Versed

XIII

Eric's POV

For a moment I'm sitting in this dark cold room and across the way I see something light up. It disappears leaving me in darkness once again. I can hear the hospital monitor beep and the sound is irritating. There it is, the monitor is there it's beeping. I'm trying to shut it off but it won't turn off and like a bad dream she hovers over my shoulder, Aurora with her bold red lipstick is at my side chuckling along side me.

"You do know she never wanted this."

"She could get better." I tell her.

"And she wouldn't want to live like this." I say nothing, hoping to ignore her but she continues her taunting. "Your little wife is awfully distracted. Perhaps she's grown tired of your games."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You're playing this game you've always wanted to play but truthfully you don't want this life Eric. You are too much like Mags and myself destined to live this life through many partners."

Ready to strangle her I find my hands around her throat and she doesn't scream, nor is she afraid. She likes my hands around her throat she's daring me to do it but I couldn't. Leaving her I find myself back in a dark room and it's freezing and there's that stupid fucking beeping. I holler at it to shut up but only to have the sound of the flatline humming in my ears instead.

"Maggs! I'm so sorry!"

Maia comes up behind me grabbing onto me her hands pulling on my clothes. "Maia!"

She flinches at me but then she's coming closer. I blink and she's Aurora, I blink she's Maia, again I blink and she's back to Aurora. Her lips move in slow motion and the words leave her lips in a frustrating pace. "You'll always be alone." I wrap my hands around her neck, I blink and she's Maia, choking in my hands begging me to stop.

I wake up in bed alone and I'm replaying the scenes of my grandmother's passing and I can't escape it. I'm dreaming of the only two other women left in my life and I'm killing them. I'm finding it hard to breathe, it's like I'm suffocating. I did this to Maggs, she's dead because of me. I took her too soon, she could've made it. If I had left her on the machine perhaps she could be here now.

I get myself up out of this bed, I just need to get out of this house. I just need a change of scenery. I should go into the restaurant but I can't even think about cooking. If I leave where the fuck will I go? After brushing my teeth I put on some socks and sneakers making a break for the front door. Maia comes in through the front door, she's sweating in a sports bra and leggings. More importantly she's smiling, I don't think I've seen her smile since our getaway. My heart aches slightly just recalling it. I was with her there, while Maggs was here dying. I look away from her not wanting to recall any of this. I can't blame the fucking trip. That was the best thing that ever could have happened for Maia and myself. I can't even form any functional thing to say. Just thinking about what to say is my chest right. Fuck, I need to get out of here I can't fucking breathe.

Maia's POV

As I'm sitting here in this house I feel myself slipping into my adolescent ways of doubt and self loathing. Eric got up out the bed which is great. He's in sweatpants, that's not typical but at least he has clothes on and he went out. What's really fucking with my mind is I came back in from my run only to find him staring at me like a deer in a headlight. Then he just runs out right past me like he can't be in the same room as me. I find myself repeating the mantra in my head, 'I am a bad bitch and I can do bad all by myself.' But not even a kiss goodbye, he's giving me nothing and I'm trying to empathize but he's hurting me in this process. Today of all days, I could really use just a bit of comfort and consoling.