The Ringmaster's Keeper

Chapter 20: Halucination

I rubbed my eyes and waited for him to disappear. He was still there, walking towards me. He sat on the edge of my bed and looked at me.

"How did you get in here?" I said as I shifted my legs to my chest, getting away from him.

"Gosh, you're a feisty one, aren't you? We're gonna have to do something about that, aren't we?" He said as he leaned closer to me.His face was so close to mine, I could feel his breath tickling my nose.

"When are you gonna cave Beth? When are you gonna fall for me?" He said as he brushed my cheekbone with his palm. He leaned in, about to kiss me, when I whipped my hand around. It came into contact with his face and I heard the slapping sound distinctly. He pulled his face away, holding the spot where I hit him. He held it for a while, then spoke.

"How could you hurt me like that?" He pulled his hand away from his face, revealing a big red smack mark on his cheek, "I love it!" He moved back towards me and grabbed the back of my head, pulling mine towards his, but this time I screamed.

"Oscar! Lili! Help me!" I said it weakly, but still loud enough got them to hear.

"Shut up." Jayden said as he put his hand over my mouth. I let out muffled screams and hit his hand away just as Oscar rushed in.

"What?! What is it?!"

"Him!" I said as I pointed towards Jayden.

"Who?" Oscar said looking confused.

"Him!" I said, feeling annoyed at him. Him acting as if he can't even see Jayden.

"Are you feeling well? You're acting a bit strange..." He said looking at me weirdly.

"You can't see him?" I said. I looked over to Jayden, but he was gone. "What the..." He was gone!

"I think you need a rest." He came over to me and tucked the blanket around my neck. I closed my eyes, not even caring that Oscar was there.

"So, who did you see?"

"I saw the same guy that took my crystal in the forest. His name is Jayden, I think." I welt so woozy and unsure that I couldn't be bothered thinking anymore. Oscar stuck the thermometer into my mouth and waited for the beep. It beeped and he took it out to observe. I fluttered my eyes open and saw him studying the thermometer.

"Is it good?" I asked looking at his concerned face. He got some more tablets and a glass of water.

"I think you'll need another couple of days in bed he put the tablets in my hand. They were red hot and I dropped them.

"What the hell?!" My hand was burnt, not badly, but burnt. I poured the water onto my hand, but when it left the glass, it was coffee beans. They spilt all over the floor.

"What's happening Oscar?!" I looked at him. He was wearing a masquerade masks and a fine suit.

"Shall we have this dance m'lady?" What was happening?

"Umm, sure." I said with out thinking. I was in a ball room now. I had to be hallucinating. I was wearing a beautiful burgundy ball gown. It was gothic styled, with black lace, and I too was wearing a masquerade mask. I walked our onto the dance floor and got into the ballroom pose. I put my hand on his shoulder and the other in his held up hand. I grabbed it and regretted it. My hand seared with pain. I turned away from him to observe it. I looked at the irritatingly red swollen skin. It was peeling like sunburn does and it hurt.

"Are you ok?" Oscar said behind me in a weak voice.

"Yeah I'm fine." I lied as I spun around. The scene changed again and this time Oscar was sitting in a hospital bed, bald and tubes going up his nostrils.

"That's good to hear." The slow steady beat of his heart was projected through the heart rate monitor. "I'm sorry Beth. The doctors say it's getting worse, the leukaemia that is." he paused, "I'm... I'm... I'm not gonna make it Beth, I'm sorry."

"What?" What was he talking about?

"I would like to thank you while I can, for your kindness and flowers." I could feel the water in my eyes banking up, waiting to be released. The tears flushed out of my eyes and I ran to his bedside and leaned on his lap, sobbing.

"It's ok," He soothed, "It'll all be ok." His words started slowing as he said it. Then I heard the deadline. It was a blur of doctors and nurses trying to revive him. They dragged me into the foyer and I sat on the chair as I cried. I couldn't stop the tears. They just kept coming. I eventually fell asleep in the chair, still softly sobbing.