These Demons

Chapter Eleven

Crow runs up to me and jumps on my lap when I open the car door, obviously happy that I'm back.

"He sometimes gets those moods when he wants to cuddle all day," I tell Zoe who looks surprised. "Femme doesn't. She's just a fat bitchy cat that never wants to have anything to do with me." Just like her former owner... Except that that one is so skinny that I hate her for it.

I pick my boy up and put him on the pavement which he reacts to by meowing in a complaining way, and when I straighten by back, I lose my balance once again and can only keep me from falling by holding on to the car next to me.

"I told you you're not alright," Zoe says and shuts her door.

"I am. I just wish we'd picked up my fucking car," I snap and prove to her how fine I am by marching to the front door with fast and strong steps without minding that I can barely feel the feet I'm walking on.

"Be careful, soldier," she calls after me before she follows and I get my keys from my pocket. Unlocking is as difficult as it would be if I were drunk, but I manage and it swings open. Showing how fine I am like a stubborn child, I burst inside and head for the kitchen to get my diet coke when the trembling worsens. I try to keep going, but my vision blurs.

My stomach feels sick even though I haven't eaten anything, and I can't see. I want to get to the nearest wall to have something to keep me from falling again, but when I try to walk, my feet go numb completely. I stare down in disbelief, feeling like I've just been paralyzed, and before I can react to my body's uncontrolled actions, the dancing dots take over and everything goes black without giving me the chance to process what just happened.

But this time, it happens for longer than just the blink of an eye.

**it's short, but the next one will be longer!!**