suppose both stories have to do with finding the secret to immortality.”
    The second Mr. Damico finished, I blurted, without thinking, “But isn’t that a good thing?”
    Mr. Damico shook his head. “It never seems to work out. It’s like they used to say in that old margarine commercial: ‘It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.’ ”
    Kevin gave a puzzled look. “What does that have to do with margarine?”
    Mr. Damico shrugged. “I can’t remember. But that phrase always stuck with me.”
    It stuck with me, too—all through the movie and dinner. By the time Kevin wanted me to play Scrabble, my mind was as mixed up as the tiles Kevin poured out onto the table. Still, I picked the same ones I did every night. I’d memorized everyone’s letters as well as the words they’d put down. And I’d secretly researched tons of words on the Internet so I could figure out how to get the most points. I knew it was cheating. But it was just a game. It wasn’t hurting anyone. Right?
    So when Kevin put the letters M , R , O , N next to the letter O that was already on the board, I was ready. I scrunched up my face as if I were concentrating really hard, and then placed my O , X , and Y before the word “MORON.” “Yes! Forty-two points!” I shouted.
    â€œOxymoron?” Kevin said. “How did you know how to spell that?”
    â€œI looked it up.”
    â€œWhat?” he said. “When? You’ve been sitting here the whole time.”
    â€œUh, I mean I looked it up once in school—when we studied poetry. It’s when you put two words together that contradict each other.”
    â€œShe’s right, son,” Mr. Damico said. “She’s gotten us good.”
    I looked over at Mr. Damico and announced with authority, “Shakespeare uses it a lot. Like in Romeo and Juliet , when Romeo says, ‘O brawling love! O loving hate!’ ”
    Mr. Damico stroked his chin. “That’s very impressive, Haleigh.”
    I felt a little guilty for trying to out-trivia Mr. Damico but thanked him anyway.
    Kevin gave a baffled look, mixed with some frustration because I’d gotten so many points. “How can hate be loving?”
    I shrugged and looked around the table for someone else to answer.
    G-Mags chimed in from the couch, “When you get to be my age, you realize such contradictions are everywhere—wise fools, poor little rich girls . . .”
    Kevin was quiet for a minute. “I’ve got one! The living dead—you know, like zombies.”
    Mrs. Damico laughed and said, “Leave it to Kevin to bring science fiction movies into it.”
    I could tell that made Kevin feel better. We continued with the game until it was time for me to go.
    On the porch, I gave G-Mags the usual hug before leaving. And I smiled when she told me to come back in the morning, like she did every night.
    But as I walked away with Dad, I couldn’t get the words “living dead” out of my mind.

CHAPTER 23
    T hat night, I lay in bed thinking about pizza and how I might never again get a slice at Chris’s Place. Mom, Dad, and I would go there every Sunday night. When Chris would see us coming, he’d throw the sausage and pepperoni on the half for Dad and shove the pizza in the oven before we were even in our seats. I’d never realized how special those nights were. Or how much I’d miss them.
    I took another glimpse of the painting on my desk. Up until then, I’d told myself I’d made the perfect wish. But I was starting to wonder.
    When I heard Mom’s footsteps, I jumped off the bed and started packing.
    â€œAll set for tomorrow?” she asked, entering my room.
    I