“Fuck you.”
“I don’t think so.” He poked his finger in Andy’s chest; Andy jumped as a spark passed between them. “Sit, NOW.”
“I’ve been watching you,” Chris continued. “Even in your new home. I always keep careful track of all the people in my life – especially the women.” He stood in front of Karin and put his hands on her shoulders. “I have something I want to show you. It’s why we came all the way out here. Remember when I told you some things are always better outdoors?” Their eyes met and locked; beads of sweat broke across Andy’s forehead.
“I remember.”
“Yes you do,” confirmed Chris. “And something else – I could have made you just forget everything, but that would have taken some of the satisfaction out of it.”
Chris let go of his wife and reached over, placing his hand on Andy’s shoulder. Andy cried out as unpleasant warmth invaded his body, his skin crawling and itchy. “Jenny,” he gasped. “What have you done to her? Where is she?” He tried to stand, but could not.
Chris stepped back. “That’s fine, Andy. You’ll sit there, won’t you? Like the polite fellow you are? Let me show you this, then I’ll tell you about your wife.”
He stood before Karin again, and reached to help her stand. He kissed her on the cheek and unfastened her coat. “Yes, Andy. One of Washington state’s finest.” Her coat fell open, and he reached inside and wrapped his arms around her. He looked at Andy and grinned, a white spark winking on and off in his left eye. “Can’t you put two and two together and make four – or in this case, one and one and make three?” He turned Karin so she faced Andy. He stepped behind her and slid the coat from her shoulders.
Comprehension eclipsed Andy’s face, and his breath failed him. Karin was naked to her boots, her belly glowing softly blue, her blood vessels faintly traced with luminosity. Her eyes were as dark as the black night. Chris guided her to stand so close her belly nearly brushed Andy’s face.
The spark twinkled in Chris’s eye again. “Yes, my former friend. And I must say, I’ve been enjoying it ever since.” He caressed her breast and kissed her cheek. Reaching, he placed his hand on Andy’s head.
Andy screamed as he fell over and hit the ground. Nearly every muscle contracted at the same time and he writhed on the damp grass. Chris squatted nearby, watching, and then closed his eyes as Andy curled into a contorted tangle of appendages. “You know, Andy, I loved my sister so much. However, she got just a little too close to the fucking heart of the matter.” He touched Andy’s leg and made him scream in agony.
Karin remained a mannequin, staring at nothing.
Chris stood as Andy lay paralyzed and barely conscious. “Here, man, let me help you.” Andy’s eyelids would not close. Wounded and terrified, he watched Chris reach to touch him and then fainted as the pain enveloped him.
A blue tear trickled down Karin’s face.
Chris commented, “Bye now,” and went to Karin and picked up her coat, stroking her arm with his fingertips to feel her goosebumps, tweaking her distended nipples. He looked at her face, her cheeks wet with luminous tears. What the fuck? Disbelieving, he dropped the coat in panic and placed his hands on the sides of her belly.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, smiling as he felt the baby safe. He opened his eyes and scowled at her, and for a fleeting instant her eyes focused to his. He froze. “Karin?” he said softly. She slowly closed her eyelids and he drew her close and held her, rocking her back and forth.
He dressed her and led her to the truck.
She tripped and stumbled, eyes tightly shut.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The owner of the Mt. St. Helens gift shop was walking the parking lot, picking up trash early in the morning before he opened for business. The sky was gray, but rain had not fallen and he worked without his rain suit, wearing rubber gloves. He scoured the patchy asphalt and loose gravel for cigarette butts, making sure the deck in front of the shop was clean, working his way over to the picnic area to empty the trash barrel.
As he pulled a black trash bag from his pocket, he noticed an oddly shaped pile of debris near one of the tables. Curious what someone might have left behind, he cried “Oh God!” as he recognized a human form. He crouched beside the twisted figure, touching the frigid skin for signs of life, feeling for a pulse. He jumped up, reached into his pants pocket, and yanked out his cell phone, nearly dropping it. As he saw there was no signal available he dashed back to the gift shop and leapt for the land line phone.
Karin was still lying in bed around eight the morning of the 13th, having slept very little the night before due to back pain and mild contractions. She shifted in bed and grasped the edge of the blankets. As she tried to sit up, fluid gushed from between her legs, soaking through the blankets and sheets. “Chris?” she cried. She sat up on the edge of the bed and more liquid ran down her legs into a puddle on the floor. “CHRIS!”
He’d been ready, up and dressed, for a couple of hours. Her restlessness had kept him from sleeping and he knew the baby would be coming soon. He rushed into the room and saw the mess on the floor, her frantic expression. “Don’t worry, honey. Your water just broke, that’s all. Remember from the classes? This just means today’s the day we’ve waited for so long!” He fetched a towel and helped dry her off. “Come on, now – let’s get you up and dressed, and go to the hospital like we practiced.”
