《The Sound of Water》 The Sound of Water - Part I "Jenna" She pauses, her back turned to me. Her shoulders are drooped more than usual, her frame wispy. She''s so light this time it looks as if a large gust of wind would knock her down. She sighs and then turns around, leaning on the brick outside of the door. Her breathing is labored like she had just run from the house. She had only dropped off our little girl in her bed and used the restroom. She was winded walking from the bathroom to the front door. Now I''m really worried. "Are you taking your medication?" Her features stay in that mask she wears when she can''t talk about her feelings, smooth, and lifeless. "Yes," she answers, her tone taking on the same emotionless effect. A few seconds of silence pass before she makes eye contact with me. Her eyebrows raise as if to say, ''anything else?'' Jenna is every bit as stunning as the day we had promised each other forever. Her smooth, creamy skin hasn''t changed and I''ve never seen her have a bad hair day. Her blonde hair has a slight wave to it and if you catch it in the sun it has bits of red. Strawberry blonde, I think I overheard one of her friends call it once. She''s always had one of those small frames, even after Karis was born. She just bounced back into her pre-maternity clothes no problem. Secretly, I think many ladies envy her for it. Even now, with her face lacking emotion her beauty can''t be hidden. It''s always been a mystery to me, how she''s stayed looking youthful all these years. She''s pushing 40 and hasn''t aged a day since we met. I don''t mean that in an emotional sort of way that a husband sees a wife as beautiful at every age, I mean I''ve tried to find any sign of it and damned if I haven''t found any. I know that''s a thing men aren''t supposed to notice, or I guess be happy over©¤ but it''s just always struck me as odd. You know? Well, I say wife. I''m still not used to this next part. She''s going to leave, head back home to her place near downtown. She got a job working at Baylor. Which was both good and bad. It meant long hours and being on-call at any time of the day. Why she chose to be a trauma surgeon, I''ll never know. The horrors she sees, I can only imagine. The divorce finalized earlier this year. Ten years gone, I can''t believe it. It''s my worst nightmare. Karis mostly stays with me. We decided given her mother''s hectic schedule, it would be best that she have a stable environment for home and school. It wasn''t traditional, but it worked. I can''t remember wanting to be anything other than a husband and a father. It is my life goal. I don''t really buy into that ''ball and chain'' nonsense, never have. I''ve loved every step of the way. Well, except this part. Her face draws up into a tired smile, one of those forced ones she gives all of her patients when she has just pulled an eighteen-hour shift. It isn''t that she doesn''t mean them, it''s that her body starts to shut down most of the unnecessary functions. Such as excess of emotions. I''ve seen this woman shut down in mid-cry with razor-sharp focus and attentiveness that would rival any politician. It''s an amazing trait to have, I do envy her that. Without realizing what I am doing, I place my hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you alright?" I feel her tense slightly, but she doesn''t move from my grip. I''m tempted to hold her, but I do the gentlemanly thing and back away, clearing my throat. Jenna had made it very clear that things were done, no sense in putting myself through all of this a second time. She relaxes and slowly bobs her head up and down. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just tired," she pauses and then adds, "you know, with the new place and all. Moving and work has been draining." I don''t buy it. Not completely, but I know exhaustion when I see it. "Listen, Jen©¤ don''t drive. If you need me to get you an uber or drive you, let me. I don''t think you should be driving in that state." She bristles, her chin raising a degree. A bit of her stubbornness flairs, and I''m reminded of the side of her that really turns me on. I know it''s not an appropriate thought, and I quickly flip the switch in my brain. Whoa, boy, shut it down. This venue is closed up for good, windows boarded. She must sense my hesitation, or something in the way I look. "Who would watch Karis?" Her words are soft, inviting. It reminds me of simpler times. She''s looking up at me with those big doe eyes. I know she isn''t doing it on purpose, I know when she''s trying to seduce. This is different. Then, as quickly as it comes, she turns away and walks over to her small honda civic. I''ll never understand why she doesn''t buy something better, she''s owned that car forever. She easily makes enough to drive anything she wants. Yet, she sticks with this tiny, white car. My guess is she''s saving for an early retirement. Can''t say I blame her, my parents taught me well. I''d only need to put in another 7 to 10 years at most and I''d have enough to retire on. Even if I live to be 150. After that, well, I guess I''m fucked. But I''ll be old as hell and probably shitting myself, so who cares? She leans on the door for a moment, her hair picked up by the breeze. "Tom, I just want you to know©¤" she trails off, her brows press together and she bites her lip. I want to be impatient with her, yell and scream and demand to know what''s going on. Problem is, I can''t anymore. I''m no longer entitled to an answer and it kills me inside. I''ve gone from anger to sorrow in seconds, depressing myself. What I want to say is, Spit it out, god damn it! Instead, I smile and say, "What is it, Hun?" Her eyes dart from the house to my face, no doubt looking back at Karis''s window. "I''m sorry," she whispers. Then she''s gone, driving down the road and turning onto the main street. I stand there for a long time. Long after the dust has settled and my neighbors have turned out their lights. All I wanted was to be a husband, a father. Why is that so hard? "When do I get to see mommy''s new place?" Karis asks. Her legs are dangling from the stool as she stuffs the waxy chocolate donuts into her mouth. I don''t know why those things taste so good to kids. It''s basically solidified fat and sugar. The film on your teeth is the worst. I don''t let her have them too often but today was the first day back to school and I wanted her to have something comforting. Karis, much like myself at her age, is showing all the signs I did. She has bad anxiety. Yay genetics. I can tell she''s already dreading school, her face falling as I usher her along to finish her breakfast. I can''t believe she starts 3rd grade this year. Seems like yesterday I was chasing a bouncing, squealing kiddo running in her diapers. I frown as I check my watch. Jenna was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. Normally, Jen would have Karis giggling and forgetting about her first day jitters, excitedly telling her how much fun she''s going to have for the year. She was famously a few minutes late, but never this much. If she didn''t get here soon, I''d have to leave without her. This wasn''t like her at all. She always made time for Karis. Especially on the first day of school. It was a tradition for all of us to walk with Karis hand-in-hand to class and wish her a good day. 10 more minutes go by and I can''t wait much longer. I text her one last time, hoping that maybe she had slept in, or that she would respond with an immediate apology, explaining herself. Then a full 5 minutes go by, and then 7. This time, I really can''t wait anymore. For the first time ever, Jenna will miss Kara''s first day at school. I look over to Karis as she downs the last of her milk and smile, "You ready honey bunny?" She grins ear-to-ear at the nickname and nods her head. I blow Karis a kiss from the hallway as she sits at her desk. She''s already chatting with a girl across from her and laughing. I recognize the girl from Karis''s 1st-grade class a few years back. Glad to see that Karis has already found a friend. Maybe it''s true what they say, kids are simple and they don''t think about things as much as we do. She seems to be adjusting just fine in her new desk, all smiles, and semi-toothless grins. I stare at her from the hall, she really is a spitting image of her mother. Except for her eyes. Her eyes are green like mine and she''s tall and lanky. Jenna and I would always joke about how Karis would be as tall as her in a few years. It wasn''t an exaggeration. Karis was easily going to reach six feet tall in her teens and she would be strong. Real strong. Every sport we''d put her in, she was number one on the team. I don''t mean to brag, but in this case, she actually is a hardworking kiddo. Now if she would apply herself more to reading, we would be all set. I''ve never seen a kid that could melt to the floor the way she can when she has to sit at a table and focus on letters. $1500 dollars and a reading tutor took care of it this past summer, but damn if the girl wasn''t stubborn about it. Took that from her daddy too. I''d almost forgotten about Jenna''s odd behavior as I walk out to my car. Then the rage hits me. How the hell does she promise to be here and never show? How could she do that to Karis? No call, not even a text. At this point, I''m not sure if I should be angry or worried. But in the end, the anger fizzles and worry creeps in. My mind switches back to her face last night and her words. I''m sorry. What was she apologizing about? Was it because she knew she wouldn''t be able to make it this morning? If so, why didn''t she just tell me? I pull my phone from my pocket. It vibrates and I get excited. Maybe this was her. I frown at the text message alerting me that my phone bill has gone through©¤ and nothing else. What the fuck is going on? I can''t worry about it too much, so I head into work. I''m hopeful that in the next few hours she''ll call, or text before I really start to freak out. It''s not too bad of a day and nearly 2:30 when I get the call. "Mr. Holloway?" the woman croaks. It''s one of those smoker''s voices, the stereotypical kind that you hear in cartoons. "Yes, speaking," I respond. "This is Leslie Smith from Hawthorn Elementary. I''m the school nurse calling about Karis." The blood drains from my face. "Is she OK?" I ask. I stride across my office and then shut the door. Best that no one hears something else to give the office gossip. She sighs on the other end, and then is silent for a moment. It''s as if she''s carefully weighing her words. "Karis is fine, no cuts or bruises." More reluctance and then, "It''s more what happened that really concerns me" she says. "Ma''am?" I''m confused for a moment as to why I''m getting a phone call if Karis isn''t hurt. Then my chest tightens. "Did©¤ she harm someone else?" I silently hope this isn''t true, it''s the last thing I needed after this day. "Heavens no, that girl is as kind as they come. Never seen her get upset even when she ought to," the nurse chuckles despite her earlier reservations. "Ms. Smith©¤" "Mrs. Smith," she interrupts. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Smith©¤ if my daughter isn''t harmed and she hasn''t harmed anyone, then what is the nature of this call?" I''m beginning to lose my patience. She''s silent on the other end again, but I can hear her shifting the phone. "Look, maybe it isn''t my place, lord knows I''ve had my fair share of problems, but, Karis said some very strange things today. Is everything OK at home?" I tense up. So, she had been paying attention to what happened this morning. "Well, normally her mother and I walk her in on her first day and her mom never showed" I finish. I feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I finish the sentence, it''s awkward having to say it out loud. "Well, now, that''s exactly what I mean" she sounds genuinely confused. "I''m not following" I say, trying to get her to the point. "Mr. Holloway," she clears her throat and shifts on the other line. There''s that odd crackling that comes with a landline, they must still be using one of the ancient ones with a cord that connects to the base. "Karis was sent to me today because she asked the teacher if she and mama could go to the restroom together." I''m still confused and even more so now. "You mean Jenna came up there? What''s wrong with that?" Relief floods my system. So she had finally got up there and had sat in with Karis. The relief is quickly replaced with anger. Why hadn''t she made an attempt to text me or call me back? I had been worried sick. The silence on the other end makes me rethink my assumption. Something is wrong. I don''t know how I know it, something in the shifting, in Mrs. Smith''s sighs and heavy breath on the other end. My mind swims with the possibilities, but in the end I just ask, "What is it?" The nurse finally speaks at my question, "Mrs. Holloway never came in to see Karis today. As a matter of fact, Karis has been very cross with the staff and all of the other children are, frankly, afraid to go near her. During recess she sat on a bench and talked to an invisible person next to her. The teacher, bless her soul, tried to give the girl the benefit of the doubt©¤ first day jitters, you know that sort of thing. But as the day has gone on, she still insists on it." I sit quietly, soaking in what she has just told me. I know Karis might have been upset, but I didn''t realize she was this upset. I am going to have to have a chat with her, see what''s really going on. Finally, I say, "Mrs. Smith. I know if this divorce is hard on me, it''s got to be harder on an eight year old." I slowly start warming to the thought.