Malevolence

Chapter 9:

Please read the Writer's note before continuing to read this chapter.

Evelyn:

Harlan. Is. Gone?

As in I will never see Harlan again? As in I cannot just get in my car and go visit Harlan?

He's gone. Forever? Forever, Forever?

WHAT? NO! This cannot be happening! Harlan cannot be gone! I just saw him last night. He was healthy! He was walking, talking and still wanted to eat cake when I left.

How can this be happening?

"Evelyn?" I hear Ransom's voice, which is nearer to me, but I don't move my head to see if he is standing next to me.

"Hello? Evelyn? Are you still there?" I hear Fran's voice on my phone, but I don't pick up my phone.

I just stand, staring...staring into nothingness.

"Who is this? What did you tell Evelyn?" Ransom demands.

I see at the corner of my eye that Ransom has picked up my phone.

"Fran? Why would you be - wait what? Harlan is WHAT?" Ransom shouts, making my body automatically jolt, resulting in me falling back and sitting on the bed. My hands start to shake so I interlace my hands together to try and control them from shaking.

"Hang on, what did you see? You were giving him his breakfast? You walked in and saw him? He had a knife with him? He was what? WHAT? Okay, I have to go now."

I hear Ransom hang up my phone and he sits next to me, but I don't look at him.

"Evelyn?" I feel Ransom's hand on my interlaced hands, and I immediately flinch at his touch, unbinding my hands.

Now, it isn't the fact that Ransom is touching me that made me flinch, it's more the shock of Ransom's cold hand on my skin that made me flinch.

Why is his hand cold?

"Sweetheart, please look at me." Ransom takes my hand into his own and he kisses the back of my hand. "Do you want to - oh! For goodness sake!" Ransom stands up, dropping my hand, and walks around the bed - I think.

"What?" Ransom growls. "I know about Harlan. Fran told me."

Is he talking to someone on his phone?

Must be, otherwise he's talking to a ghost.

"You want to what? Is that really necessary? Oh fuck! How can you think of doing that today? Aren't the paramedics and police - wait what? You want me to go where? Well I - hey mom! Mom!" Ransom chastises.

Oh now I know why Ransom sounds annoyed. His mother is talking to him. Wait! How did she - oh right! Fran must have told the whole family.

Oh no! Marta!

I need to phone Marta to ask how she is doing, but I cannot move my body, even if I tried to move.

"Well I'm hanging up now. I want to - what? Evelyn is with me. Why would you even think that?" Ransom snarls. "Obviously she's shocked. Do you think she'd be happy? What? How dare you accuse her! She's my girlfriend and right now, I am going to spend time with her. So bye." Ransom grunts. "How dare she say that about you." he grumbles.

I hear Ransom slam his phone on the table, but I still continue to stare at nothing. I'm aware of my surroundings, but I cannot seem to move my body around. I want to get up and walk, but I can't.

So since I cannot move my body, I think back to last night, when I last saw Harlan.

He seemed...healthy, considering he had to take medication each night. Harlan didn't look ill when we spoke. He may have turned 85 yesterday, but he physically looked healthy for his age.