It's us {Dani and Jamie}

A Devoted Wife

15
- Jamie -

"You have got to be shitting me right now!" I cried, opening the door of my truck, "What the hell was that?"

Dani followed, and we looked up at each other incredulously when we reached the front of the car: there was nothing there.

"A deer?" She suggested.

Though I could tell from her voice she suspected something else.

I examined for scratches, "No clue."

"Well, what if it's hurt?"

I bit my lip, scanning the bushes to the left, "I'll take a quick look."

"Hey," She said, taking my hand nervously, "Don't go far."

I smiled, kissing her quick on the cheek, "I won't."

There were bushes here, some darkness there. Bushes, darkness, bushes, darkness. I was just about to give up - the deer was obviously fine if it could get this far away - when I heard a shout behind me.

Dani.

The skill in which I leaped over those bushes and dodged all of that darkness was practically olympic worthy. Fear does that to a person - and love.

And the fear that I would never be able to tell her I loved her...

No, I would. I had to.

The car was empty. Good god, where was Flora? Where was Dani?

And then -

I saw something that is still burned into my memory like it was branded there by molten metal. Fear clawed at my throat. Burned at my eyes.

Dani - my Poppins - walking towards the lake, back to me, holding the dead hand of a dripping ghost. Flora clung to the other.

Jesus she's really doing it, thought my mind, frozen in fear, Viola Lloyd is getting her husband and daughter back.

No, no she wouldn't get Dani. Not ever.

The life returned to my legs and I ran towards them. I didn't know what I was going to do once I got there, but I sprinted with all my might.

I called their names, but they didn't turn.

Up close, Viola smelled of lakewater and death.

I'm not so sure what happened next.

I remember reaching them, extending a frantic hand towards Dani's shoulder, and causing the dead woman to turn.

Her face was featureless, but I could feel her anger.

She lifted a hand...

Next thing I knew I was slumped against a tree in a daze, pain everywhere.

I could vaguely make out the forms of three figures wading into water as my eyes fell shut.