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. This isn''t some abnormal thing, it''s probably fairly common with children of divorcees. I hate thinking of that word, I hate that it applies to me and I hate even more that it includes her. Another broken family, nothing new©¤ welcome to America. Suddenly my lunch turns sour in my stomach and I''m unsure if it will stay put. I put on my best reassuring voice, the kind I use with my own mother, "Let me have a chat with her tonight and see what''s really going on." I hear Mrs. Smith shift again and then a sigh, "See that you do, Mr. Holloway. Dr. Norris thinks that transferring her to a different class would be helpful as well. Children can be quite judgmental, as I''m sure you know. It may be good for a fresh start." I bristle but the anger gives way to weariness. She''s right, as much as I hate to admit it. It would probably help ease her into the school year. I nod before answering, "I think that would be for the best. You have my permission." She''s smiling as she says the next part, I can hear it in her voice. It''s forced, but I know it''s out of sheer politeness, she wants me to feel at ease. "I think that''s wise of you, Mr. Holloway. We''ll need you to fill out a transfer file, but we can send it via email. Just be sure to sign it before tomorrow." "Thank you," I say, quick to be done with this conversation. "Of course," she says, then adds "and it''s a real shame to hear about all of your struggles. I hope it gets better for the two of you." I awkwardly mumble a thank you and then hang up. # Karis is all smiles as she rushes up to the car. The crossing guard calls out for her to slow down, but she''s already at the passenger door. I wave and mouth sorry to the portly, scowling woman. She nods curtly, red-faced and then turns back to her duties, guiding the others across. "Daddy!" she gushes as she hops in the front seat. Her bag gets tossed and she reaches for her seat belt. "Let''s go home, I want to play VR!" I laugh at her eagerness. I''m ready to celebrate too, another end to a long work day. Less than ten minutes later, we''re home dropping our things by the front door. That''s future us''s problem. I adjust the visor and goggles to her small head and then step back, knowing that she''s about to tear up the room on Beat Saber. I shake my head as she starts her latest pop obsession, really getting into the dance. Girl''s got some moves, just like her mama. Then I think about that and frown. I silently send out a warning to any and all potential suitors with a death threat so vile Fidel Castro would cringe at its savagery. I used to feel that way about anyone that looked at Jenna when she rocked Dance Dance Revolution at the mall arcade. After dinner, I tell Karis to go brush her teeth and change into her jammies. I''ve avoided it all day, but it''s time for the chat. I know it''s probably normal so I make a mental note to not be overly serious, but enough that I get my point across. No one ever tells you about this part of divorce©¤ the ugly parts where you have to accept and understand how your child processes the inevitable change. "I''m ready for my story, daddy!" she calls from her room down the hall. # "Karis, stop it." I snap. Her green eyes are brimming with tears as she shakes her head at me. "No. Mommy was there, in class with me. No one else saw her, but she was there." I let out a long sigh and squeeze the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. I thought for sure this would play out way easier in real life©¤ how naive of me. I really want to be an adult about it, but in the end, my tiredness wins. I try a different approach, a more human one, "honey, I know today was tough and we''re going to have a lot of those, but I need you to be honest with me right now. Was mommy really there today, or did you just pretend like she was there?" Her chin raises and she squares up to me, "I am not a liar-liar pants on fire, daddy." She crosses her arms in a huff and turns toward the wall, her little jaw trembling but held firm. I have to stifle a laugh by moving my hand over my mouth. The only time she ever gets this worked up is when she believes in what she is saying. This is her truth, and while I don''t believe that her mom was actually there, I know that Karis believes it. After a few moments, I speak carefully, "Sometimes, when we get upset we see things. Things that aren''t really there." Her shoulders stiffen and she still won''t look at me, but I sense a hesitance. "Daddy, Mama was there." Her words are so soft, they almost come out a whisper. "Why won''t you believe me? I saw her." Little droplets spill down her face as she presses her eyes together. I wince as she starts ugly crying, the kind that sends her whole body into shakes, and snot dripping down her mouth and chin. "Shh, shh," I say, running my fingers across her back. I stand briefly, grab the box of tissues from her desk and then offer them to her. She grabs a handful and blows noisily into them. "I swear," she says between sniffles, "I''m not making it up. I don''t know why, but no one could see her but me." The last sentence seems to calm her and she relaxes, finally able to get it all out. Poor girl. I continue to massage her back as she lays down under the covers. I draw them up to her chin and then tuck in the sides cocooning her the way she likes it. I massage her back until her breathing comes out heavy. I stroke her hair, then bend down and kiss her forehead, "I love you, bunny." I whisper. She still smells like she did as a baby, that faint hint of baby powder and lotions and some unknown floral scent that has stuck with her for years. It''s that scent of youth, indescribable yet everyone knows what you mean. # I''m in bed when I hear the sound. The t.v. is up loud, so I tap the mute button and listen. The only sound is the wind outside rustling the grass next to my window. There''s a few creaks and pops, the house bending in the unforgiving September winds. I exhale and press the button. I jump as the movie blares into my room and I quickly turn it down. Apparently, I''ve been listening to it much louder than I thought. The main character is jumping into oncoming traffic, guns and car horns blaring. Finally some action. I''m tensing and balling my hands into fists as the bad guys squeal next to Detective Peterson. You got this, I scream mentally. He makes a quick decision and then he''s down a dark alleyway, the bad guys zoom past, losing him. Yes, I think, pounding my hands on the comforter. The detective gets out of his car and makes a call to the local PD. He''s one of those traditional grizzled types weathered from a career of seeing too much of humanity''s bad side. He lights up, and exhales a large puff of smoke when I hear something again. It''s almost perfectly timed to the scraping noise the detective hears in the dark alley. This is no movie sound, it''s here©¤ in my home. It sounds closer this time and I can make out new details. Before it sounded like tapping, or a crinkling bag. Sometimes Karis sneaks out of bed for a cookie or some chips. My room is located right across from the kitchen and living room. So I''ve almost always caught her. The back door is attached to the breakfast area, it''s a design for parents to be able and keep an eye on their children in the backyard while they cook. We haven''t gotten a puppy yet, but there is a dog door installed. Recently Karis has been asking for a dog and admittedly, I would welcome anything to keep me company. Especially tonight. I frown as I hear it again. It''s a wet noise, like dripping onto my tile floors. Annoyed, I pause the movie. The sound stops. I''m probably just tired, I reason. It''s the wind or maybe it''s starting to rain outside. A couple of beats pass and I''m starting to doubt myself again when there is suddenly a few more droplets, and then it''s pouring rain. It''s nearly three in the morning when my phone goes off. I jump at the invasive jingle. Light spills into the room, bathing everything in a dull, green hue. I know it''s a text, I''ve disabled all of my email alerts and all the other crap alerts that come with apps these days. It was a text, or a voicemail. And since the ringtone never went off, I know it has to be the former. There''s only one person that would be texting me this late. A lump forms in my throat as I reach for the phone. It jingles a few more times and vibrates in my hand. What on earth? I wonder. I stare at the name on my phone, shaking as I swipe at the lock screen. It''s her. I stare up at the repeated message as it continues to fill the message screen, over and over: I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m sorry I''m©¤ "Daddy?" I let out a howl and the phone drops from my hands and onto the floor. It makes a loud clack and then slides to the wall under my window. Karis jumps and screams, scared and confused at my outburst. She pauses as I quiet and then bawls. I sigh in relief. "Karis, honey I''m sorry, you scared Daddy." She continues to cry but walks toward my bed. "I''m scared," she moans, "there was a monster in my room." I pat the bad and wave her over. " Now, baby, there''s no such thing as monsters." She cries harder and wails, "There is so, and it was in my room." she''s almost as hysterical as she was when I yelled. I look at the bright red lights on my alarm clock, 2:45 a.m. Best to just let her sleep in here or neither of us will get a wink. "Alright, alright" I say gruffly, "Come on up then." She pulls herself onto the bed and dives beneath the covers. Karis''s tears dry up instantly in that annoying ability that all kids tend to have when they get their way. I shake my head as I get out of bed and scoop my phone up from the floor. The jingling has stopped, but the message has not changed©¤ just a few more of the same thing, I''m sorry. I''m not sure how to respond. Is she sending this out of guilt? It was the same thing she had said last night before she left. Is she apologizing for missing Karis''s first day? That has to be it. Jenna probably just got off her shift and sent a message in a dead zone. Sometimes it takes a while for a message to send so it stores it until you hit an area with signal. It probably just sent a bunch after an attempt to send it the first time it didn''t go through. My gut reaction is to attack her, ask her what she was thinking, not even bothering to send me a text, or at least call. Even if she had to work overtime, she could have let me know©¤ something. I take a few breaths, steadying myself. No, maybe something happened. Jenna isn''t the sort to make up excuses, that is one thing I know for sure. Finally, I send: is everything OK? I expect the response to come later, but one comes immediately: come find me. I stare at the message for a while. Is she standing outside of the house? I sneak out of bed and look down at Karis. She¡¯s fast asleep, her head tilted back and mouth hanging open. I¡¯m not sure what is going on, but I know it has to be serious since Jen is at my house at three in the morning. Not that her being awake at that hour is odd, just that she is here. She normally waits until at least six to call or message. I slip out of my room and turn toward the front door. I grip my sides as I walk across the cool tiles. The rain really dropped the temperature outside. My teeth are chattering as I pull on the front door. My feet hit the cold porch and I¡¯m tempted to go back inside. It¡¯s absolutely freezing. When did it get this cold? I walk down the covered path and turn to the driveway. Her car isn¡¯t here. I look up and down the street to see if maybe she parked further down. The only thing visible on the street is the streetlight three houses down. The wind picks up and I shiver, running my hands up and down my arms. My body is shaking uncontrollably. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s from the cold, or the sudden urge to run back inside and lock the door. My phone goes off again in my pocket, it sounds small and thin in the approaching storm. Confused, I pull it from my pocket. Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come find me Come©¤ A scream fills the house. The blood drains from my face as I spin on my heels and charge through the front door. It¡¯s Karis, I know that scream anywhere. It¡¯s the same one she does when she falls or hurts herself. I¡¯m nearly to my room when the shadows bend toward the back window in the living room. They jerk, twist upward and tower over me. I stare at the dark swirl in awe. Not shadows, I realize. It¡¯s more of an ooze. A moment of insanity takes hold of me and I reach out, extending my fingers. I should run, I should scream©¤ but what good would that do? If I am going to die to it, I want to know if it¡¯s tangible. Perhaps this is a dream, I convince myself, some vision my brain has concocted from the film earlier. I frown. No, that can¡¯t be right because there was nothing like it. Only people. This isn¡¯t a person. I take one step. Then, another. It¡¯s staring at me. I say stare not because it has eyes, but because I can feel it. I know it¡¯s looking at me. It¡¯s crazy, I realize, but it¡¯s the only way I can describe what I¡¯m sensing. I¡¯m five feet from it, maybe less and it¡¯s taller than I realized. It¡¯s nearly to my ceiling. I stop as a streak of white light screams across it and branches in several directions. It almost reminds me of¡­¡°Lightning¡± I murmur out loud. It lurches away from me, diving toward the back door. My voice must have startled it. I hear the dog door crash open and the thing pushes its way through. It makes the same sound that a bathtub does when the last of the water drains out. Almost a suction noise. I want to move, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m shaking all over. I want to say that I am completely in control and I have convinced myself that I¡¯m simply tired. That the noises are the rain outside and what I just saw is the result of stress and sleep deprivation. Deep down, I know this is a lie. A smaller scream comes from my room, more of a scared whimper. Karis. My feet finally cooperate and I¡¯m in my room. Karis is pressed against the headboard, the covers drawn all the way up to her chin. Her eyes are bulging, stuck wide open. I flick on the light and scan the room. Whatever that...thing was has left but it¡¯s not going to stop me from searching the entire room. Now gaining some courage, I drop to my belly and scan under the bed. If there was something here before, it is gone now. I know it to be true. Whatever it was left earlier through the back door. I stand and look down at Karis, my voice comes out heavy, tired, ¡°was that the one?¡± She blinks at me a few times, her eyebrows pressed together in confusion. ¡°What do you mean, daddy?¡± she whispers. ¡°Was that the monster in your room?¡± A heavy silence fills the room and Karis¡¯s lips quiver. Her teeth start to chatter. Suddenly, I don¡¯t want to know the answer. I just want to lie in bed and close my eyes. I want to dream of simpler times when it was Jenna, Karis, and me against the world. I want to forget that any of this has happened. I glance at my phone and check my messages again. I frown at the phone, close my messages and then re-open them. I try it once again, and then a third time before finally closing them for good. The messages from when I was outside are gone. All of them are except for a single: I¡¯m sorry. Maybe it¡¯s best if we just call it a night. We were both upset, the storm caused the sounds, I reason. Tricks from the lightning outside had created a shadow. Yes, that must have been it. I reach over and switch on the lamp. Then I walk to the other side of the room and turn off the overhead light. Karis hasn¡¯t answered, but she is watching my every move. I curl up next to her and pull her into my arms. She rests her head between my chest and shoulder. I can tell the exact moment that she falls asleep. Karis¡¯s breathing deepens and her body goes limp. I stare up at the ceiling hoping, praying that all of this is a nightmare. I¡¯m frightened to sleep, but it finds me anyway. The last of my thoughts drift to Jenna¡¯s warm eyes and kind smile. The Sound of Water - Part II I wave goodbye to Karis after dropping her off at her new class. It¡¯s been two days since she last went. I had taken what happened Monday to be a sign that both of us needed a break. I didn¡¯t press too much, but I had a long chat with her about keeping what happened to herself. Especially for the other children and teachers. I don¡¯t like telling my daughter to lie but in this case, it is best that we lie to everyone©¤ including ourselves. I left that last bit out, of course, an eight-year-old doesn¡¯t need to learn the depressing truths of adulthood just yet. I¡¯m not even sure what is going on. The last two days have been quiet, no real incidents or weird indoor rain clouds. Just thinking that should be enough to make me feel stupid. Indoor rain clouds. What¡¯s next, gnomes, faeries or maybe the boogeyman? Karis has been spending the night with me. As a parent, I know I really shouldn¡¯t be feeding her fear©¤ she needs to see reason and logic. Unfortunately, there is no reason behind what has happened. I even got paranoid about it possibly be carbon monoxide poisoning and changed our detector. No luck, no explanation, so I¡¯m relying on the loss of sleep and added stress theory. We¡¯ve both been playing games, watching shows and movies. It was a nice stay-cation, but it is time to get back to reality. Traffic is incredibly light today. I pull into the parking garage with 30 minutes to spare. I can¡¯t remember the last time it¡¯s happened. I sigh, my shoulders falling as I walk to the stairs. For once I can sit, read the news, and enjoy a cup of coffee before the work day begins. # ¡°Tom?¡± I look up as she peeks around my office door. ¡°Hey, Carroll what¡¯s up?¡± I ask. She inches her way into the space, nervously looking around. Carroll was one of those sorts that always looks guilty, even when they¡¯ve done nothing wrong. With her brown hair and slight frame, I¡¯m always reminded of a mouse or rat. Her voice is soft, sometimes it¡¯s hard to hear. ¡°I was wondering if I could have the rest of the day off?¡± I blinked a few times up at her and then looked over at the clock. It was barely eleven. ¡°Everything ok?¡± She looks stunned for a moment, then drops her gaze to the floor. ¡°You...can¡¯t ask that.¡± I blink a few more. She¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t think of that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to pry, I was just concerned is all.¡± Carroll doesn¡¯t react, just shuffles her feet a little and hugs herself. Something is definitely wrong. When she stands in silence, I realize she is waiting for me to approve her time off. My next sentence comes out stilted and awkward, ¡°yes, of course, you may. Take all the time©¤¡± she¡¯s out the door before I can finish and the words die in my throat. In all the years we¡¯ve worked together, I¡¯ve never seen her so upset. I stand and walk across the hallway and then through the small door that leads into her office. An odor immediately hits me, strong and sour. I cover my mouth and nose, searching the room for the source of the smell. Everything is pristine as usual, it¡¯s spotless, so where on earth is that vile smell coming from? I open each of her drawers, scan the desk, and open her cabinets. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I jump and spin around. Carroll is blocking the doorway, her eyes rimmed in red. As I get a closer look at her face, I realize she looks terrible. Her features are tired and drawn, her skin a sallow color. Like she hasn¡¯t slept in days. ¡°Do you smell that?¡± She inhales sharply, her hand coming up and hanging awkwardly as she points in my direction. ¡°You smell it?¡± I furrow my brows, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s awful. What is that?¡± She lets out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging. ¡°Oh thank god,¡± she says, ¡°I thought I was going crazy.¡± I walk over to the trash. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± she whispers. I stop mid-bend and look over my shoulder, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Carroll shakes her head, ¡°You won¡¯t find the source. I¡¯ve looked everywhere©¤ even had maintenance go above me to see if a rat had died in the ceiling.¡± A rat. I look across at her and she suddenly is aware of me. She wraps herself in a hug, looking over at the glowing monitor. She looks even more mouse-like as her eyes widen in fear. An overwhelming stench fills the space. It¡¯s so strong I feel like I¡¯m going to vomit, it¡¯s putrid©¤ rotten. Carroll covers her face and steps back into the hallway. Her eyes water, ¡°please, get out.¡± I look over at her sudden angry outburst. ¡°Wha©¤¡± ¡°Get. Out.¡± she repeats slowly. I walk from the room, ¡°listen, I¡¯ll have someone take a look at that, you take the day off, ok?¡± She barely hears me, her eyes staring at the dark space. ¡°Carroll©¤¡± she jumps, ¡°stay away from me,¡± she snaps. I¡¯m stunned into silence. I¡¯ve never seen her behave this way. She spins on her heel and bolts away. # ¡°Daddy?¡± I look up from my meal, wondering how long I¡¯ve been staring at my food. Karis¡¯s plate is empty. ¡°What is it, honey buns?¡± I ask. Her lips purse and she scrunches her eyebrows together. She looks so much like Jen right now it hurts. It¡¯s the look she gave me when I brought work home. ¡°Does your tummy hurt? You didn¡¯t eat.¡± I shake my head, ¡°no, baby girl, I¡¯m just worried about your mom.¡± Her eyebrows go up ¡°why?¡± she asks, ¡°did you guys fight again?¡± Then quietly she adds, ¡°is it about me?¡± I stare across at this girl that is now definitely on the path to adulthood too soon and wonder if this is what causes it. I¡¯ve never experienced divorce, well, except for my own, but not in life. Kids always called me sheltered. I look at the ground and frown, this is probably what they meant. ¡°No, honey. I haven¡¯t heard from mommy in almost a week. That worries me, doesn¡¯t that worry you?¡± I¡¯m shocked when she starts laughing. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t fib to me©¤ are you playing a trick?¡± I look up at her face, it¡¯s crinkling near her eyes and her eyes are sparkling. It¡¯s the kind of look a child gets just before you¡¯re about to bring out the tickle monster and they scream, ¡®nooo don¡¯t!¡¯ but always stay just within your reach. She really does think this is just a game. Some secret family joke. I can¡¯t tell if she is in denial or really just believes©¤ I pause mentally. ¡°Karis, have you heard from mama?¡± She laughs harder. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re silly.¡± ¡°Karis.¡± I snap in that no-nonsense adult speech we all somehow master. She stops laughing but the glint is still in her eyes. There¡¯s something she¡¯s not telling me. ¡°Why are you asking me? You¡¯re the one that told me mommy is picking me up this weekend.¡± My jaw drops and I fight the urge to yell, the audacity of this girl lately. ¡°Karis, you know that¡¯s not true. Why are you lying?¡± Her lips pressed together and her chin raises, ¡°I am not lying.¡± she sputters. ¡°Your phone went off last night and you answered. Mama said that she would be here Friday to come and pick me up. And you said©¤¡± ¡°Alright if you want to continue with this,¡± I reach into my pocket and remove my phone. I swipe across the screen and go into my recent calls. It¡¯s the second time tonight my jaw comes unhinged. She isn¡¯t lying. I pour through my text messages. There are dozens of new messages between Jenna and me. There¡¯s even one from this morning telling her about Carroll¡¯s strange behavior. Then another message about confirming her picking Karis up at 6 p.m. tomorrow night. ¡°What the fuck,¡± I say out loud. Karis gasps, ¡°Oooo. Daddy that¡¯s a no-no word¡± she whispers. I sigh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. I guess I forgot about mommy talking with me.¡± I press my fingers over the bridge of my nose. The pressure feels good, reassuring. What like you aren¡¯t losing your damn mind? I shake my head and try not to fall apart. Karis scoots her floor across the chair and walks over to me. I feel her little arms wrap around my body and her gentle squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s ok daddy, I get confused sometimes too.¡± She pauses, ¡°especially with reading©¤ the words jumble funny. I don¡¯t like them.¡± She backs away and puts one arm behind her back and then one up to her mouth, nervously biting at the nail. ¡°Does that happen to you?¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. I melt at her innocent words. She is trying to make me feel better the only way she knows how. I wish adults were this sincere, it would solve so many of my problems. ¡°Yes, baby it does. It does to everyone that first starts. Speaking of which, go run and do your homework.¡± She pouts and chews on her nail more, her shoulders slumping. ¡°Now, Karis. I mean it,¡± I say. She sulks the whole way, but I hear her grab her backpack and go into her room. I wait until I¡¯m sure she will actually be focused on her work before I slip outside and dial the number. Please pick up, I pray silently. The phone rings a second time, and then a third. By the fourth ring, I¡¯m about to hang up when a sharp click sounds. There¡¯s a brief silence and then shuffling. ¡°Jen?¡± She doesn¡¯t answer. Maybe the connection is bad. ¡°Jenna? Can you hear me?¡± I ask, worried that maybe she¡¯s in the middle of a surgery. But, if that were true she wouldn¡¯t have her phone on her. It isn¡¯t allowed in the room while she¡¯s working. Maybe she pocket answered. I listen to see if I can hear any rustling or a swoosh. A long breath of air blows across the microphone, it sounds like a sigh. ¡°Jen, are you on mute? I heard a sigh is that you? If you said anything, I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Click. Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Cli©¤ ¡°Tom?¡± I jump, then sag and let out a huge sigh of relief, ¡°Oh thank god¡± I whisper. ¡°What¡¯s that? What¡¯s going on?¡± Her voice sounds extremely tired like I¡¯ve woken her. I pull the phone away and look at the time. Shit. She normally wakes up in an hour for her shift. Now I feel like even more of an asshole. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to wake you, Jen. I just needed to hear your voice.