"The Scavenger Bride"
Chapter 14: Unexpected News

It was close to seven when our study group disbanded for the day. I was becoming increasingly tired, more tired than what I was used to for that hour. We made our way back out into the halls that lead us to the commons, passing the morgue and nearly making it to the door when there was a voice behind us.

"Doctor West."

I could practically feel Herbert tense up next to me in disgust. He gave a short sigh. "Doctor Hill."

Dr. Carl Hill was a dedicated medical doctor with thirty years of medicine under his belt, along with ten years' experience in teaching at Miskatonic's coveted medical school. But his arrogance matched even Herbert's, and his dogged, unsettling obsession with finding fame and glory at any means was apparent, regardless of how hard he tried to hide it (and try, he did). As brilliant as he was, his knowledge couldn't match Herbert's - Herbert, who had practically been born with an inherent medical ability that consumed him from a very young age, whereas Dr. Hill had to work just a little harder and just a little longer. The resentment was staggeringly obvious, so it was natural that he and Herbert hated each other fiercely. He was at the end of the hall, journals under his arm and suitcase in hand.

Herbert cleared his throat. "What can I do for you?"

"Doing a bit of studying?" He came down the hall to us.

My partner's eyes narrowed impatiently. "Yes. Why?"

"In the morgue?"

Herbert straightened himself up a bit. "My partner and I had organs left over from a study we were conducting."

Dr. Hill glanced at me. "Doctor Phillips?"

"You heard it here first, Doctor Hill," I shrugged.

He looked us over skeptically, only a few feet away, and his eyes landed on me. "And just how long have you been…. conducting this study, exactly?"

"Long enough." I defiantly did not break his gaze. I was beginning to dislike the man, too. "Doctor Hill, if you'll excuse us, we really must be going. We have much to do to prepare for the upcoming week."

"Hmm." He was amused and unconvinced. "Yes. Well. Mustn't fall behind, no?"

"Indeed. Sir." I nodded my regards, taking my partner by the arm and guiding him away. I could feel the air around him beginning to bristle and I wanted to get him out of there before he really started to lose it. Another fight was the last thing we needed. We were silent until we reached the courtyard outside of the medical hall.

"Breathe, Herbert," I commanded. Next to me I could hear him doing just that, focusing. "Look, I know you don't like him-"

"That quack, who does he think he is? Doctor Gruber-" He was fuming.

"Herbert, Herbert. Look at me." I took him by the shoulders, and he did as I said. "Now. You know…. that I know…. how much this means. And not just to you. But right now, I need you to breathe, and calm down, and keep level, okay? If we're going to continue Gruber's work, I'm going to need you to stay calm. Do you understand?"

Herbert sighed, nodding. "I do."

"Good." I smiled at him. "Doctor Hill is just a jealous prick who can't handle someone else having better ideas than him. Don't forget, you-" Herbert burst out laughing, and I grinned in surprise. "You laughing at me, West?"

"No, no," he shook his head. "I am quite relieved someone else feels the same way, is all."

"Ah. Yes. Well." I laughed. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that man out, you know." When Herbert made an amused sound of agreement, I continued. "What I was going to say, was: You are the better man here, Herbert. Don't forget that, okay?"

"I shan't," Herbert shook his head.

"Okay," I smiled. "C'mere." My hands were still on his shoulders, so I pulled him into a hug, and he returned it willingly.

The next day, I could tell Herbert's mood was lifted a little. He smiled more - that same little smirk I became so fond of. It was a calm day, for the most part; once the sun went down, things became hairy. The two of us were walking through the halls of the school, making our way out to go home for the day when, without warning, it hit me.

"I was thinking of visiting my family this weekend. I feel like I haven't seen them in ages. If you want to - Ooh…" It was very sudden, the slight pang of nausea at the base of my stomach. Clutching Herbert's arm, I steadied myself.

"Imogen?" He grabbed me. "What's the matter?"

"I… I'm fine." I righted myself again. "Just…. the bodies….. in the morgue. They're making me sick."

I could take the quickest glance at him and know he was onto me. He knew I was bluffing. "Uh-huh." He nodded skeptically.

"C'mon, Herbert," I smiled. "I'm gonna be fine. See? I'm feeling better already. All I need is -" And that was it. Two steps and I was down.

"Imogen!" Herbert caught me. "My God…!"

