I was feeling a bit random when I wrote this chapter (and like I wasn't for the past several chapters?). I'm so close to the end I can taste it, all I'm doing now is working on how to set up for the ending. And that is turning out to be harder than I expected. But I can assure you, at least one more person will die before this story ends.

Chapter 42: It's Mary's Scythe Now

Jack awoke to a wonderful smell of breakfast cooking. He sat up and winced in pain. The nightmare came back to him in a rush. But, he thought with a sigh, it was a nightmare, and nothing more. Then why did his body still feel the pain of every malicious blow that had been dealt to him? Why was the dream so crystal clear that he could replay even the most minute detail in vivid color? It felt so real, more so than reality itself, yet why did he not have a single wound upon his miserable body? It couldn't have been more than a dream.

"I see that my one true love has finally awakened from his timeless slumber, and now that he hath done so, we will be able to live happily ever after."

Jack's head hurt to much to try and figure that out, "Err... What?"

Mary let out an exasperated sigh, "Asleep. You've been asleep for a long time. It's almost noon. I figured you would wake up soon so I made you breakfast."

Jack groaned and got out of bed, doing his best to ignore the pain, "Thanks." He placed a foot on the ground and tried to put his weight upon it, but quickly pulled it back as he yelped out in pain.

Mary rushed over to his side and put her arms around him, "What are you doing? What's wrong?"

Jack's face was all screwed up in pain, "It hurts, what does it look like?"

Mary carefully helped Jack lie back down in bed, "I can't believe I didn't listen to you last night when you said you were hurting. I should have listened. Who knows what could be wrong with you? I don't want you to die."

"Mary, it's okay."

"No it's not. Anything could be wrong with you, something deadly even. You might have a damaged internal organ or something."

"I'm fine Mary," Jack lied.

"No you're not. I'm going to go get the doctor right now and bring him down here."

Jack tried to get up but Mary held him down with little effort, "I need to get on with my patrols. If it will make you feel better, I'll stop by the hospital and get the doctor to take a quick look at me."

"You will do no such think Jack." Mary took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone, "I love you, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I will do your patrols today, and you are going to stay in bed." She went and retrieved Jack's scythe from next to the door where she had brought it inside this morning.

"You can't Mary."

"I can and I will. You are in no shape to be going anywhere. Please try to rest while I get the doctor. You can trust that the town will be safe in my hands."

Jack sighed in submission, "Your right hand is too high up."

"What?"

"The way you are holding the scythe. Lower your right hand some. You will hit yourself on the side of the head if you tried to swing it holding it like that."

Mary adjusted her grip, "Like this?"

Jack smiled, "Like that Mary."