Welcome To The Family

Future News

Disgust coated my skin since I had to behead that girl, but I knew that this morning was different. Nausea was sitting heavy in my stomach. My throat constricted as I struggled not to be sick. I held my head with my hand as I sat up after Gabe's alarm went off.

Gabe did not notice that I was feeling ill as he got out of bed and tossed my clothes on the foot of the bed. I swallowed hard as I stood from the bed. I only managed to take a few steps before I gagged and ran down the hall to the bathroom.

I was so afraid of vomiting on the floor that I did not hear Gabe chase me. I got on my knees in front of the toilet and wretched. Gabe got on his knees beside me and pulled my hair away from my face.

I sucked in a deep breath and a horrible taste filled my mouth. It caused me to gag and vomit again. Gabe was rubbing my back as he attempted to comfort me.

"What is wrong?" he asked me.

"I don't know," I said.

I wiped the cold sweat off of my forehead. I propped myself up on my elbow against the toilet. Gabe put the back of his hand on my forehead.

"It must be the flu," I said.

"You don't have a fever," Gabe said.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Gabe's hand froze and he went stiff.

"You don't think..." he trailed off.

"Think what?" I asked.

"Do you think you are pregnant?"

My eyes went wide and my stomach twisted. I could not believe his words. I could not be pregnant, could I? I have been here for multiple weeks. My period should have come the week after the night they killed Finn and my friends. I did not notice that because of the stress of everything going on.

I leaned forward as the contents of my stomach slid up my throat. I gagged and threw up again. Gabe held my hair back in a tight hold. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and turned to face Gabe. His lips were spread into a wide smile.

"Do you think you are pregnant?" he asked.

My eyes burned with tears and my hands instinctively went over my stomach.

I did not want to be pregnant.

I was afraid to say anything. Gabe was so excited. If I told him how I felt that would upset him and there would surely be a punishment waiting for me.

"Maybe," I said.

My voice cracked and a tear rolled down my cheek. Gabe pulled me toward his chest and wrapped his arms around me in a crushing hug. I bit down on my lip to try and stop myself from crying, but a few more tears escaped.

"This is so exciting," he said. "Let's get you back to bed."

Gabe kept his arms tight around me as he stood. He snaked his arm around my waist and curled myself in toward his body as we walked down the hall and back to our bedroom. I laid down on the bed and Gabe pulled the covers up over my body. I rolled onto my side. I squeezed my eyes shut and a few more tears slipped down my cheeks. Gabe sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my side.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. "Aren't you happy?"

"These are happy tears," I lied.

Gabe leaned down and kissed my wet cheek. He got up and I listened as he walked around the room to change his clothes. When he came back into sight, he was wearing his usual jeans and a T-shirt.

"I'm going to tell Dad and Mom," he said. "Mom will look after you."

"I'll be alright," I said.

"No," he said. "Mom needs to make sure you're okay."

Gabe kissed my cheek before exiting our room. I closed my eyes, clutched the blankets to my chest, and brought my knees up so I was lying on my side in a ball. I did not open my eyes until I heard light footsteps walk in the bedroom.

Jenny sat down on the edge of the bed. She had a giant smile and her grey-streaked hair was piled on top of her head.

"Gabe told me the good news," she said. "I have always been excited to be a grandmother."

"I don't even know if it's a baby," I said.

"Nonsense," she said. "You'll be having a son."

My hand went over my stomach. My stomach twisted and I swallowed to try and ease my nausea.

"Why a son?" I asked. "What if it is a girl?"

Jenny's smile disappeared for a moment. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Gabriel will talk to you about that," she said.

I was too focused on not vomiting on the floor that I did not question her further. Jenny put her hand on my back and rubbed it back and forth.

"Do you want me to make you a tea?" she asked.

"I don't think I will be able to keep it down," I said.

"I'll make you some dry toast," she said. "You need something in your stomach."

Before I could protest, she stood up and left the room. She came back in and set a bucket down beside the bed before leaving again.

My mind thought to me and Gabe holding a little baby. I would be stuck in this house raising a child that was half-me and half-Gabe. We would have a small child running around the house. A child I would probably have to chase while pregnant with my second child.

I leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up into the bucket. I wretched before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

I should have never simply lied back as Gabe forced himself on me. I should have known this would happen. I should have put up a fight every time he tried to touch me, no metter how futile my attempts would have been.

Jenny came back with a glass of water and a piece of toast. She crinkled her nose as the smell of vomit hit her. She set the food down before grabbing the bucket. She cleaned it out in the bathroom before returning to the bedroom.

"I was so sick when I was first pregnant with Gabe," she said. "Those first few weeks were hell."

"Weeks?" I asked. "That's how long this will last for?"

"Marilyn was sick for months."

"Marilyn?"

"She is another woman in this family."

I wondered how large this family was. It could not be that big. Wouldn't someone notice all of these people going missing? Someone must have noticed that I have gone missing. My parents must be looking for me, but maybe they did not care enough to care I am missing.

Jenny climbed over me and lied down on the bed. She continued her usual ramble about how much she loved this family.