“I guess that’s about as good a word as any.”
Even with the grumbling, I was amazed at how we both seemed to be taking this all in stride. Of course, there had been several extremely tense minutes at the beginning, especially in light of Felicity’s initial panic upon seeing what she described as me bleeding to death. Our alarm probably would have continued unchecked had it not been for my wife’s hand inadvertently slipping from my neck as she struggled to reach for the phone in order to call 9-1-1. Instead of the feared spray of blood, however, there was nothing. Not even a wound. It suddenly became obvious to us both that this was an ethereal tap on my shoulder and that someone wanted my attention in the worst way.
Since realizing that, neither of us had really treated this event as much more than a severe aggravation. In a way it seemed as though we were both under the influence of a psychic anesthetic. I suppose that was a good thing, but I couldn’t help wondering when it was going to wear off or if it was simply going to keep us numbed forever. I couldn’t really say which option frightened me the most. I did know, however, that neither of them was particularly appealing as far as I was concerned. But as worrisome as that could be, it was actually one of the least important thoughts assaulting my grey matter at the moment.
What truly puzzled me was my earlier queasiness over the thought of blood when placed in juxtaposition to the apparent nonchalance I felt about it now. Normally I walked a line somewhere in between the two reactions- affected by the sight of it, yes, but not repulsed. This sudden shift to one extreme and then the other had me perplexed. The more I rolled it around inside my skull the more it gnawed at me, and that wasn’t good. After chasing the thought around in a circle for several minutes, I finally told myself that I needed to leave it alone, especially since it was most certainly some kind of cryptic message from the spirit who was doing this to me in the first place. Dwelling on it was just going to give her reason to press the issue to the next level. After what she’d already done, that was something I definitely didn’t want happening.
I turned my head to glance directly at Felicity as she continued moving the washcloth down my bare arm. In its wake were diluted streaks of the sticky fluid forming mottled trails across my skin.
“I think it would probably be easier if I just jumped in the shower,” I said, looking down at how much blood was still left to remove.
“You’re right,” she replied. “But I wanted to see if I could find that wound. I guess I just got carried away.”
“You didn’t and you won’t,” I told her. “You’ve already looked at my neck, and if it was still there you would have found it by now.”
“I just want to be sure.”
“I understand, Felicity, but if it was there I’d be bleeding all over you,” I countered. “And, obviously I’m not. It disappeared, so that should tell you something right there.”
“Oh? And what should it tell me?”
“That it wasn’t real in the first place.”
She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “So I suppose all of this blood is just a figment of my imagination then?”
“You know what I meant,” I replied. “It was real but it wasn’t. It was just there to get my attention. Nothing more.”
“Well, by the Gods, it got mine,” she replied.
“Yeah, I noticed,” I said as I fidgeted.
“Be still, I want to have another look,” she ordered then gave the washcloth a quick rinse. After a moment she let out a sigh and added, “Maybe I should have just gone ahead and called nine-one-one so they could check you out.”
I shook my head in quick response and started to speak.
“I said be still,” she admonished in a distant tone as she pressed the fingers of her free hand upward beneath my jaw to expose my neck.
I cocked my head to the side so as to allow her better access then said, “It was already over the minute it started, Felicity. Calling nine-one-one would have just raised questions we can’t answer. Like, why I’m covered in blood but don’t have any injuries for one thing.”
“You should probably still see a doctor.”
“And what do I say? I’m a pint low but I don’t know where it went?”
“There’s still a spot here that looks irritated,” she said, apparently ignoring me again. “I’m pretty sure that’s where it was.”
“Was,” I repeated. “Like I just told you… It’s not there anymore. Besides, I’ve been rubbing my neck all morning because of the pain. I’m not surprised it looks irritated.”
“Does it still hurt?”
“Not really.”
“Not really? What’s that mean?”
“It means it isn’t hurting like it was earlier,” I explained. “It just burns a little I guess. But like you said, it’s irritated.”
“Well…” she murmured, gingerly pressing her fingers around the spot on my neck as if she expected it to erupt once again. “I don’t see anything else, and you aren’t cold anymore.”
“See… It’s over… So, can I just go ahead and take a shower?”
“I suppose… But I’m none too happy about this.”
“Trust me, honey, I’m not falling all over myself about it either, but what’s done is done.”
“What if it happens again?”
“We deal with it, I guess.”
“And what if I’m not there to stop it?”
“You mean the bleeding?” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about that.”
“Oh?” she said, raising both eyebrows. “And why not then?”
“Like I said, the spirit just wanted my attention. It’s not like she would let me bleed out or anything. I’m no good to her dead.”
“I think you’re giving her too much credit, Rowan.”
“Why?”
“Because if she was that smart she’d know I’m about ready to put her arse in a shoebox with a pound of salt and bury her in the back yard.”
“Very funny.”
“It wasn’t a joke.”
I shook my head. “Do you really want to take that chance? You know what happened the last time either of us tried a binding.”
“On each other, yes. What about on them?”
“You can’t seriously plan on binding every spirit that tries to communicate with me.”
“Watch me.”
“Felicity…”
“ Damnu, I’m serious, Rowan,” she said, tossing the cloth into the sink then turning and leaning back against the vanity next to me. “What do we do about this?”
“I don’t know,” I offered with a sigh. “Like I said, I guess we just take it as it comes.”
She snorted. “That’s not much of a plan now, is it? You know you can’t function like this.”
“Why not?” I asked, giving her a shrug. “That’s pretty much what I’ve been doing for several years now.”
“I know,” she replied, casting her gaze at the floor and letting her voice drop. “But…”
I waited for the rest of the sentence; however, she simply allowed the quiet to close in.
“But what?” I finally asked.
She audibly took in a deep breath then looked up at me. “I wonder if maybe I’m asking too much of you then.”
“How so?”
“You haven’t any control over this… I know that. Maybe I shouldn’t be asking you to fight it. Maybe you should just let it happen.”