¡± I instantly regret saying that. I know what she¡¯s going to say. ¡°Tom©¤¡± she sighs, ¡°Nevermind. Are you OK? Is this about Carroll?¡± I shake my head and then feel dumb, she can¡¯t see me, ¡°no, no just listen OK?¡± I know how crazy it¡¯s going to sound, I know it isn¡¯t true, but I feel like the right thing to do right now is be honest. Jenna is a doctor first, she¡¯ll listen and tell me what I should do. Am I safe to even be around Karis? My mind starts wondering what else has been going on while I took a mental vacation from life. I don¡¯t like it, but I tell her everything©¤ Karis¡¯s troubles at school, the otherworldly cloud visiter, and the missing timelines and not remembering that we had texted or called. She¡¯s silent for a few seconds. ¡°Have you told anyone else about this?¡± ¡°No, no one. You know how bad that would look?¡± My shoulders droop as the weight of the last few days leaves my body. ¡°Besides, who the hell would believe me?¡± I hear a click on the other end and some rustling. She must have turned on her bedside lamp. ¡°Honey, I love you, but you have got to start taking care of yourself. Stop worrying about me and everyone else.¡± Even when I just told her something that I¡¯d convinced myself was a mental breakdown, she still has that focus and pragmatic nature I love. She is thinking just like me, knowing that I must be under a lot of pressure. There is nothing about this woman that is horrible, no flaws, she handles herself and others so well. That¡¯s what is making this all so hard, I can¡¯t be angry when she¡¯s so level-headed. How can I yell when she makes perfect sense? It was between her words that she wanted me to read, not what she was actually saying. It¡¯s a way for her to say that I needed to get sleep, eat, get mental rest from work and life. I haven¡¯t given myself enough time to heal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I mutter, ¡°I know you have a life now©¤ a new one and I keep screwing it up.¡± She sighs on the other end, but it¡¯s a candid one and somehow gentler. ¡°You honestly think I¡¯m doing this because I want to?¡± She¡¯s awake now, there¡¯s no trace of grogginess. She has my full attention. This is news to me, after all, she was the one that filed for a divorce. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask hopefully. ¡°Tom, I¡¯m not doing this right now.¡± I pace in the kitchen. I¡¯m edging dangerously close to feeling optimistic. I want to ground myself, but it¡¯s no use©¤ the words just fly out, ¡°Jen, what is all this? Why are you doing this to us?¡± I hear her sniff on the other side, it¡¯s a wet sniff, she must be crying. Now I¡¯m really confused. If she didn¡¯t want all of this, why the insistence, why the new place, why any of this? At first, I thought what any newly divorced man thinks©¤ another man. But after a while, I realized that wasn¡¯t it at all. There would have been plenty of signs, Karis would have seen him by now or hear her mommy talking with him. ¡°You know why.¡± her voice is really wavering, a cross between frustrated and sad. I instantly feel guilty. I have no idea why, I haven¡¯t done anything, but her crying is something I¡¯ve never been invulnerable to. I take a long breath in and then exhale. Ok, she is on one of her manic bouts. She probably thinks that we have talked about this before. I calm myself down before speaking. ¡°Honey, I really don¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry if we talked about this before, but I really don¡¯t remember.¡± The tears start coming on the other end. She sputtering and sniffing, she sounds really upset. I wait patiently as she collects herself on the line. This is the first time I¡¯ve really heard her get upset, well to this degree. The last time was the day that she left me. ¡°Tom, I really can¡¯t do this right now. I have less than an hour to my shift.¡± I sigh, glancing up at the clock. She¡¯s right, but it¡¯s awful timing. If it weren¡¯t for the hour, I would assume she is purposely avoiding me. Would it really matter? I think bitterly. It¡¯s over, and she won¡¯t even tell you why. That¡¯s not fair, but I need to feel that right now to separate myself emotionally. ¡°Alright, I get it. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± She hangs up and I¡¯m the idiot that¡¯s still sitting here and staring at the screen. # Karis giggles as we pull up to the building. I stare for several moments from the parking lot. ¡°Wow daddy, it¡¯s like a castle¡± Karis squeals as she jumps up and down in the back seat. She isn¡¯t kidding. I can¡¯t believe places like this actually exist. I frown, realizing that while I make well over a hundred thousand, it¡¯s nowhere near what Jen makes. I gape at the brickwork and tall iron gates, being a specialist definitely has its perks. I open the passenger side door and gather Karis¡¯s bags. A whole week away is going to be torture for me. Being a dad is really all that I know. I swallow thickly as I cross over to Karis¡¯s door. I knew it was coming, I had gotten her a whole extra week during the transition of Jen getting a new place. I frown at the extravagance. This isn¡¯t her, maybe she is going through something too. I¡¯ve never known her to get something over $1200 a month©¤ which was tough in this city, but she had a way of negotiating. This isn¡¯t just a normal loft©¤ town-home? I squint at the windows, there are several bay windows, paired off in two¡¯s and then a ten-foot gap between them. These have to be lofts, a town-home would have an entrance on the ground facing the main road and all I see is one entrance and a main roll-up garage door. Still, these have to run at least three grand a month, we¡¯re barely five minutes from the main city and that¡¯s with traffic. No way she isn¡¯t spending twice our mortgage on this place, I don¡¯t even need to see what the inside of it looks like. The weird part is this place is new©¤ it has to be, and yet the bricks look authentic, like something you would have seen in the early twentieth century. I can almost hear the blend of weird car horns and horse-drawn carriages. I glance around feeling incredibly uneasy. Where are the other people? I haven¡¯t spotted a single car since we¡¯ve pulled up. It¡¯s Friday night and we are barely one street over from the main bars and restaurants. Where is everyone? Karis¡¯s door swings open and she peeks out her little head, ¡°Did you get lost, daddy?¡± I crack a smile, ¡°har-har¡± I say. I reach into the car and tickle under her arms and belly. Her giggles are like music to my ears. ¡°OK, OK, I give!¡± she yells between gasps of air. Man, I¡¯m going to miss this bundle of fun. # Jenna looks absolutely stunning and she¡¯s not even trying. I swear she is getting younger, just last week she looked like she was in her late twenties©¤ she doesn¡¯t look a day over 23. I always thought blue looked really great on her, there¡¯s something about the way her hair looks against it, but these clothes seem like they were made just for her. It¡¯s just a shirt over tights but somehow she manages to make it look like an evening gown. ¡°Hey Jen,¡± I say, hating how shy I sound. I¡¯m 42 years old for christ¡¯s sake. ¡°Hey¡± she replies warmly. There¡¯s something in her eyes as they linger on mine. I can¡¯t help but respond, my body growing warm and heart racing. She bends down to Karis balancing on her legs. ¡°Hey honey-bunny, you want to run upstairs and check out your new room?¡± Karis squeals again and tears up the stairs. I shake my head. ¡°Man, I wish I had a tenth of that energy. I¡¯d get so much done.¡± Jen laughs leading me toward the stairs. ¡°Right? I¡¯d kill for that some days.¡± That gets a real laugh out of me, ¡°Hun have you seen yourself? I have never seen any woman look as good as you at 39.¡± Her laughing stops and she pauses near the top of the staircase, ¡°Looks can be deceiving.¡± I¡¯m confused by her sudden moment of silence. Had I offended her? A scream sounds from down the hall©¤ it¡¯s long and loud, really loud. The Sound of Water - Part III
I burst into the room, ready to swing at the first thing I see. My arms drop as something small and fluffy jets toward my legs. There¡¯s soft whimpers, whining, and then drool©¤ lots of drool.
¡°Daddy! Daddy it¡¯s a puppy
I¡¯ve seen some cute pooches in my life but this guy takes the cake. I¡¯m a little sad to see that his tail has been cropped, but he¡¯s still as beautiful as he is cute. He nips playfully at my hands and I flick him on the nose.
I turn toward Jen, ¡°You¡¯re going to have to train him not to nip. This breed is known for that.¡± Jen breaks into a smile and nods her head, ¡°I know. But you know me and herding breeds.¡± I do know. A lump rises in my throat, this was the dog we¡¯d always talked about getting. That¡¯s why I had gotten a home nearly 30 miles from the city with 4 acres of land. Which is ironic with her living near the middle of the city.
¡°I got him for us.¡± she says, almost hearing my inner thoughts. I stand next to her as Karis occupies herself with the dog. ¡°For us?¡± I ask. She nods, ¡°I had completely forgotten that I got him as a surprise for us and had got him from a breeder.¡± She smiles as she looks down at Karis, ¡°I know I should have told them no, but I¡¯d already paid and I knew Karis would love him.¡± I frown at her, ¡°But©¤ you won¡¯t be home enough to take care of him. You know aussie¡¯s will tear everything up if people aren¡¯t home. They need a lot of room to run.¡±
She still smiles at me, her eyes taking on a strange twinkle. ¡°Karis, honey, stay in here with the puppy, I¡¯m going to show daddy something and we¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°OK!¡± Karis practically sings as she¡¯s only half paying attention. She¡¯s already toting the little guy around wrapped up in a blanket. Well, that¡¯s that. It¡¯s Karis¡¯s dog. I shake my head and follow Jenna out into the hall.
She grabs my hand and guides me along. It''s a very long hallway. I look around, confused at how much space this place has. We pass three bedrooms before it hits me. I stare out across the place and get a good look at the whole thing. This isn¡¯t a loft©¤ it¡¯s a
#
¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± She giggles at my confusion and shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, Tom.¡± I shake my head and turn my head out to the grassy field. The whole thing is enclosed but it¡¯s natural. It must be a solid two acres of land and it¡¯s completely private with a garden, a pond, and a hedge maze. A god damn hedge maze
¡°There is absolutely no way you are going to stand here and tell me that this place is three grand a month.¡± I cross my arms and look sternly at her, ¡°don¡¯t you lie to me, Jenna. How much are you paying for all of this?¡± She shakes her head, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, that¡¯s fair.¡± She crosses over to the door, ¡°Come here, I want to show you something.¡±
I¡¯m getting tired of this, why won¡¯t she just tell me? ¡°Jen, look, I understand that you probably paid more than you would have liked and you¡¯re going through something. I am too, but we¡¯ve never lied to each other, let¡¯s not start doing it©¤ OK?¡± She keeps walking and I have to jog to catch up to her. She¡¯s barely heard a word I¡¯ve said and now she¡¯s giving me the silent treatment.
I¡¯m getting more irritated by the second as I try and keep up. She¡¯s fast,
I¡¯m practically panting as I catch up to her in the hall. I jump as the door closes behind me. Jenna stands there smiling at me. I spin around to where she just was surprised to find nothing there. I turn back, ¡°Jen©¤ what the hell?¡± She looks up at me innocently, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I frown, looking from the door to the spot she was before and then back to her. Her features are smooth, her eyes still twinkling. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Her eyebrows furrow and she purses her lip, ¡°Do what?¡± she asks. I shake my head, ¡°Nevermind. What did you want to show me?¡±
#
We¡¯ve come to the part of the story where, I¡¯m not sure if I have gone completely insane or I haven¡¯t slept in a week. Much like a scene out of a classic Henson film, Jenna is staring down at me©¤ from the ceiling. I¡¯m half expecting a rock ballad to sound and Karis to always appear just out of my reach in a maze of stairs and doors.
I close my eyes, breathe in a few times and then open them. Jenna is still there, at least fifty feet up, maybe more. She¡¯s laughing so hard her face is turning red as she covers it with her hand. She skips across the ceiling, running from one side to the other. I scowl like a child on the ground, crossing and then uncrossing my arms. I¡¯m unsure what to do with myself, feeling small and insignificant beneath her.
Even hanging upside down, the blood rushing to her face, Jenna manages to make all other women look like trolls. Her hair is spilled out and her teeth glimmer in the dim space. ¡°You aren¡¯t crazy,¡± she says between giggles. Who is this woman posing to be her? Jenna has always been a bit carefree in some ways, but not like this. It¡¯s as if my very discomfort brought her pleasure. "This place©¤ It''s amazing, Tom. I can''t explain it, but each room holds a surprise. I''ve managed to get into a few of them. Some are just, you know, ordinary rooms. But some©¤" she spins around, her arms outstretched, "are just special."
