My Mother in Law

Pneumonia and New Threats

That state when you're sleeping but not sleeping; REM my therapist told me later. That was what I was in. Because my body was tired, I wanted to rest, but my brain kept telling me this was not where I was supposed to. So I heard and felt, snip-snaps of conversations around me as I tried to determine where I was.

I definitely knew I wasn't in a bed, my head was rested in the crux of my elbows and I was on a chair. There was chaos around me.

"Ma'am, wake up please. My lecture room is not a place for napping!" It was an irritated voice, and I couldn't help but feel as if it was directed at me.

I suddenly became more aware of my surroundings but my eyes were still shut, desperate to catch some relief from my never ending exhaustion.

"Sir, please wake her up." The voice spoke again. It sounded familiar. Was I in class? Shit I should really wake up.

Before I could react, I felt an arm slither around my waist and a hot breath fan my neck. "Wake up sweetheart," it was a deep voice, one that made me shudder, that made me shoot up immediately.

I looked around, trying to orientate myself, rubbing my eyes a few times. When my vision did get clearer, I found everyone's eyes on me. What the hell?

I flipped my hair to the side and picked up my back in a frenzy, not too thrilled with the attention. I didn't know where I was going, I just needed to get away from this class, I'll just take notes from someone else later, physics is easy.

I hadn't gotten a blink of sleep yesterday and was fully planning to compensate. Just as I was heading out, the bell rang, interrupting Professor Anderson's attempts of stopping me. I know, pathetic that we still had a bell in college.

As everyone filled the hallways, I bumped into someone, splattering my books and stationary all over the floor. I immediately crouched down to retrieve them before anyone stepped on them.

I saw a pair of hands join mine but only froze when I heard that voice.

"I'm sorry, wasn't looking where I was going."

I raised my eyes and met these blue ones. I recognized him as the guy who woke me up in class, inappropriately might I add. I hurried in collecting my stuff and took mine from him.

"It's fine. Thanks."

He scratched his neck like he wanted to say something else, but I didn't give him a chance. I pushed right passed him. I don't know why but I got bad vibes from him. I walked a good distance and glanced over my shoulder to see if he was following me.

He wasn't, but was still standing where I left him. Giving me a cold smirk that clearly spoke, "Nice one, but I will catch you next time." And something in me just snapped. I felt terrified.

Little did I know his silent threat was not an empty one. And when it later came...

It was my undoing.

I woke up with a startle, a heavy weight on my chest. Mike Langdon. A name that will forever haunt my dreams. The man who taints my past. The more I thought about it, the heavier the weight in my chest became.

Then I noticed that it wasn't only heavy, but also hot, almost made me think it was... physical?

I looked down in my laying position at my chest, only to be met with a head of hair. The memories of last night came flying back.

Zachary!

Gently pushing his head off my chest, I touched his forehead, it was scathing. And his breathing was too heavy, eyebrows furrowed like he was in pain. I didn't have a thermometer but I could tell that his temperature was at a dangerous level.