Species

Chapter 20

                "I heard the good news." 

She knew that sarcastic voice anywhere. She didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking. 

"Stop smiling." she responded.

"Why? Not happy to be Mrs. Costner?" he was baiting her. He wanted her confession. She slowly turned around to look at him. Patrick stood in the doorway a wrapped gift in one hand. It'd been a whole two days since she'd married Drew and life was weird. It felt weird to her to call herself a wife to a man she barely knew. Weird to be married to the "head honcho", but feel like a prisoner locked away in their room.

Why? Why'd he want to marry her in the first place? She only saw him at night and she knew he'd been to the "entertainment room". She could smell the cigars and alcohol on him. What was the point of being married? It couldn't be legal. . . right?

       "I don't wanna talk about it." she answered flatly shaking her head at him. Her face fell into a frown and her eyes fell to her massive bump. It was too big. It hurt her so much physically and disgusted her. 

He looked away for a sec. "I got you a wedding gift." he held the box out to her, but she didn't take it. She stared at the pretty box with its pretty silver wrapping paper and white bow.

"I don't want it." Nothing could make her feel better.

"Well, that's rude." he scoffed.

"It's true." she leaned up against her bedroom wall and slid down to the floor. "Nothing in that box could possibly help."

"Help what?" his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Anything. . .  my body? . . . my feelings? . . . my circumstance? . . . my emotional or mental health? I mean take your pick. I could make a list."

She stared down at her bump and watched the creature within movie. In her mind she referred to it as a creature. After seeing that woman in the bathroom she was not one hundred percent convinced that the life inside her was human.

       "Quit being so dramatic." he rolled his eyes stepping closer to her and plopping the gift down next to her. His shadow loomed over her as he stood over her waiting for her to open it. But she didn't. Slowly tracing her finger over her bump she let her mind wonder. 

"What's he going to do with these monsters?" she asked. 

Patrick's whole body clenched. She heard him inhale sharply. 

"What?" 

She knew he'd heard her. She'd hit a tender spot and she knew it. The people walked around it, even Bergita. Pranced around it with their heads held high as if they were oblivious to what was going on, but they knew. Everyone knew to some extent what was going on. She had to know more. She couldn't turn her head and let it be. She had to poke, to prod and pull that rug back.

"What is he going to do with these 'species'?" she rephrased. He grumbled and she could almost feel his temperature rise and his veins pulse.

"Shut up." he growled in a whisper.

"You know, don't you?" 

"Shut up!" he yelled and punched the wall above her. He punched the wall with so much force that he'd left a crater outlining his fist in the wall.

"Do you want to get beat?!" he yelled exasperated by her. "Why? Why do you ask for it? Do you like it? Do get off on it like some kinky mother fucker?"

     Her head snapped up to meet him with fiery eyes.

"Yes, Patrick, that's exactly it. I just love being drugged and abused. Please, beat me till I cry so I can feel alive." she spat with venomous sarcasm.