¡°Stop it,¡± I snap. ¡°Stop this right now.¡±
She quiets and shifts above me. A few pebbles drop to the floor. I look up at her and search for some way that she could be suspended. Some way that it can possibly be happening. I look at her shoes. They¡¯re just normal tennis shoes, not thicker than normal. There¡¯s no way that they can support her. They barely go to below her ankles. There goes my magnet theory.
I look for some trick in the light, maybe she¡¯s hooked up to something and suspending from it. I start believing this to be true when she steps away from the ceiling.
Like an angel, she flips herself around in mid-air and floats gently to the floor. She¡¯s inches from me now, her eyes still carrying a jovial sparkle, her lips turned up into a sly smile.
Her breath c
She leans back, her eyes finally calming to the Jenna I know. Shy, sweet Jen.
¡°What is this? Some sort of trick?¡± I blurt out suddenly. I¡¯m feeling embarrassed, quick, yet again, to fall under this beautiful creature¡¯s spell. How does she always manage to make me fall for her, over and over?
She frowns, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jen stares at the floor, unable to meet my eyes.
I can feel my anger mounting. I don¡¯t want your stupid apologies,
I swallow thickly, my eyes lingering on her soft curves. I want to wrap her up and bring her close to me. There¡¯s something about her delicate frame that makes me want to protect her. Before I realize what is happening, my arms wrap around her.
¡°
Too late, I feel it. It¡¯s
I scream and rip myself from her, falling to the ground. I scramble to my feet, my eyes never leaving her face. It¡¯s darkening under the long blonde mane. The smell hits me next. It¡¯s a confusing mix of dirt, the air before a storm, and rotten death and decay.
A low groan escapes from behind the curtain of hair.
The room fills with the sound of wind. My hair whips around and dust blasts into my eyes and nose. I sputter, covering my face from the barrage. It¡¯s so strong, I can barely manage to stay on my feet.
There¡¯s a loud suction noise and then as quickly as it began, it subsides.
The room goes quiet, and I feel it instantly©¤ I¡¯m alone. My eyes roll to the back of my head. The last thing I can remember feeling is my body slamming to the ground.
#
¡°Daddy!¡±
I jerk awake, pushing myself up.
¡°Tom?¡± Her voice comes out quiet, concerned.
I sit up and look around. I¡¯m at the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Daddy, are you OK?¡± Karis bends down and tilts my face up toward hers. Her little eyes are swollen and red, she¡¯s been crying. I groan and shift my legs underneath me. Jenna is next to me in an instant, her arms under me and helping me to my feet. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move before I¡¯ve had a chance to check you over.¡±
I start at her touch, expecting to feel something jump out at me or the smell. I relax when I feel nothing but the warmth of her touch and the brief scent of her perfume. I inhale the fresh, clean smell and sigh in relief. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I mutter.
She frowns, shaking her head, ¡°You are not fine. You took a big tumble.¡± She points up to the top of the stairs. I gaped up at how far I fell. No wonder she¡¯s being insistent. How the hell am I even alive after that?
I poke experimentally at my ribs and move my limbs carefully. Satisfied that nothing is broken I smile over at her, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I repeat, more to myself than her and Karis. I can tell by the look on her face she won¡¯t believe me until she checks it out for herself.
Karis plows into me and squeezes tight. ¡°Are you really OK? Like, for real?¡± I burst into a laugh bobbing my head up and down. ¡°Yes, baby. I¡¯m OK,¡± I say. She giggles and squeezes me tighter. I let out a fake wheeze and cough. She giggles more, trying her hardest to squish the life out of me. Jenna crosses her arms, ¡°Alright, alright little miss. Let me take a look at your dad before we go putting pressure on him.¡± Karis lets go and backs away sheepishly.
I know that look. ¡°Hey, honey, it¡¯s OK. Mommy isn¡¯t mad at you, she just wants to make sure that my insides are OK.¡± Karis nods but continues to stare at the floor. The tension is real.
I clear my throat and point upstairs. ¡°I bet your puppy would like some of those squeezes.¡± That does it, she¡¯s bouncing up the stairs and giggling the whole way. I envy kids ability to just forget everything and be stupidly happy in a matter of seconds.
Jen doesn¡¯t waste a second, she¡¯s stripping me in the hall. ¡°Whoa, whoa,¡± I say, feeling very naked. ¡°At least buy me a drink first.¡± She ignores my lame joke and starts feeling along my ribs.
She moves methodically down both arms, then neck and back then finally along my legs.
Satisfied, she stands and hands my clothes back to me. ¡°You¡¯re damn lucky all you have is some bruising, but you could have some internal©¤¡±
¡°Jen, I¡¯m
She nods, hugging herself with her arms.
My mind flashes back to the room upstairs and to everything I saw. I stare across at her, unable to hide my fear. Her eyebrows furrow as she looks at my face, ¡°What is it? Do you feel any pain?¡± I shake my head. ¡°No©¤ nothing like that.¡± I¡¯m struggling to trust myself right now.
¡°Jen,¡± I start, ¡°I©¤¡± the words die on my lips as she wraps me up in a hug. I¡¯m genuinely confused by her behavior. Was everything that happened before just in my head? Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be standing here half naked embraced by Jen in the middle of this...house?
I look up the stairs and then follow it along the hallway. It¡¯s all still there, the rooms and the wide opening. So I didn¡¯t hallucinate that. This is a house, we are embracing and Karis is upstairs.
I repeat these facts in my head a few times. I need to feel like all of this makes sense, that I am not completely and totally insane.
#
I pull the covers up to her chin the way she likes it. She grins and squirms beneath the blanket. ¡°Night Daddy,¡± she coos, rubbing her nose against mine. It¡¯s been a while since she has done that. I lean down and snuggle her a bit, not wanting to let go.
I know what¡¯s waiting for me.
She giggles and hugs on my face, ¡°I love you,¡± she whispers. ¡°Love you too, sweet girl,¡± I say. I sit back and run my finger through her hair. She smiles and closes her eyes. In just a few minutes her breathing becomes heavy and I know she¡¯s out. I don¡¯t want to move. I¡¯ll have an entire week to myself with nothing to do but throw myself into work and binge watch movies.
It was a rare occasion that Jenna asked for time off of work, but apparently, she was taking some time to herself this week. She dropped this latest bomb on me as I had walked up the stairs to tuck in Karis. They were supposed to be going on a mommy-daughter trip to Jenna¡¯s hometown. So the long 3 days Karis would be gone had just turned into 7 days.
I¡¯ll admit, I¡¯m more than a little jealous that kiddo will see it before I did. Jenna had always been strange about telling me things. Especially her childhood. In all the years we had been together I never met her parents. She is an only child, so I¡¯d always known she had a small family. Stranger still, her grandparents had passed away when she was only a child.
So no family, and I never met her parents. It was equally strange for me since I came from a large family with two younger brothers, and an older sister. My parents were freaking saints, so our home was always a home for foreign exchange students. Needless to say, I never had a moment to myself. It came with tons of downfalls until I moved out. We never missed a holiday and we always had each other¡¯s backs.
My parents had always been a bit of a mystery to most people. They managed to stay in love for all of these years. The topic of divorce was never something mentioned in our home.
Yeah, I grew up pretty sheltered.
I might be simple, basic some may even say, but I knew what I wanted in life. Jenna and Karis were all that I needed.
I pause at the top of the stairs, looking out over the house in its entirety. Was what Jenna said before true? It couldn¡¯t be. There¡¯s a shift in the air and she¡¯s here, at the bottom of the stairs.
I sniff and blink. When had she gotten there? Had she been there the whole time while I tucked Karis in? At least an hour had passed. I had taken my time reading her favorite stories and watching her sleep.
Her face is radiant, almost inhuma
¡°Jen, can we talk?¡± She smiles slowly and nods. ¡°Yes, I think that would be a good idea,¡± she says. It¡¯s barely above a whisper, seductive. My heart leaps in my chest and my hopes soar. Maybe this is it, maybe she will finally come to her senses. We belong together, she feels it.
#
¡°Jen, please.¡± My hand is covering hers and I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Jenna shakes her head, her hair shifting to cover her right eye. I can barely make out a slight quiver in her lip. She doesn¡¯t want to do this, she just is because she¡¯s in a bad place mentally and doesn¡¯t know what she wants.
At least, that¡¯s what I thought. What came out was, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand you. You¡¯re so sweet, kind and caring one minute and then the next you push me away. What¡¯s with the mixed signals Jenna?¡± I say her name so harshly even I cringe a little inside. I¡¯m being childish, but my bitterness just won¡¯t stop from spilling out.
¡°Do you think this is something that I want?¡± She shot back, her eyes flaring as she ripped away from my touch. ¡°Could have fooled me if it isn¡¯t¡± I growl between clenched teeth. We stare across the table, sizing each other up.
Like always, I¡¯m the first to fold. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. But you won¡¯t tell me anything. All I know is that you keep telling me it won¡¯t work, but you refuse to tell me why.¡±
She closed her eyes and drew in a long, deep breath. ¡°Tom, listen to me. Really listen
I stare at her for several seconds, my anger slowly starting to subside. Jen is always the reasonable one. It can be infuriating at times, but even I know when I am being ridiculous.
I¡¯m feeling scared, left out and alone. More importantly, I¡¯m lashing out.
I nod and sit patiently.
She gets up, her shirt brushing against my arm. Her scent rushes up all at once©¤ fresh and flowery like laundry mixed with a summer breeze. At some point, she had made coffee, when she returns she has two mugs.
The clinician in her has kicked in, she¡¯s going to be in counselor mode.
¡°Tom,¡± she starts with that annoying sound in her voice. The one she uses to explain things to our daughter when she doesn¡¯t understand.
I cross my arms and stick out my jaw. I don¡¯t like being treated like a child.
Despite the seriousness in her voice, she can¡¯t help herself and starts laughing. ¡°You look just like her,¡± she breathes between laughter. My arms drop and I join in her laugh. We¡¯re two fools back in our home, laughing over the dinner table.
She wipes delicately at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Honestly, what do I do with you?¡± I smile sheepishly at her. ¡°Take me back?¡± That was hands-down the lamest thing I managed to say at this moment. Pretty much at any moment of my life ever. How stupid can one dude sound?
She sighs, then looks at the ground. ¡°I honestly want to.¡± I look up at her, shocked but hopeful. ¡°Then let¡¯s try. Whatever it is, you can tell me and we can work through it.¡± I¡¯m beyond caring about how desperate I sound right now. The fact that she feels even a little bit like me is enough.
I always assumed it was one-sided.
She smiles and her eyes take on a sad, far away look. ¡°I said I
It¡¯s my turn to look at the ground. Since it¡¯s in front of me, and the only thing I know to do I reach out and take the cup of coffee. It¡¯s strong and robust, definitely a blend that came from south of the border. Jenna was an avid coffee drinker, she even roasted her own beans. I don¡¯t know nearly as much as she does but I know good coffee when I taste it. She¡¯s ruined the store-bought brands for me forever.
Finally, I break the silence. ¡°Can you at least tell me why? I think I deserve that much. You keep saying that we can¡¯t. Is it me? Something I did?¡± she shakes her head and takes a sip from her own mug. ¡°You do deserve something,¡± she says.
Her eyes look dark. For the first time, I notice how tired she looks. There are dark rings under her eyes and her skin, though soft and supple, looks pale. It looks like she hasn¡¯t slept for days. I reach across the table and return my hand over hers.
¡°If you want to be with me, why can¡¯t we be together? You and Karis are all that I ever wanted.¡± Tears form in her eyes. She shifts her hand under mine and we sit together holding hands. She swipes angrily at her face at the tears falling.