While he was dressing her, she clutched her belly and bent over, crying out. He reached out and held her. “It’s okay, baby, it’ll pass.” He took slow deep breaths in LaMaze fashion, letting the air out of his mouth slowly, in and out, in and out. She imitated and was able to stand as the contraction eased. He grabbed her pre-packed suitcase and bundled her into the car.
A few miles down the road, she tried to bend over in her seat, clutching her sides, crying out. A wave of pain washed over him. “Breathe, Karin, breathe!” He drew his breath slowly, as he’d been taught, coaching her. She again followed his lead. As the pain eased and subsided she closed her eyes and leaned back.
A few more miles passed. As he was nearing the interstate he sensed the onset of the next contraction and urged, “Breathe, honey. Now. Concentrate on the air passing back and forth over your lips. Feel the way your lips begin to dry out.” They breathed in unison as he kept one eye on surrounding traffic.
She was between contractions when he pulled under the EMERGENCY canopy. He jumped out and dashed inside to find help. An orderly followed him out, loading her into a wheelchair and rolling her back through the doors toward Maternity. As he got back in the car to park it he heard approaching sirens in the distance.
The ambulance stopped and the driver jumped out and rushed to the back doors. He and the other paramedic pulled the stretcher out, extended the legs, and rushed it into the trauma center.
Andy clung to life as a swarm of doctors and nurses surrounded him.
A nurse reached around Karin’s belly, passing a black elastic strap around her. An attached fetal monitor began to produce a series of blips, graphed by a nearby device. “That’s a good sign,” the nurse said. “Internal monitors probably won’t be necessary.” The nurse fastened a second belt to measure the strength and duration of each contraction. Karin squirmed in the bed as the nurse made the elastic comfortable. The graph began to spit out a narrow tape of paper, her suffering as well as the baby’s life signs neatly plotted in lines and squiggles.
As Karin fielded another contraction, huffing and puffing while Chris coached, Dr. Simmons appeared. He took her hand. “How’s it going, young lady?” He patted her on the shoulder. “You’re doing just fine, Karin. Wonderful. I’m going to check your cervix now – hang in there.” She stiffened and squeezed Chris’s hand as the doctor inserted a gloved finger into her vagina, withdrawing quickly. “Good news! You’re already up to three centimeters!” He removed the glove and dropped it in a waste container. He stood beside Karin, his hand on her arm. “The nurse will continue to check you periodically
– she’ll keep me informed, and I’ll be back soon.” As he left, Chris began to gently bathe his wife’s forehead and arms with a cool cloth. She sucked on chips of ice.
Her contractions gradually grew closer together. After four hours of intensive labor, both of them were drenched with sweat. He experienced every contraction as much as she – in addition to coaching her breathing, he connected with her and tried to siphon off as much of the pain as he could. He’d never experienced any kind of hurt that even came close to the labor pain. Injuries sustained during high school football years seemed like cuts and bruises in comparison.
The doctor returned, and Karin cried out as he inserted a larger portion of his hand to check her cervix. As he withdrew a strong contraction overwhelmed her. The doctor scrutinized the graph paper as Chris breathed right in her face, forcing her to take rapid breaths and rhythmic exhalations. Tears trickled over her temples as she sank back into the pillows.
“Good news,” said the doctor. “It won’t be much longer.” He patted her leg. “You’re getting close to complete effacement. Now listen carefully – the baby will start to drop soon. You’ll be experiencing a very real urge to PUSH. You WAIT, though, until we tell you it’s okay to push, all right?” He looked at Chris, who nodded. “Remember, Chris, the rapid panting. Think of a hot puppy dog in the summertime.” He patted her leg again and left the room, signaling the nurse for fifteen minutes.
His predictions proved accurate. Karin soon suffered a barrage of crushing contractions. With the last one she screamed at Chris that she needed to push – but he helped her through, panting and blowing, and together they managed to hold back. The doctor came and checked her cervix one last time. Her chest heaved with sobs.
Two nurses came in and unhooked her, releasing the wheels on her bed. They grasped the rails and pushed her into the delivery room. The women angled the bed beside the delivery table, helping her scoot over onto the narrow, padded vinyl. She cried out with another contraction as Chris steadied her. Before the next one could hit, Chris and one of the nurses arranged her in a half-upright position. The nurse showed her how to reach around and grab the insides of her thighs to help her push more effectively. They quickly strapped her lower legs into wide supportive stirrups.
With the onslaught of the next contraction the nurse cried, “Don’t fight it now, Karin – PUSH!” Karin screamed with the effort as her face turned bright red; she grabbed her legs and strained. “PUSH!” cried the nurse, “LIKE YOU ARE USING THE BATHROOM! THOSE MUSCLES! PUSH!” Karin screamed again and strained, her entire body taut. Chris was right behind her, leaning into her back, both of them drenched with the effort.
Dr. Simmons assumed his position on a small stool between her legs. “Wonderful, Karin! The baby’s crowning!” She groaned as another contraction gripped her. “PUSH!” cried the doctor. “Hold it as long as you can!”
Karin began to cry. Chris consoled her with as much support as he could muster, but he felt as if his own insides were being ripped apart. “Okay, hold it!” The nurses draped her body with sterile cloths. “A tiny prick, dear. You need an episiotomy.”
