Dreaming Out Loud

Madness

Chapter 18: Madness

Mary and David shivered, as they huddled by the fire.

"I'm going to find a first aid kit," she said, as she rushed off to find one. Fortunately, there was one in the bathroom cabinet and she quickly returned.

"I'm fine," David insisted. She gave him a look and gingerly touched his chest, as he hissed in pain.

"Yeah...you're fine. You probably have cracked ribs at the very least," she fretted. He took her hands.

"I know, but I will be okay. Nothing is taking me away from you," he promised. She swallowed thickly and tried to push back the tears.

"Come here," he requested, as she did and allowed herself to be folded into his arms. She sniffed and they shivered together.

"We need to get out of these wet clothes," she mentioned.

"Baby, if you want me to take my clothes off, all you have to do is ask," he teased, making her giggle.

"Nice try, Mister. But I know you're making jokes, because you're in a lot of pain," she chided.

"As long as you're okay, I'm fine," he assured, as she gingerly undid the buttons on his shirt and saw that there was already purple bruises forming on his abdomen.

"Oh God..." she fretted.

"I'm fine...I'm sure it's worse than it looks," he tried to soothe.

"We should tape your ribs. Fortunately the first aid kit was complete and had what she needed. He hissed a little, as she taped him up and then she gently swabbed the cuts on his face with alcohol, before applying a butterfly bandage to the gash on his forehead.

"It will have to do until we get to the hospital," she fretted.

"I'm fine...thanks to you," he told her. She leaned in and kissed him, as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Hey...it's going to be okay," he promised. She sniffed.

"I'm sorry...I just can't lose you. I'm happy for the first time I can remember and now I could lose you," she cried.

"You are not going to lose me..." he replied vehemently, as he kissed her fiercely. She jumped in fright, as there was suddenly a loud bang on the door.

"Oh Gods...he found us!" she cried. David grabbed the fireplace poker and got to his feet.

"David...you can't fight him! You're hurt...he might kill you!" she exclaimed, as she held onto his arm for dear life.

"I will fight for you with every breath in my body...but I promise, I'm going to fight like hell for him to be the one to go down," he promised, as he gripped the poker and the banging on the door continued.

Emma traipsed through the muddy woods, trailing closely behind Pongo, even as the rain still punished the earth. The Dalmatian barked, as they came to a clearing and Emma flashed her light on the spot where he was standing. There was a torn piece of cloth, stained in red and her heart dropped into her stomach.

"Oh my God...is that blood?" Ruby cried, as she caught up to Emma.

"Yes...but we don't know who's it is yet...and I think we just caught a break," Emma said, as she noticed there was a trail of blood. Pongo took off and the search party ran after him.

On the fourth bang, the broken door splintered open and Damon stood in the doorway. He was a frightening sight, soaked to the bone and limping, with blood oozing from his torn pant leg. But it was his eyes that were perhaps the scariest thing they had ever seen. David had seen them like this before, knifing through them like daggers stained with blood. He may have been cursed not to remember his true self, but Deimos, the God of Terror, was definitely bleeding through in that moment.