A silent man in a white lab coat walked into the hospital room in the early hours of the morning. He did not bother to check if the two occupants were sleeping, he had already taken care of that. He quickly pulled out a syringe and inserted it into the man on the bed's IV.

He looked down at the man's left hand and snarled to see it entwined with the woman sitting in the chair's hand. He tore their hands apart and placed the woman's gently against his neck.

"Christine."

---------((0))

Christine looked down at her husband. She suddenly felt trapped. She grabbed Raoul's keys and flew out the door, the nurses not looking twice at the harried woman.

She sped out of town after what seemed like an age, fleeing towards the budding trees. She pulled into the long gravel road. She frowned at the overgrown path, knowing there was no way she would've gotten through. She pulled the car over and slammed the door shut behind her, almost running into the forest.

She was careful not to step on the newly sprouted flowers. Patches of white and yellow, purple and blue peeked out from underneath the dead, decayed leaves.

Christine finally reached the ledge and sat down, looking down at the world, trying to make sense of the past month. She cleared her mind and leaned back on the tree trunk. Memories of her vacations with her dad floated forward to the front of her mind. They had sat at that very spot and Gustave had pointed out the constellations. They had gone out in the spring time and looked at all of the spring flowers. They had collected particularly colourful leaves and pressed them in Gustave's heavy books. They had fished in the small nearby pond and cooked the few small fish Christine had caught. She wistfully regretted not spending enough time with him, instead of insisting on spending the weekends with friends.

She just sat there and tried to see her life from up above – to see the point. It all seemed so worthless. What had she accomplished? Would the world be any different because of her departure? She stood angrily, and started to stalk back to the car. What right did Erik have to do this to her? She should be enjoying the best years of her life, not contemplating her death.

She sat in the car and stared at the dashboard. She didn't know where to go. Raoul was at the hospital and that would only make her feel more guilt. The apartment held painfully good memories. There was no workplace to run and hide in. She turned the key and pulled out, heading back to her apartment.

---------((0))

"Hey Hannah!"

"Hey love. Whassup?"

Katie pecked Hannah's cheek. "Nuttin'" She ran into the kitchen and hid behind the counter.

"Get back here!" Hannah bellowed. "You owe me a better kiss than that!"

Katie giggled and pounced on Hannah's back. "Nope! I won't! I refuse!" she teased.

Hannah plucked Katie's small frame off her back and tossed her into the big pink chair. "Are you refusing me?" Hannah pressed Katie into the chair with her body.

"Nope!" Katie chirped and pecked Hannah on the lips. She twisted out of Hannah's embrace and skipped to the kitchen.

Hannah gave chase. She rounded the corner and stopped to see Katie checking her phone. "Who ya textin'?"

"Christine," Katie teased.

"Hmmm... and should I be jealous of this Christine?"

"Nope! She's got her own special other. I think they're married."

"And so you know her how?"

"She was that one in the hospital long time ago – remember? Or has the bleach finally made it to your brain?"

Hannah reached over the counter and started tickling Katie.

"Mercy! Mercy! You win!"

"I always win, girlfriend." Hannah flashed a heated smile at Katie.

---------((0))

Raoul groaned. His head felt like it had been cleaved in two and left for the desert sun. His arms burned where he had torn at them yesterday. Everything throbbed in time with his heartbeat. His legs prickled unpleasantly. He got up and attempted to walk the pain off. He could feel the poorly healed scabs on his legs peeling open and her winced at the pain. He sat to take a look at the damage.

The prickling returned with a vengeance. He got up again and started to pace the small chamber. Every time he paused, the prickling grew worse.

Slowly he gave up on his bloody legs and paced. He was weak with hunger and sickened of the small chamber. He watched the blood run down his legs and an errant thought whispered, "Is she really worth it?"

---------((0))

"You're early," Erik commented surprised. He quickly shoved what he had been working on in a drawer.

"Yeah – I decided to take a nap. I've been rather stressed lately, you know," I pointedly answered. "Can I talk to my husband?"

His eyes sparked and he tried to keep his temper down. I could see his nails digging into his palms. "No."

"Fine. What can I do?"

"Marry me."

"No. I'm already married. Besides, you gave me four more days. I plan to enjoy them."

"By napping?" he retorted. "You know I will never be gone. You were lost to me a long time before you struck the deal. Ever since I saw you, you were mine. You will figure it out eventually. I have all eternity. You will be mine – forever and a day."

"No! I will not! I never wanted this. You sick bastard!"

"Yes, bastard I am. As to my health, I assure you that it is quite sound. Yes," he said seeing my despaired expression, "my mother probably fucked every man in the county besides my father." He laughed. "He was a businessman who left his pretty, young wife all alone so often – I daresay she got what she deserved in the end." He pointed to his face. "A new meaning to a face not even a mother could love."

I stared at him in shock. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Do not be. I am not." He turned away. "You should return. Your new friend is waiting." He unlocked the door and ushered me out. I could've sworn that I heard him crying softly as I left.

---------((0))

Christine woke to the cold grey light. She pushed off the thin blanket and groaned. She lay there for awhile, staring up at the ceiling. She finally sighed and sat up. There was nothing to do and forever to do it.

---------((0))

Katie and Hannah laid on the couch together. "So – what is this Christine's problem?"

"Hmmm... it's a bit of a demon problem, I think. I can't really See it too clearly. I can just See something dark and shadowy following her. I think it's Erik."

"You mean Erik?"

"Yeah."

"Does she know?"

"No – not yet."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"I-I don't know. I'm not sure it would be a good thing for her to know."

---------((0))

"Welcome home, Christine."

"Good evening, Erik." He seemed apologetic for his behavior earlier.

"Would you like to go sing?"

"I would love to."

---------((0))

This chapter is dedicated to my friends, Katie and Hannah, who are much like the characters in the story. I don't care that she is lesbian, she is still by best friend. Yes, Hannah does hit on me a bit, but it is all in good fun. I believe that they love each other and are as dedicated to each other as almost more than most heterosexual couples. I believe that they should have the right to get married someday, unlike the Katie and Hannah of my story. (steps off soapbox) I'm done now, I promise.

On my way to Chicago,

Raven Sharpe

(posted 04-13-10)