"Immi?" Meg's voice reached my ears. "Herbert, what happened?"

"I don't know, she just- we were talking about visiting her family, and she just went down. She said the bodies in the morgue made her sick."

"C'mon, let's get her to the nurse." She turned to me. "Immi? Honey, can you hear me?"

"Hi, Meg. So glad you could join the party down here." I managed a laugh, and she joined me anxiously.

"Wouldn't miss it. Can you stand?"

"I think so. Help me, will you?"

"Sure, honey. C'mon. One, two, three." With that, and Herbert's help, Meg hoisted me up onto my feet. I slid an arm around Herbert's neck for support, and he clutched at my waist. With a little effort on everyone's part, we made it to the nurse's station, and Meg went home after much encouragement on my behalf, after making me promise to call her when I got home.

Herbert sat out in the hall while I talked to the nurse. She gave me something for the nausea, which helped almost instantaneously, after which she proceeded to interview me about what it was I'd been feeling the past day or so. The first questions were about the fresh scar on my neck. I stuck with my broken beaker story, and she moved on pretty quickly after that.

"And finally, Miss Phillips, well….. when was your last period?"

"My last- oh. Well, um….." I started to think, count back the days. "That would have been…. uh….. was it the cemetery? No, it couldn't have been….."

"The what, dear?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Ahem."

"Ah." The nurse smiled kindly. "So when….?"

My heart began to pound. I glanced up at her. "Actually….. it's been awhile."

"Ooh, okay, honey. Well, define 'awhile.'"

I thought back as well as I could and when I finally managed to get the math down I came to the conclusion I had completely skipped. My heart stopped. I looked at the nurse. "I'm late."

"We have tests, you know, honey. Would you want to….."

"To… try one?" My head swam, and this time, it wasn't from the nausea. The nurse nodded; I took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay. If that helps solve the problem."

It took five minutes, which doesn't normally seem like a very long time, but when you take into consideration the fact that you're looking to discover some earth-shattering and life-changing news, five minutes turns into five centuries. I was ancient by the time my trembling hands picked up the strip, squeezing my eyes shut. "Okay. Pull yourself together, Phillips." I read the instructions. One for no, two for yes. Glancing down at the strip, my heart stopped entirely.

"No," I shook. "Oh, God, no."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Get in the car."

I bolted out of the nurse's station fully stocked with a handful of pamphlets, two bottles of medicine, a sheet of doctor's instructions, and one shocked roommate who had no idea what was happening.

"What's going on?"

Climbing into the driver's seat, I slammed the door shut next to me and tossed my now-stuffed book bag into the back seat. When I didn't answer him, Herbert demanded my attention again, sterner now. I threw him a glance.

"I'm pregnant."

The drive home was so silent, I'm sure you could have heard a pin drop all the way on the opposing coast. Herbert, in shock, barely moved. There were a few times I considered checking him for breathing, but opted against it. He was so shaken that, when we got home, he immediately made a beeline for the basement without so much as a glance to me. There was a bottle of reagent left out on the kitchen table, so I pocketed it to put away later; I didn't want to go down there with Herbert in the state we were in. So, in the meantime, I called Meg, as promised. But she wasn't home, so I left a message, telling her to call me as soon as she was able. I'd not even taken off my coat yet; my keys still hung from my finger. All of a sudden, as I stood there alone in our silent little kitchen, the house almost seemed to be choking me. I needed out. I couldn't breathe! It was then I heard his footsteps on the basement steps. He eyed me inquisitively, and we stood there for many moments, just eyeing each other like a couple of curious strangers. My heart was breaking. And without even knowing what I was doing, I started walking.

"Imogen?" Herbert was just as confused as I was. But that didn't stop me. I walked out to the yard. I walked to the car. I climbed in, turned the ignition. For once in its God-forsaken miserable life, the engine actually turned over with a flawless purr. He called for me again. "Where are you going? Imogen!" We barely had a second's glance before I tore out of the driveway and up the street. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I watched as Herbert ran after me a ways. He called out for me one last time before tiring out, giving up and going to his knees. My heart shattered completely. I had no idea where I was going, but all I knew was I needed to drive. Drive and drive and drive until the car finally died or ran out of gas or exploded - I didn't care. I'd be fifty before I stopped. It was with that vision of a defeated and exhausted Herbert ignited in my memory that I felt my face finally crumple and I began to sob.