The scratching branch outside my window keeps me up most nights. I know I should trim them to stop the noisy nights but I don’t. There is something calming about the scratching. Last night my room was darker than normal. The moon didn’t seem to shine at all. The clouds must have covered it. The scratching was magnified by the deep dark of my room. The wind must have caused the power to go out around 1:22 A.M., as I was continuously reminded by the blinking alarm clock. The water glass that usually sits next to me every night has been finished already and needs to be refilled. The room is so dark. I shift my weight slightly to see if she’ll wake up and she doesn’t. I slide the sheets down past my waist and swing my legs to the floor. I gracefully make it to the door without a sound. CRACK… CRACK….CRACK…. I swung around with my heart in my hand and my empty water cup at my feet. My attention was drawn directly to the window. Everything looked the same, but the branch that scratches the window seemed to be gone. There wasn’t a flash of lighting or a crack of thunder, nothing to indicated lightning striking the tree branch. It just appeared to be gone. I thought nothing more of it and went and picked up my water glass and walked into the kitchen.
Strange that just happened and she didn’t even move. Not a twitch. Wow how did she do that? I wonder if the darkness of the room put her in that deep state.
The next morning I asked her if she remembered what happened last night, she shrugged and said nothing. I wandered outside to see what damage had been done to the house but there was nothing. The branch was on the ground broken and twisted. At first glance it seemed like the branch just broke. Then a piece of cloth caught my eye. It looked like a piece of denim, followed by a few footprints. I walked past the branch and followed the footprints to the back of my house where they just seemed to stop.
I walked back into the house and asked if she has noticed anything odd around the house? She just floated past me like she didn’t even realize I was there. I followed her into the bathroom talking the whole way and she just kept ignoring my presence. She undresses and got the shower running. I stare at her wanting to touch her so badly, but my newfound mystery has my brain running in circles about who could be in the tree? Or did someone come and check out the loud noise from last night. Why didn’t she hear it?
The day passes and I sit outside near the fallen branch. Just staring at it, looking for a clue or something to give me an idea of who or what was out here? Minutes turned into hours and the light from the day fell away. I was still no closer to an answer that has escaped me all day. I walked back into the house to tell her what I found or didn’t find, but she was just sitting by the fire place in the front room weeping. I looked over her shoulder and she was fixed on a picture of Zach and I. I haven’t seen that picture in what feels like a few years. The date on the bottom of the photo read 22-Dec-08. Come to think of it, I don’t even know what today’s date is. I leave her shoulder and walk to the kitchen to see what date it is. The calendar seems old and only one date on the month was circled. December 22, 2008. She walked passed me in the kitchen and I caught a smell of her hair. I tried weakly to get her attention but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. She turned and stood in front of the calendar, more specifically at the date that was circled. She wept a little more before she moved to the bathroom.
As the night fell, she drew her routine bath and glass of wine. The bathroom looked a little neglected. Everything seemed clean but lifeless. The bath ran and she just sat looking at the suds form. Her hand checked the temperature to see if it is where she can tolerate it. The water was acceptable to her and she was dropped herself in. I sat on the rim of the tub and watched her cold absences of movement.
I heard a noise at the back of the house and quickly made my way to investigate. There was nothing. Nobody seemed to be around. I walked back into the bathroom and she was still there motionless. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but we’ve been so distant lately. I couldn’t tell you the last time I heard her voice. The noise towards the back of the house returned. I walked back there to investigate again, and nothing. I knew the noise was there, but why couldn’t I see anything? I walk back into the house, but I don’t remember leaving the door open? I felt a gust of wind, push through me, but it didn’t seem strong enough to blow the door open.
The wind hollowed and carried a cry, a real cry, not a whimper. I flung myself past the back door and scrambled down the hallway. I was too late. The blood wasn’t gushing like I thought it would. The wounds were drips at this point. The tub was not blood red, but red. I think the soap discolored it a little bit. I tried to get her out of the tub, but she was too slippery and I couldn’t get a grasp on her. This is the first time I’ve felt close to her. I felt like she finally recognized I was in the room with her.
“Steve”
I turned around and she was there.
“Steve, I’ve missed you.”
“Honey”
“Steve, what happens now?”
“Honey” I cried, as she began to fade away in front of me.
“Honey!” She faded even further
“Steve, I’ve always loved you. I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault. I couldn’t get over the guilt of killing you and Zach. I missed both of you.
“Honey”, I choked out, not even paying attention to her physically lifeless body in the tub. “Why, Why” She fades deeper away.
“Steve what happens next? I’m scared now?” Her voice quivered, but steadfast. She knew what was the afterlife outcome was from her life taking decision.
“Honey, we don’t blame you for this. I’ve been with you since the accident. I love you. We love you.” I tell her as she has almost disappeared.
“I love you too.” She faded.
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