The Incubus

Chapter 13, Scene 15

Justin groaned as he tried to move. The rain relentlessly slapped his face. Slowly he moved his head, then his arms, his legs, and finally his torso. Everything felt in place, yet his body was wracked with pain. Slowly, he managed to sit upright. He had been flung from the car when it struck the log. His vision was blurred and his forehead throbbed. He rubbed his hand though his hair and looked at the crimson stain on his palm in disbelief as the rain washed it clean.

Blood!

'Rebecca...?' he rasped, and as he tried to stand up, his leg buckled under neath him and he crashed face-first into the muddy earth.

You should have been dead by now.

Justin tried to structure his thoughts.

Smashed into a truck.

'Rebecca...?'

I don't know how you managed to survive that, but I can promise you that you will not survive this.

Justin used a tree to pull himself up. He scanned the terrain. There was no sign of Rebecca anywhere. He looked at the wreck not too far from him. Blood and rain trailed down his face and dripped off the tip of his nose and chin. He wiped his face with a muddy hand.

'Rebecca?'

He limped towards the wreck, flinching each time he moved a limb. Halfway there he made out a shape that churned his stomach. He saw Rebecca's blood-cloaked arm from behind the metal frame of the car.

'Rebecca!'

Pain shot through every nerve as Justin quickened his pace. His leg buckled once, but he got up again and finally reached his wife. Justin's initial reaction to the sight that awaited him was a combination of shock and sorrow. He cried out and fell down next to Rebecca. She was pinned under the wreck, crushed from the waist down.

'Baby...' Justin said, but the wind drowned out his words. 'No...'

Rebecca's eyes slowly opened. She looked up at Justin and he could see from her facial expression that she was in great pain. He could also tell that she knew she was dying. 'You...came back...'

Justin nodded. Tears welled in his eyes. 'I don't want to lose you. . .' The last words were chocked off as tears mixed with rain.

Rebecca forced a faint smile. 'I...love...'

'No! Hang in there!'

Rebecca tried to move her arm. She desperately wanted to touch her husband one last time, but she had no strength left in her. She tried to force a painful smile to re-assure her husband, but she couldn't even manage that. She wanted to close her eyes—only for a moment—and rest for a while. She strained to keep her eyes open. Her mind flashed random images of her life. Rebecca tried to construct a complete thought, but couldn't. Finally she closed her eyes as she exhaled her last breath.

Justin cradled her head in his chest as he protected her face from the downpour. 'Stay with me, Becky,' he tried to motivate her. 'Hang in there, baby.'

No response.

'Becky,' Justin said and shook her lightly.

No response.

He felt her pulse.

Nothing.

No! This can't be happening! Justin tried to breathe into her mouth, but even as he did so, he realized that the attempt was futile. 'No, Becky! No, no, no...' He lay her on the ground and hunched over her as he cried. 'NO!'

I'm sorry that I'm such a terrible wife.

Justin broke down and sobbed as the reality of losing his wife and unborn child struck him. He touched her face and wished that they were home; cuddled under a blanket in front of the television. He lost the only thing that ever mattered to him in the blink of an eye.

Lightning flashed.

Thunder rumbled.

Something behind Justin stirred.

Justin looked up in time to see a claw grab his neck.