¡°Damn you. I wanted to be firm tonight. You have no idea why all this is happening, and that¡¯s what makes it hard.¡± The words are gone from me. She sighs heavily, ¡°Tom, I¡¯m sorry.¡± There it is again. Those damn, infuriating words. Those words that are ruining my life over and over again but mean nothing. Like before the voice sounds in my head.
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m sorry
I¡¯m so©¤
¡°Stop this now I hold my face and stare wide-eyed across from her. ¡°Je©¤¡± ¡°I said stop.¡± she interrupts. I¡¯m stunned into silence, unsure of what I have done. Can she hear it too?
¡°Carroll called me today,¡± she says softly. The hit still stings, but I manage to lower my hand and look over to her. ¡°She did? How did she©¤¡± ¡°She¡¯s quitting, Tom. And if you try and get a hold of her, she¡¯ll press charges.¡±
I¡¯m so confused my head is spinning from all this new information. Why did Carroll call Jenna? I mean, they had known each other but not intimately. What did she have to do with anything?
Jen shakes her head, ¡°Look at you. You have no idea, do you?¡± The anger is slowly filling me again. Have no idea about what? The fact that my family is falling apart? That everyone is quitting on me? What the
That infuriating note is back and I want to slap it right out of her. ¡°I love you, but you need to leave.¡± My hands dig into the table. I¡¯m fighting the urge to wrap my hands around her delicate throat and squeeze.
Carroll. So Carroll was in on it too. Were all the women in the world this conniving or was it just the ones I chose to bring into my life?
Looks like it is going to just be me and her from here on out.
This is her plan. She¡¯s going to take Karis from me, her and Carroll. Jenna doesn¡¯t have a family, this was all a plot to get me to leave our daughter here so she can take the only thing away from me that I have left in this world. What lies had she told Carroll? Did she feign to be a victim again?
I grind my jaw. Jenna sits across from me ready to bolt at any moment. Her hands are on top of the table, but she¡¯s turned in a way that she can put some distance between me and her. She¡¯s a good, strong runner©¤ and fast.
My mind flashed to before. How had she gotten so far away from me in such a short time after we left the room?
There it is again. The same one she wears when she¡¯s hiding something. ¡°
¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°I tripped.¡± She¡¯s staring at me as I finish my words. She looks frightened, like a small girl. Her features are wide, innocent. I feel like the biggest asshole in the world.
Maybe this was all in my head. Maybe I
I reach over to her, but she pulls away sniffling. To my horror, her mask is gone and replaced with deep sorrow. Tears stream down her face, staining the pale blue shirt. Now I feel like the king of asses.
¡°Jen,¡± I say softly, ¡°please, I don¡¯t mean to scare you. I¡¯m just, I don¡¯t know. Strange things have been happening, Carroll quit on me through you©¤ I just fell down stairs and I can¡¯t even explain to you what I saw when I was passed out. I honestly don¡¯t know what to believe.¡±
She¡¯s really crying now, her shoulders wracked with sobs. I do the only thing I know how to do and offer comfort with my arms. Finally, I feel her body soften against mine. She leans into the hug, burying her face into my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tom.¡± she breathes again, ¡°I¡¯m so very sorry.¡±
Then, as quickly as it happened before, it slips away. Our moment is over. Jen stands and then waits for me to join her by the entryway. She¡¯s pacing slightly as I slowly move to the front entrance. She stops, glances up the stairs and then back at me. I feel so defeated like somehow I have let them both down by not winning Jenna over. I wanted a full and happy home for our daughter.
We hug and I leave. Just like that, the whole thing is over.
#
I¡¯m staring out across the field behind our back yard. The wind begins to pick up and there¡¯s a slight earthy scent traveling through. It feels charged in the air, mirroring my own feelings.
She had been incredibly cheerful, gushing about her trip to see her grandma and grandpa. I wanted to tell Jenna to have a safe trip but the phone was hung up before I could. I guess it really was over. I¡¯m the loser that¡¯s just not getting it.
I¡¯m not sure what this week holds, but I know a few things for sure©¤ Jenna is up to something, Carroll is helping her and Karis is going to be caught in the crossfire.
Or, you¡¯re completely insane,
The second explanation sounds far better than the first. A co-conspiracy?
The house is as unbearable as ever. All I can hear is the sound of the furnace kicking on and the air rushing from the vents. I sit on the couch and flip on the t.v. After scrolling through tons of movies I decide on a drama and then pull up my delivery app. Screw making dinner, I¡¯m going to go all out. I glance at the clock and sigh. It¡¯s barely 10 a.m.
By the time I¡¯m done ordering, I¡¯ve charged a small fortune in food and candy. Enough to pretty much last me the entire week. The best distraction for being sad is flooding your brain with endorphins and a
Four hours later I¡¯m in m&m and snickerdoodle heaven. My first movie and most of my second one was over when the rumble starts outside.
It starts low and slow, lazily brushing streaks of white across the sky. Just as the first wave ends, the second comes crashing through. I jump as the sky explodes in a series of loud crashes. My eyes don¡¯t leave the sky, dazzled by the brilliant flashes from the belly of the clouds. The sky turns an eerie shade of green and then quiets. The wind outside dies, almost as if it has been snuffed out. I can see that something is lighting the sky, but the sound is so distant it seems as if it¡¯s now miles away.
There¡¯s movement and one of the clouds separate from the others, stretching down toward the earth. I stare in disbelief at the slow-forming upside down cone. In a few moments, it will be long enough to reach the field less than a quarter mile from my house.
I feel the blood drain from my face and my palms grow cold and sweaty. The tower, now quickly gaining momentum is on a straight path to my back patio. I can¡¯t move. Can¡¯t breathe.
A horrible sound rips through the air. Like a train blowing its horn©¤ only a
MOVE. My legs won¡¯t budge. Instead, there¡¯s a rush of warmth down my left pant leg. I¡¯m glued to the floor covered in my own piss. So this is how I die©¤ covered in pee and belly full of candy. I guess it could be worse.
Move, idiot
I scream as something crashes into the closet door. I almost expect it to break, but through some miracle, it stays in place. I¡¯m rocking back and forth, holding my knees to my chest with all that I¡¯ve got. I sob uncontrollably into my legs. What would Jenna think if she saw me like this?
Thank god Karis isn¡¯t here.
Silence hits all at once like a sledgehammer against a brick wall. It¡¯s so quiet, it¡¯s deafening. Terrified I snap a finger near my head. I relax as I hear the soft
I frown, staring at the movement by the door. Long, dark shadows spill into the small space like two skinny legs. They are still for several seconds and then move. They get longer and then abruptly shorter as the lines form into two circles.
Something is standing outside of my door.
I¡¯m unable to move again, frozen in complete terror. There is something wrong on the other side. I don¡¯t know how to describe what I¡¯m feeling. The only thing I can say is that the air has turned sour. There¡¯s a staleness to it that I can¡¯t quite place. It¡¯s old and ancient.
Then my brain catches up to my senses.
A blast of the putrid smell floods under the door and I nearly retched. There¡¯s a foulness to it that only a demon could know. It¡¯s a mix of burnt hair, rotting flesh, sulfur, and cloyingly sweet wet earth. And yet, there was so much more to it.
I
The suction noise comes from the other side, slow and lazy. It¡¯s toying with me. It knows I¡¯m here, caged like an animal. Maybe because it fled the last time we met. Maybe because I saw something I wasn¡¯t supposed to. Or maybe, just maybe©¤
I jump to my feet and yank open the door. I blink a few times at the wall. There is nothing there. I glance up and down the hall wearily searching every small space my eyes find. It¡¯s gone. The Sound of Water - Final I stare across the house from the living room and then turn back to the patio door. So this is it. This is what being insane is like. It¡¯s Monday morning and I¡¯ve scheduled an emergency appointment with a psychologist first thing. I have to run by the office first but it shouldn¡¯t take long. Kyle is giving the presentation instead of me. It¡¯s the first personal day I¡¯ve taken in nearly five years. Suffice it to say everyone has already asked if I¡¯m dying. I roll into the parking lot, jet up the three flights of stairs and then slip into my office. I don¡¯t intend to stay long, just look over the presentation and make sure it doesn¡¯t have any obvious mistakes. Kyle is usually great with this sort of thing when I need to sit one out, so I¡¯m not worried. I skim through most of it and grin. Good man, I think, looks great. I sigh in relief and send out an email that it¡¯s approved. If this doesn¡¯t seal the deal I don¡¯t know what will. It was four months of hard work with a more than capable team. Minus Carroll. I stare across at the empty office. What on earth was she afraid of? Why did she call Jenna instead of me? Jen doesn¡¯t work here. It just doesn¡¯t make sense and the more I think about it, the angrier and more hurt I get. Did they talk about me behind my back? Had they always been this close? At this point I know it¡¯s useless to dwell on it, but it¡¯s the one thing that just doesn¡¯t fit into the equation. Shaking my head I scoop up my keys and pull my door shut. I¡¯m turning the lock when the smell hits me. Jesus, it¡¯s bad. I glance up as people start to funnel through toward me. ¡°Hey Tom, I thought you were taking a personal day?¡± I grin and wave at Kyle. ¡°Hey man, you know I trust you to do an amazing job, but I¡¯m still going to check.¡± Kyle gives a hearty laugh, shaking his head. ¡°I would expect no less from our top guy, and honestly I welcome the second set of eyes. You never know, and with Carroll gone©¤¡± he sniffs and turns toward her office. ¡°Holy shit. Did something die in there?¡± I stiffen and turn toward the office. ¡°You smell it too? Carroll mentioned it the other day. I thought I was going crazy.¡± Kyle turns toward me, his eyebrows raised. ¡°Wait, Carroll called you? What did she say? Is she OK?¡± I study his face. His breathing has picked up and his nostrils are flared. His eyes are wide, scared-looking with a hint of anger. Then it dawns on me. They were seeing each other. I chuckle uneasily, ¡°well, she was here a few days ago before she quit. Said she needed to take a few personal days.¡± Kyle¡¯s face turns pale and his fists ball at his side. ¡°This is so typical. She hasn¡¯t responded to me in over a week. She just disappears from the office, randomly shows up and then asks for more days off.¡± He wipes at his eyes muttering something about needing a minute and then he¡¯s gone. # ¡°Tell me more about the women in your life, past, and present.¡± Dr. Tanner says. I expected to talk a little bit in this first session, but these questions are leading to something I don¡¯t like. What does this have to do with anything I¡¯ve just said to him. ¡°Look, no disrespect but I¡¯ve just told you that my house was torn apart by a non-existent tornado and that my soon-to-be ex-wife was a monster and some weird wind-beast is following me around. Why are you even asking me about this?¡± I say. He smiles across at me with that infuriating calm all physicians seem to possess, ¡°Yes, you mentioned these things, but one of them was before a head injury, the other was around bedtime, and the third you said you were looking out of your back window.¡± OK, I think, and? I stare over at him and cross my arms. When I don¡¯t answer, he sighs and continues, ¡°Tom, all of these things have a pattern. Do you not see it?¡± I frown, ¡°That I¡¯m going insane?¡± I offer. He shakes his head, ¡°Far from it. When was the last time you had more than a few hours of sleep?¡± I pause awkwardly and think. Holy shit, he¡¯s right. When was the last time I had enough rest? I let out a long sigh. The weight of the world rushes from my shoulders to my fingertips and then finally the floor. The known side effects of sleep deprivation, all of them added up. I place my face into my hands and cry. Finally, things were making sense. I feel his warm hand on my shoulder and then he places a box of tissues in front of me. ¡°I tell you what, I¡¯m going to go ahead and prescribe you something to help you both relax and sleep. It¡¯s just a mild sedative and it is non-habit forming.¡± I nod automatically and sniff as I wipe the soft tissue against my face. He reaches into his drawer and scribbles on a piece of paper. ¡°In the meantime, let¡¯s schedule another session and we can get more into the heart of the issue. I think this may be all stemming from much more than sleep-deprived hallucinations.