Martha was frozen.  She wanted to scream.  The figure didn’t move.  It stood between her and her only way out.  Her scream wouldn’t come out of her mouth. All she could do was stand still and pretend like the figure couldn't see her, like a rabbit and its predator.

She squeezed her eyes shut hoping she was dreaming again, but when she opened then the figure had come closer to her.  She squeezed her eyes again. This time she didn’t open them. It had to be a dream. The figure couldn’t make it past Jasper, unless it came through the window when he left the room.

“Martha, are you OK?”  Martha opened her eyes slightly and saw Jasper standing behind her in the bathroom doorway.  Her eyes were playing a trick on her. She was so psyched out by what’s been happening that she was hallucinating.  How can this be happening to her when just two days ago her life was pretty close to perfect.

“Yeah. I just thought I saw something.  It must be the bump on my head. I should go and lay down again.  Rest is the best medicine.” She tried to sound positive, but it came out cheesy.

“It might be the medicine that they put in your IV.  Sometimes antibiotics can cause fogginess in the brain.”  Jasper helped her get dressed and put her back on the bed.

That made Martha feel a little better.  Now she knew that the figure in the bathroom was just Jasper.  She didn’t like that the IV was making her see different things.  

“Anne said she can watch the boys overnight.  Teegan has a key so he can go and get Brick and take care of him too.  Do you want me to go home and get you anything?”  Jasper was being the perfect husband.

“Yes, can you just grab me a clean pair of clothes? Tell the boys I love them.”  Martha shifted herself in the bed so she could lay down again.  The piled the pillows up so her head was a little propped.  She closed her eyes pretending that she was going to go to sleep.

Jasper left to go home.  As soon as he closed the door behind him, Martha got up and grabbed the hospital phone to call Richard.  She had to do this right now before things got worse. She was alone so it was the perfect time.  As the phone rang on the other end Martha glanced out the window. The weather was beautiful outside and she felt guilty for making Jasper stay inside at the hospital with her, but shit happens right?  She watched couples walk on the sidewalk hand in hand and she imagined her and Jasper getting back to that point in their relationship one day, walking hand in hand through the park looking at the beautiful birds. She saw kids playing frisbee across the street and felt sad knowing that she wouldn’t be able to do that for a week.  

“Hello?” Richard sounded confused.  Probably because of the hospital number popping up on his phone.

“Richard, it’s me, Martha.  I am at the hospital.”

“Oh my God! What happened?  Are you OK? Is it your kids?”  Richard voice had panicked. Martha had never heard him sound like this before.  It almost made her second guess her decision to break up with him. She knew it had to be done.  She couldn’t go on with this lie anymore. Her marriage is the thing that needed to be fixed and that was it.  She didn't need to think about this, this was the right thing to do.

“Everyone is fine,” she explained to Richard what had happened to her.  She decided not to tell him about the messages or the figure that her and Jasper saw last night.  She didn’t want the creepy things going on to be the reason she was breaking up with him. She was breaking up with him for the sake of Jasper and her family.  She was the one that was broken inside, not them. And she had to help herself and get back on track with her normal life. Play time was over.

She hung up the phone.  It was easier than she thought it was going to be.  Richard didn’t even try to fight for her, which made it a little depressing but relieving at the same time.  It felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders. She took one last look outside at the beautiful weather, but it just made her sad.  

She was about to go lay back down when there is was again. Pulling out of the park across the street was the white truck. Spare tire, broken brake light, rust all over.  She watched it pull out. Her stomach fell to the floor and she ran to the bathroom to throw up again. Martha still hasn’t eaten today so the bile burned in her throat. Her head started to spin, but she couldn’t stay in the bathroom. She ran back to the window, eyes blurry with tears forming, to see which way it went, but it was gone.  DAMN IT!

She went back to the bathroom to brush her teeth again.  She closed the blinds and went to lay in bed, her head pounded again in the same rhythm with her heart.  Now she was in pain with added frustration.  She pressed the help button and a nurse came in to check on her.

“Is there anything I can get for you ma’am?”  The nurse, her name tag saying Isabel flashed a smile that Martha was sure showed all of her teeth.  She was young and seemed full of energy. Martha could tell that she loved her job and was too young to see all the flaws in it.  She was probably fresh out of college and wanted to make a good impression.

“Can I get something to eat?  My stomach is empty, but nauseous.”  Martha felt thirsty too.

“Would you like some anti nausea medicine?  I can add it straight in with your IV.”  Isabel's voice was high pitched, like she was talking to a baby.

“No thank you,” Martha didn’t want any more medicine added to her body.  If she ate something and felt sick, she told herself that she would force herself to keep it down.  

