Chapter Three: Symptoms

"Are you sure you're ok Maria?" Liz said through the bathroom door.

"Yeah I'm fine. I told you it was just a nightmare." Maria said looking in the mirror.

"Well you were screaming your head off. So I'm sorry if I'm a little freaked. I mean I could hear you down in the restaurant." Liz said.

By now Maria had stopped listening. She splashed cold water on her face. "Get a grip." She whispered to herself. "It was just a nightmare." The pain from her stomach grew and grew. She began unbuttoning (with her eyes closed) her shirt fearing what she would she when she finally finished. When she got to the last button she opened her eyes and gasped. On her stomach there was a hand or claw print. It had three fingers just like the thing in her dreams.

"Maria? Are you ok?" Liz asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Maria said in her most convincing voice. But she wasn't trying to convince Liz she was trying to convince herself.

"I'm really scared." Liz said closing her locker door.

"She said it was just a dream." Michael said.

"Yeah, but the way she looked. And they way she talked. I could just tell she was scared." Liz said.

"Come on. You're not the only one who's known Maria forever." Alex said. "Don't you think I would have noticed if there was something wrong?"

"Alex. Don't take this the wrong way." Liz said putting her arm around Alex. "But you're not the must observant person in the world."

"I resent that." Alex said turning his head.

"We still love you all the same." Liz said.

"Whatever." Alex said.

"Look I'm being serious here though." Liz said getting back on the subject.

"Did she at least tell you what the dream was about?" Michael said.

"She said that it was like the last time except it didn't choke her. It was like draining the life out of her." Liz said beginning to walk.

"Ewe, I'm so glad I'm not her." Alex said.

"Look, we'll talk about this later just don't tell her I told you guys. She told me not to tell anyone." Liz said opening the cafeteria doors.

"You know," Michael said. "For thinking it's only a dream. She sure doesn't want us to know."

"She probably doesn't want to worry you guys. Besides we know not to call for help unless it's a big problem." Liz said.

"Yeah and the less we call attention the better." Alex said.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Liz asked.

"Yeah I'm fine just coming down with something." Maria said putting her hand to her forehead. "I'm just gonna go to the nurse."

"Ok just feel better." Liz said.

"Well you're showing signs of a cold. Nothing to worry about." The nurse said.

"Thanks." Maria said. "I'm just gonna call my mom and ask her to pick me up."

"Here use the phone here." The nurse said pointing to phone, and then she left.

Maria turned around and looked. No one was around. She began to lift up her shirt until your could see the claw mark on her stomach. It looked as if the wound would open up and begin to bleed. It was also swollen, and was purple. She took her pinky and barely touched in then winced in pain.

"Ow." She said to herself. She slowly put her shirt down. Then she picked up the phone and called her mom.

When I get home I'll just take a nap. Hopefully monster free, then when I wake up I'll feel better.