¡± What could possibly be worse than this? I wonder. The drive home has never felt so long. It¡¯s as if my body has caught up to what Dr. Tanner said. I ache, from head to toe and my eyes are so raw I can feel every vein pulsing beneath the surface. I really want to talk with Karis, but I think it¡¯s better that I just close my eyes for the next twelve hours. I can¡¯t believe how dumb I¡¯ve been. Monsters? Conspiracies? Damn, man. Get your shit straight. I¡¯m really glad that the pharmacy was around the corner from the doctor¡¯s office. I don¡¯t think I would have made it another mile past what I have. My knees wobble as I turn the lock and stumble inside. I don¡¯t think any amount of caffeine could keep my eyes apart. I want to collapse in bed, but remember I won¡¯t get actual sleep unless I take my meds. He warned me that I may be able to fall asleep while anxious, but I won¡¯t be able to stay asleep. I down the pills, kick off my shoes and collapse into pillowy bliss. # The sound I hear next is not the one I expect. I expected the familiar soft jingle that wakes me every single morning. This one is different. Like a low drone, a humming. I roll and pull the sheets over my head. Not alarm, I think, go back to sleep. Then it happens again, and then a third time before I realize that my phone is ringing. Angry, I roll over and look outside. It¡¯s still light out, I must have only been out for a few hours. Damn it. I scoop up the phone and look at the caller I.D. I clear my throat a few times and then answer, ¡°Hey man. How did the meeting go?¡± ¡°Hey. I¡¯m sorry, were you sleeping? I didn¡¯t know you were taking another day off.¡± I bolt up and look at my phone. It¡¯s 10 a.m. Tuesday at 10 a.m. ¡°Christ, dude. I¡¯m sorry. The doctor gave me some pills yesterday, I haven¡¯t been sleeping. I must have slept straight through my alarm.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± he says, ¡°hey, no worries man. You must have needed it. I can hold down the fort another day, you get some sleep.¡± I clear my throat again, slowly starting to clear the fog in my mind, ¡°You sure? I don¡¯t mind coming in if you need me to help. Everything go alright yesterday?¡± I can hear his smile from the other end, ¡°we crushed it. They signed first thing this morning, that report was freaking phenomenal man. You added some stuff in there I didn¡¯t even think of. I really appreciate that.¡± I grin, ¡°well, keep at it and you¡¯ll be where I am in a few years.¡± He chuckles. We both knew he was just as good. I¡¯m hoping to see him promoted by the end of the year. The guy was a genius. He shifts and then sighs, ¡°there is one thing you can do for me.¡± he says. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I ask. ¡°Can you ask Carroll to please call me when she can? I just want to know if she¡¯s OK.¡± He sounds really sad, almost broken. Poor guy, I know where his head is at right now. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll let you know right away if I hear anything.¡± ¡°Thanks, man, I really appreciate it. Speaking of which, this is a little off-topic but can you have Brett call maintenance and check out her office? That smell really needs to be taken care of. People have been complaining all day.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll give him a call right now. And Kyle, thanks again for all your hard work and taking care of yesterday and today.¡± I say. He thanks me and hangs up. I make another note to promote him asap and then roll out of bed. First thing¡¯s first. ¡°Brett Manning.¡± he rumbles on the first ring. ¡°Hey, Brett. I need you to email maintenance about Carroll¡¯s old office. There¡¯s a©¤¡± ¡°Smell like putrid ass coming from there? Yes, I know. I put in a complaint a few hours ago, hopefully, they get to it today. Honestly, if it isn¡¯t taken care of tonight, I think I may have to quit. Sorry, not sorry.¡± I laugh and shake my head, good ole Brett. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. Let me know if they fix the problem today. If not, we may just go ahead and give a staff holiday tomorrow or let people work from home.¡± ¡°I vote staff holiday,¡± he quips. ¡°You would. Thanks, man, I appreciate it. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he says and hangs up the phone. The rest of the day goes by pretty uneventful. I pick up my phone for the thousandth time and look through my text messages. Still nothing. If I don¡¯t get a call by 8 tonight, I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m going to call her instead. Normally, I like to let her be the one to call me in case they are in the middle of something. Just relax, I think, they are probably having a good time and forgot to call last night. Besides, would I have even heard it? My stomach complains at me in a high pitched squeal and then a deep rumble. My first instinct is to reach for a box of cookies, but when my stomach turns just thinking about it, I realize I need actual food. A quick glance in my fridge tells me all I need to know. Take out it is. # I settle on some pepper beef and rice and then plant myself in front of the computer. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve used this thing for fun that I forget I have at least three new games I¡¯ve purchased recently. I used to be an avid gamer. In college, it was all I did. Hell, my degree was wrapped around becoming a 3d modeler for the game industry. My buds and I had won several competitions for most innovative. That was just before the crash in ¡®08. I basically graduated with a useless degree, and here I am now managing teams of people that make websites for other companies. It wasn¡¯t a dream job, but it paid more than enough to keep us comfortable. At the end of the year, I¡¯d be looking at a possible promotion and making over $200k. It wasn¡¯t what Jen made, but it was a decent living. The game fires up and I¡¯m pumped. I¡¯m a super nerd for sci-fi, especially shooters. Add mechs and I¡¯m all in. This one checked all the boxes. Before I knew it, the doorbell sounds. I glance at the camera and see the young delivery guy there. I¡¯d have to go AFK for a minute, but I was in free play mode so I wouldn¡¯t be holding anyone back. I let out a long sigh and pat my stomach. Man, that was some of the best Chinese food I¡¯d had in a while. Or you were just hungry, I think. I stand and stretch, yawning loudly. I¡¯m beat. I glance at my watch. It was well past Karis¡¯s bedtime. I look at my phone and instantly feel guilty, there¡¯s a missed call. Then, on closer inspection, I notice it wasn¡¯t Jenna. Damn. Part of me is hoping that she got voicemail for once. Then a new feeling sets in. Why haven¡¯t they called? It¡¯s now been two days. While that wouldn¡¯t really be a point of concern for many, it was for me. Jenna is an extremely punctual and respectful person. The silent treatment wasn¡¯t her thing. Even when they fought she would tell him that she was angry and needed a moment to herself. Maybe she sent a text, or she¡¯s in an area without reception, I reason silently. I pull up my messages and then click on her name. I send a quick, ''hey haven¡¯t heard from you in a couple days, everything alright?'' Message and then wait. Fifteen minutes drag on, and then another thirty. I pace, staring at my phone and willing it to light up with the little rectangle of light. Don¡¯t be crazy, I tell myself, they do live in the country. Unable to stand another minute of this I leave the room. I needed a distraction. A shower. My body responds with a slight shiver. Not the bad kind, but the sort that tingles you all over in anticipation. How long had it actually been since I¡¯d taken a nice, long one? I sigh, pausing just outside of the bathroom. Best to keep it nearby, just in case, I think. I circle back to the living room, scoop up my phone and then pad to the bathroom. The cool tiles are unwelcome to my feet, but I ignore the slight discomfort in lieu of what is waiting for me. The hot liquid instantly bubbles out, splashing my arm as I pull it back. A sneak peek of what is waiting for me once I leave the frozen floor rocks that are my tiles behind.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. I check the ringer, see that it is on and that no new text messages have arrived. Let it be, I tell myself. If you don¡¯t hear from them by tomorrow, then worry. This seemed to calm me. I shrug off my clothes and toss them aside. I pull at the glass door until the soft clink happens. My legs fold and I sit on the bench, allowing my head to get completely submerged. My body melts into the water and despite the warmth, I shiver. I might as well be outside for all the heat I¡¯m retaining. A cold creeps along my spine and seeps into my bones. My eyes close and I feel myself drift from the beating water against my skin. Flashes of Karis¡¯s smile pop into my mind. We¡¯re walking along the beach, the sky an endless blue. I love you, daddy. Her giggles sprinkle across my mind like a summer breeze. I¡¯m all grins, smiling at her sweet face. I love you too, baby girl, I say, reaching out and taking her little hand. The sky fades from the warm, sunrise colors, to an ugly grey and blue. Thick, dark clouds roll in. Not just any clouds©¤ those clouds. Its clouds. Instinctively, I reach to pull her close to my side and grasp at air. Karis is gone. I spin frantically, searching the whole area, but the only thing I can see is the tall, dense grass. Miles and miles of nothing but the tall mess of green that reaches to the sky. There are no trees, no place to hide. Lightning explodes around the sky, and an angry rumble growls from the distance. Then it starts. This time it¡¯s not just close to me, it¡¯s behind me. No matter which way I turn, it is always a step ahead. It¡¯s loud enough to be annoying, but soft enough that I can¡¯t get a handle on just how close it is. The suction sound drones on. It¡¯s now moving all around me. Coming from every which way. I cover my ears and spin on the shore. There must be some way out of here. Some way back to the comfort of my home. I¡¯m struggling to remember what it was I was doing. Something to do with warmth, I was vulnerable. The draining noise stops momentarily, and all that can be heard is the gentle rustle of grass behind me and the waves lapping at my heels. Something about the water dug at me as I stood there. Why am I here? Could it be possible that I fell asleep? Yes, that sounds right. I had stayed up late to play a game and checked my phone. After that, I©¤ What was it? My head is pounding as the deep rumble sounds again. Shower. The thought jumps into my head and I remember. I had been checking my phone before I turned on the shower. Then I sat down and closed my eyes. This time, it is distinctly closer. I know this because the spider webs of light are blinding, and the earth shifts beneath my feet. This can¡¯t be real, I reason, because I¡¯m dreaming. I can feel Its vibration as It crawls toward me. I''ve fallen asleep in the shower, and I am safe and alone. The shiver returns as I sense the movement behind me. To my absolute terror, I know that It is standing there. Click Click Click Click It¡¯s swirling is now mixed with a new sound. Insect-like pops and chitters that blend with the draining-suction. Wake up, I yell. The clicking now sounds questioning, prodding even. It¡¯s backed away, but I know full well that the demon is less than twenty feet from me. I have acted, but not in a way that It expects. It¡¯s not sure how to react, Its clicks and pops almost sound confused. I take a step forward, inching my way toward the water. When nothing happens, I take one more. Suddenly, the pattern starts again, click whirr, click, click, cli©¤ God damn it, wake your ass up now I growl. I howl in agony as a new sensation rips into my left wrist. I spin toward the pain, cradling my left arm with my right. Blood oozes down my arm, then drips to my feet. It¡¯s the only noise that fills the air. The wind has died, the lightening subdued. Not even a blade of grass dares to stir. It¡¯s as if the entire world is holding its breath, terrified of the beast. My eyes are glued to my arm. There are two distinct slices trailing from the top of my wrist down to the forearm. Neat, precise cuts. Deep ones. I stare at the blood as it pools from my wounds. It wraps my arm and drips to the ground. I''m mesmerized by the amount that flows from me. It isn''t real, I tell myself. Over and over again. It isn''t real, it isn''t real, it isn''t real. There''s movement behind my arm. A darting movement that is so fast I can''t keep up with it. It''s as if the monster exists in two places jumping between the planes. I can see that it towers me. The gargling, and then clicks continue. Almost as if this is Its way of drawing breath. There''s a waving movement, like thousands of wriggling worms. I want to look up, but I can''t bring myself to. Somehow I think that if I don''t