“OK,” Isabel seemed disappointed. “How about some crackers and juice?”

Martha faked her smile as the nurse left her room.  She didn’t really have an appetite, but she could feel herself getting weak.  Crackers weren’t going to give her strength, but it was at least something.  It was like she was getting over the flu.

Jasper came back.  He wasn’t a black figure this time, he was just Jasper.  

“Here are some clothes. I didn’t know what you wanted so I just brought some comfy things.”  Jasper's voice was different now.  He was more quiet and distant.

“Thanks honey,” Martha went to kiss Jasper, but he turned away.  “Is something wrong?”

“No. I just feel a cold coming on and I don’t want to get you more sick,” Jasper didn’t look at Martha while he was talking.  She knew he was lying.  Jasper hasn't gotten sick in over three years.  Something happened while Jasper was gone, but Martha didn’t want to start anything so she let it be. All she wanted at this moment was to spend some time with Jasper.  She didn’t care if they talked or not, all she wanted his presence. His company would make her feel safe and comfortable.

Martha went to the bathroom to change.  She didn’t know why she felt uncomfortable changing in front of Jasper.  They’ve been together for ten years and they used to walk around naked together before the boys were born.  Plus, he had just seen her naked in the tub.  Maybe she felt strange because she thought of herself as disgusting to him at the moment. She was sick and she did feel weak.  She didn’t really want to see herself either.

Martha came back out feeling much better.  She went to go hug Jasper. He hugged her back, but she felt his body tighten as she embraced him.  

“Are you sure you’re OK?  You seem tense,” Martha was getting worried now.  Jasper has never acted like this around her. Even after the miscarriage, he was the one that stayed normal and strong for the both of them.  

“I brought you some leftovers from home.  I thought you might be hungry.” Once again, Martha’s question was unanswered.  She saw the chicken fajitas in the tupperware container and became suddenly famished.  It was after lunchtime now and she still hadn’t eaten today.

“Aww, thank you Jasper!”  She grabbed the container and gave Jasper a kiss on the cheek.  This time he didn’t turn away, but it didn’t seem like he noticed either. “How are the kids doing?  Are they doing OK with Anne?”

“Yeah.”

One word answer, now she definitely knew something was wrong.

Isabel came back in with the crackers and juice.  She noticed the leftovers and gave Jasper a look that said I won't tell anyone.  She placed the crackers on Martha's table and left without saying a word.

"I saw the truck outside the window earlier, it was coming out of the parking lot across the street."  Martha looked at Jasper and saw no reaction.  She thought he would be worried about the truck now that there was someone watching them last night. 

Martha ate the crackers first, just to be safe.  She didn't say anything else.  Jasper wasn't acting normal.  She then ate the fajitas and she felt instantly better.  She still glanced at Jasper for him to say something, but nothing came out.

“I think I am going to take a nap.”  Martha finally said, still feeling weak.

“OK, I will just watch some TV, if the noise won’t bother you.”  Jasper still cared about Martha’s feelings.

“No, it will be fine.  Please don’t leave me though.”  Jasper could have that TV blaring for all Martha cared, she just didn't want him to leave.

“I won’t.  You get your rest.  It will make you feel better.”  Jasper went to go sit on the chair across the room.  Martha wanted him to move it closer to the bed, but she didn’t know why he was so distant all of a sudden.  What had happened while he was gone?  Did he hear her talking to Richard on the phone?  She let him do his thing while she went to lay down. The beeping of the machines and the white noise of the TV helped her doze off.  

The fog was gone, but the figure was still there.  It was staring from the distance directly into Martha’s eyes.  The hollows in his face showed intensity even though it was emptiness.  Martha wanted to look away, but couldn’t. She was forced to look at it. It was human, like what she and Jasper saw outside of their window, but it stood with a slight hunch.  It was like it was in pain. Martha was slowly pushed toward the figure. Nobody was pushing her. It felt like the wind beating into her back. Closer and closer, the claw reached out for her.

The puddle of sweat was back.  She sat up in the hospital bed and looked around.  It was still light out but barely. She looked over and saw Jasper still watching TV.

“How are you feeling, Martha?”  He hasn’t called Martha by her first name in such a long time.  She didn’t know how to react.

"Yeah… Umm… Just a bad dream, about the person we saw across the street last night.  He was coming after me and trying to choke me.”

“Maybe he was your lover.”

Martha’s heart fell out of her chest.  Her breathing became a panic.  “What are you talking about?”  She tried not to stutter.

“When I went home, I looked through your phone.  We need to talk, about Bonnie.”