Chris flinched as the doctor gave the injection and looked away as he reached for a scalpel. “The baby’s got lots of hair. Okay, Karin – PUSH! PUSH! PUSH! Don’t stop!” Chris nearly fainted as he felt the baby’s head slip through the opening. “STOP!” cried the doctor. Chris panted right in front of her face; she matched his breathing and collapsed for a moment.
“Push just once more, Karin, and it’ll all be over.” Chris’s knees failed him as he felt the baby slip out from the womb and her body.
“It’s a boy!” cried the doctor. “Beautiful!” He suctioned the baby’s airway, and the infant cried lustily, a plaintive wailing. Chris and Karin glimpsed him for a brief second before a nurse whisked him away to take necessary measurements and wrap him in a warming blanket.
Chris again felt the odd slipping sensation. The doctor said, “There’s the placenta, Karin. Hang on now – we’ll get you all fixed up.” Karin groaned as a nurse applied pressure to her belly with her hands and arms, actually laying across her, to force her uterus to contract and shrink.
Chris watched as the nurse lifted the tiny bundle and brought him near so Karin could see him. She cried as she touched his tiny fingers and caressed his wrinkled face. His eyes were tightly shut. “Let Chris hold him,” she whispered.
The nurse presented the baby to his father. As he accepted him and held him tenderly, tears rolled down Chris’s cheeks. He touched the tiny hands with his fingertips. Standing beside Karin, he caressed the little head and as he did so the baby opened his eyes. Chris was totally enraptured and overwhelmed, absolutely captivated by the wonder he held in his arms. He reached to wipe away his tears with the back of his hand.
zap
He slapped the side of his neck as he was pierced with a sharp pain. He looked at Karin’s face as he again began to feel the same slipping sensation he’d experienced with the birth.
zap
She stared at him, her blue eyes once more her natural green, huge with horrible realization.
She screamed in terror as she stared at Chris and the baby. He backed away as his connection with her unraveled, her presence of mind slipping from his control, her realization of the past nine months of her life returning to her.
Her file was being deleted.
“MURDERER!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “HE KILLED THEM! I SAW HIM!” She screamed until her voice cracked, her throat ravaged. The doctor and nurses were frozen in time, faces horrified.
Chris’s eyes were huge with his own terror. He backed into a corner as the panicked doctor and nurses swarmed over his wife, frantically trying to calm her and figure out what was happening.
She continued to scream as the blood vessels in her brain burst. Chris wept, gasping as strong sobs racked his frame. He clutched the baby to his chest.
The stress of the birth and the abuse of the past proved fatal. Her womb hemorrhaged, and her brain drowned in its life-giving blood.
She died in her doctor’s arms.
Two days later, January 15th, the hospital released baby Rawlins to his father. The sympathetic staff had taken special care of the baby, allowing Chris valued time to arrange for his wife’s remains. Her official death certificate listed the causes as aneurysm and uterine hemorrhage.
He drove to Jenny’s house on the lake. The baby was fast asleep, and Chris unlatched the carrier from the car seat, carried him inside, and set him gently on the floor in the living room. A bright winter day, a rectangle of sunlight framed the baby in a golden bath and sparkled on his white blanket. A tiny knit cap covered his curls.
Chris went to his room to pick up the suitcases he’d packed the day before. Loading the SUV, he went back and forth from house to vehicle several times. He loaded the baby’s things, camping equipment, food, and personal items he considered worthy of retention. He was walking out the back door with a satchel in each hand when the cat pounced upon him from under the edge of the roof, a hidden perch atop the beam supporting the back porch.
She landed squarely on his shoulders with all of her claws bared. He roared with pain as he dropped his things and whipped his arms around to detach her. She was emaciated, but her eyes burned with fever and she dug in tenaciously, hissing and spitting. She loosened one set of claws, her right front, and swiped them across his scalp.
ZAP
He shrieked and grabbed at her blindly, finally grasping a rear leg and yanking her off, throwing her to the ground.
ZZZZZZZZZZZ
He screamed and grabbed his lacerated skin as he kicked her. She landed near one of the Rhododendrons and did not move.
ZZZZZZZZZZZ
Blood covered his head as the wound bled freely and he stumbled into the house. He cursed and pressed a kitchen towel to his head.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
He looked around and momentarily forgot where he was. As he looked at the sleepi
ng baby sparks flew within his brain and he doubled over in pain. He dropped to the floor and closed his eyes. Out for a few moments, the pain eased a bit and he got up and looked at the baby again. His mind resumed its clicking and he vehemently cursed the cat.
The bleeding from his scalp began to subside, and he loaded the baby in the SUV. He cast a final look toward the house and said to the baby, “Say goodbye to Aunt Jenny.” He climbed in and fastened his seatbelt, holding a towel to his head. They headed for open road.
About the time Chris reached the interstate, a soft white glow materialized around the electric meter. It lingered a few moments and vanished.
Blue Macabre Page 24