look at it, it can''t harm me. If I can''t see it, it can''t see me. I smirk, remembering the logic I''d had as a child hiding beneath my covers. I guess we never really grow up. It sighs, breathing a rancid stench into my face and lungs. I squeeze my eyes shut. It isn''t real, it isn''t real, it isn''t real. The pop-click, then click, click, click is inches from my face. Every muscle in my body tenses up as I ready myself for the inevitable blow. My legs buckle and I drop to the ground. I''m surprised as my hands shoot out and are met with smooth, wet tile. I''m crouched on the shower floor, my head leaning on the wall. Suddenly, I''m overwhelmed with emotion. I curl my legs under my chin and rock back and forth beneath the stream. It''s long since gotten cold, but I don''t care. I''m free from the evil creature. At least, for the moment. # I groan and roll over, willing the annoying sound to stop. The jarring noise sounds again, and then again. I growl and roll towards it. Scooping the phone up, I look at the screen and then hastily hit the green button. "Hey, I was wondering when I would hear from you guys." I sit up, excited to hear Karis and Jenna''s voice again. "Daddy?" I clear my voice a few times, trying to get the grogginess out of it. "Yeah, baby. Daddy is here. How is your trip going?" Static fills the speaker. It sounds like she''s trying to say something, but it keeps cutting out. "Sorry baby, Daddy can''t hear you. What was that?" I struggle to make anything out. "...my''s good. I''ve had fun." I smile as she finally comes through. "You''ve had fun? That''s great! I miss you, sweetie." There''s silence on the other end. "Sweetheart, are you there?" There''s a burst of static, then "Daddy?" I panic and respond instantly, "Yes, I''m here. I''m glad you''ve had a great time." There''s a long static filled pause. "...my''s good. I''ve had fun." A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. "Yes, baby. You just said that." I swallow thickly. "Can you put mommy on the line?" I''m met with more static. "...Daddy?" A lump forms in my throat. "Who is this?" I manage to choke out. There''s a long pause, then, "...my''s good. I''ve had fun." This time her voice sounds different. As if she knows something that I don''t. My hands tremble as I hear the static grow louder from the other side. Her laughter breaks through the static. Not Karis''s soft, twinkling laughter. It''s something else. Something that sounds like my little girl. My throat goes dry. I''m finding it harder and harder to breathe. How long is it going to toy with me? "Daddy?" it''s her. It sounds like her. She''s frightened. "Baby? Where are you? Are you OK?" "Daddy, are you OK?" I let out a long sigh, covering my hands with my face. "Yes, sweetheart. I''m alright. How is your trip?" The silence that follows makes me nervous. I''m worried that I am being messed with again when I hear, "Oh. It was good. I told you that a long time ago." I sit up. "A long time ago?" She sighs really loud, "yes," she says, "like, a long time ago." I''m immediately alarmed and confused. I glance at the date on my phone, then bring it back to my ear. "When did you talk to daddy about the trip?" I can hear her fidgeting on the other line. "Daddy?" My stomach twists, "yes, baby?" "When are you going to come to get me?" I frown at how small and scared she sounds. "I can come now if you want." I tear up as I hear her start crying on the other end. "Honey? Don''t cry. I''ll come over, right now." I hear a few more gasps and then the phone goes quiet. Confused, I immediately dial Jenna''s number. It goes straight to voicemail. I roll out of bed and throw on my clothes. # I''m in Jenna''s driveway, tearing across the parking lot when my phone goes off. I pull it out frantically, then frown at the screen. It''s the same number from last night. I swipe it to go to voicemail and beat on the door. I wait. Thirty seconds go by, then a minute. I''m not sure if she has heard me. This time, I knock louder. I take a step back and yell, "Jenna, it''s me." Thirty more seconds, still there is only silence. My phone jingles and I look at the message that''s popped up: Voicemail 00:31 Maybe it was work. I am supposed to be in this morning. I look at the time and frown. Not this early, it''s barely 7:30 in the morning. The office won''t be open for another thirty minutes. Probably a telemarketer or scam. No one calls me. Except Jenna. I try the door again and gasp as it pops open. I stare as it slowly comes back toward me and snaps shut. I try the knob, and it easily swings open. "Hello?" I call inside. I hesitate at the entrance, unsure of what I should do. I didn''t want to intrude. Maybe I''m just overreacting. Suddenly, I''m embarrassed. What if Karis is just having a moment and I read too much into it? "Jen? You here?" I glance around the living room and then over to the stairs. A thin streak of red lines the stairs all the way to the top. Now I''m really worried. I''m very aware that the only thing I have is the clothes on my back, and my phone. What if someone else is here? What if they have a gun? I ease the door closed and quickly run over to the kitchen. Without thinking, I reach above the refrigerator in the cabinet. Strapped right where it was in our house is Jen''s gun. I rip it out and check the clip, exactly fifteen bullets are still there. She hasn''t had a chance to use it. I pull back, getting one bullet in the chamber and turn toward the stairs. I jump as the phone vibrates in my pocket. Jesus, I swear silently, Good thing I didn''t have my finger on the trigger. I edge up against the wall and look at my caller I.D. The same number is calling me. Maybe I should go outside and answer it. Maybe it''s Jenna. I sneak back outside and manage to answer on the last ring. "Hello?" I say quietly, not wanting to alert anyone that may be inside. "Jesus, dude. You''re hard to get a hold of. Did you get my message?" I relax at Kyle''s voice. "No, sorry man. I had to run and pick up kiddo early this morning. I may be bringing her into work today." There''s a slight pause on the other end. "You getting to see her again?" I frown, "Yeah, why wouldn''t I?" "I don''t know man, there was a lot of...you know. With you and Jenna." I sigh. Oh right, he wouldn''t have known about the agreement between me and her recently. "Oh, yeah that all got worked out. So, what''s going on?" He cleared his throat, "well, turns out they found something in Carroll''s office. They are shutting down the whole office for the day. I just wanted to let you know to not come in." "They found something?" I ask. "Yeah, they think an animal might have crawled up between the floorboards and died. They hired a crew to come in and clean it up." "Oh, OK." I say. "I appreciate you letting me know. We all coming back in tomorrow?" I look over at the door. It''s still propped open, no Jenna in sight. "Yeah, it shouldn''t take too long. The crew actually got here about twenty minutes ago. I just wanted to catch you before you left." "Alright," I answer, "thanks again, man. I''ll see you tomorrow." He mutters something and then we both hang up. Good. That means I can see what the hell is going on. Hopefully, Jen is just upstairs and can''t hear me. My mind goes back to the first time I saw her in this place©¤ the way her skin moved beneath my touch. Her long, unnatural stride. I glanced up as a dark cloud rolled over the sun, bathing the area in an eerie green light. Again, I pause by the door. What if this is a trap? What if...It is in there, waiting for me to walk right into Its trap. Is Jenna a part of it? I started thinking about how different she had been acting lately. This huge, expensive looking home. How young she looked the last time I saw her. Tom, I just want you to know©¤ I''m sorry. I stare into the house as I push open the door. What are you sorry for? I wonder for the thousandth time. Sorry that you tore us all apart? I climb the stairs, the gun weighing heavy in my right hand. I peek into Karis''s room, then double check the hallway. It''s quiet as ever. The sun shines for a moment, bathing the room in a warm glow. It''s a peaceful feeling, almost safe. I know why she loves this space. It''s completely open. You can see the entire house from up here and most of the kitchen. Jenna always hated walls. The sun slips back behind the clouds and the putrid green is back. I take a deep breath and push on Karis''s door. It makes contact with something and stops. Something solid. I grunt and push harder. A loud whimper comes from behind the door. I pause, crouch down and call softly, "here boy, come here." Another whimper. I look down the hall again and then back to Karis''s door. It''s wide enough for me to squeeze through. I have to make a decision. I look into her room. Her bed has been made and everything is neat. It looks as if she hasn''t even been here. I reach in and grasp at the door handle. The whimper gets louder and I feel something jump on the door. There''s a soft woof and then another whine. I feel around until I grip something tangled around the door. It feels like©¤ I pull it off the handle and then bring it around the door. The lump on the end hobbles toward me and then the dog is suddenly in front of the door. He''s been completely tangled in the leash, no doubt trying to get out of the room and then shutting himself in. He nips at me as I untie it from around his neck, and then shoulders. It doesn''t hurt, I can tell he''s just scared. I coo down at him, running my hands behind his ears and neck. He whines but allows it, desperate for human contact. I pick him up and take him downstairs. I''m reluctant to tie him up, but I need him to stay out of the way while I search for Jen and Karis. I fill a bowl of water and another with a little bit of food. He doesn''t seem to take notice as I hook the leash around the table and tie it off. He''s happily chowing down on the food as I climb the stairs. Now I''m really worried. Jen never mistreats animals or leaves them alone for longer than a few minutes. The dog would have been with her, or in the back room where he could go outside and then back into his crate. I glance down at my arms and gasp. They''re covered in blood. A quick glance tells me it''s not my own. It must be from the dog. I want to run and check his injuries, but I need to find them first. I''m at full speed. If someone is still in the house, they would have attacked me by now. Or got out. I''m being incredibly stupid, but I need to know. Fuck it. "Jenna?" I burst into Karis''s room. I drop to look under her bed and then search her closet. They all turn up empty. "Karis? Honey, are you OK?" I scream through the hallway, busting down every door on the way to Jenna''s room. Empty, empty, fucking empty. My phone goes off just as I round the corner. Jenna''s room is a few feet away. I halt at the entrance. It''s then that I notice all the water. It''s pooling into the room. My phone hums several times as I trace the source back to the right. The door is closed. My lip trembles as my knees wobble, threatening to buckle beneath me. I can''t breathe. Can''t move. I''m vaguely aware that my phone is going off again. I stare at the silver door handle. My own reflection is small, weak. Jesus, I look so small. My hand trembles as I reach for the phone. It''s buzzing again, this time with a voicemail. I know what is waiting for me behind that door. I bring the phone up to my head and play back the message. "You sick son-of-a-bitch. I know it was you. I KNOW IT WAS YOU©¤ Do you know how they found her?" The phone drops from my hands. There''s more screaming and yelling, but I can''t make it out. I don''t want to do what my legs are doing, but they won''t stop. I''m in another person''s body opening the door. All I wanted was to be a husband, a father. I stagger into the room and reach for the handles to turn off the water. I stare down, numb. I can hardly move. I don''t want to move©¤ I don''t want to look. Her delicate, pale hand is cradled by a smaller hand resting on the side of the tub. Karis is laid across Jenna, curled in a fetal position. They look so beautiful, it''s as if they were asleep. I jump as Jenna''s eyes flash open and she smiles. She grins lovingly up at me as she cradles Karis in her arms. My wife, my beautiful wife is back. I cry, holding the two in my arms. The drain sounds, swirling and whirling around us. The room darkens as rain pelts against the glass. I feel Jenna wrap her hand around my own and pull me back toward them. She smiles, wrapping her hand against mine. I''ve missed her touch so much, how I''ve longed to just be here in her arms. She caresses my cheek, then runs the length of my arm down toward the gun. I cradle the other side of her, Karis positioned in my lap. I felt her hand in mine as she guided my hand up to my mouth. Her blues were so perfectly calm, her skin smooth as silk against mine. I stare into them as I hold her and Karis. I feel her squeeze my finger and I close my eyes. Finally we''re together again, a whole, happy family.