Familiar

Chapter Eighteen

How had I left my room without remembering it?

I thought back to the vision. I hadn't moved during the vision, had I?

No, I was sure I didn't. I had only turned around in a circle.

I couldn't understand it - but I knew someone who could.

I laid back down in bed and grabbed my phone off my end table, unplugging it from the charger. Hey, any chance you're up? I type the message, and then pause. He said he didn't want to see me anymore. Specifically because of this happening.

I frowned, then held down the delete key, erasing it.

I couldn't message him anymore. I eyed my desk, knowing that the number for the doctor was there. But it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Rolling over, I groaned, wincing at the pain in my leg. I didn't want to look tonight. Instead, I grabbed the blankets and tried to sleep. But my mind kept circling back to me standing in front of the door to the apartment.

How had I gotten there?

***

My alarm went off much too soon.

I hit the snooze button on my phone and almost screamed.

My leg, my leg, my leg. My right leg was on fire, or broken, or worse. I flung off the blankets, half expecting to see bone sticking out of it. But of course not, there was only the veins of red just past my shorts, halfway to my knee.

I bit back a scream and a wave of nausea, and waited for the pain to pass. Again, I felt fur between my hands, and almost cried when the relief came. I held onto Dane for a while until it had passed enough for me to speak.

"Thank you." Dane nodded, but if I had to guess, he was still angry with me.

"It's getting worse." His voice echoed in my head, and I tried to ignore him.

"I need to get up." I said instead, and Dane slowly removed himself from my arms.

I waited a few moments and then pushed back the blankets and gingerly got out of bed, wishing I could skip school and work again today. But I knew I couldn't. I still needed to pay rent after all. I hobbled my way to shower, thankful that Tanya either wasn't up yet, or maybe had already left. There was no one but Dane to see me slowly wince my way to the bathroom.

I closed the door, locking it behind me, and hoping Dane wouldn't just open it.

Checking the mirror, my reflection was pale, I looked sick. I felt sick.

Not able to stand anymore, I slid to the floor, biting back a sob as my leg moved. Why was this happening? Why wasn't I like Ryan? I mean, sure he's in pain, but he doesn't have all the red veins. What am I doing wrong?

Is it the spell, or is it what Ryan said. Was my brother trying to take over my body?

I shook my head, that couldn't be it. He wouldn't do that. Unless maybe he didn't know

"Dane!" I yelled, and the he peaked his head through the now open door as if I hadn't latched and locked it. "Can you grab my phone and the card by my desk, please?"

"You do know I'm not a service animal, right?" He muttered as he turned and stalked off to my room.

"I mean, aren't you though?" I called out after him, half-joking. For a moment I wondered if maybe he wouldn't come back now. But he returned a moment later with both my phone and the business card.

"Thank you." I told him, and he twitched his tail, obviously upset with me. Either by my comment, or by my pain, I wasn't sure. He left and the door swung shut silently behind him. I looked at the card, and then at my leg. It was still throbbing, but not as bad as it had been. Having Dane had helped.