Sinister Shadows

by Brittany Cournoyer

  Duncan sat up and gripped his head. He was extremely dizzy and there was a dull ache in his skull. “I don’t feel so good.”

  “Do you need anything? Maybe something to eat?”

  Duncan’s stomach heaved at the thought of food, and he moved his hand to cover his mouth, trying to stave off the nausea. “The bathroom.”

  Pierce moved in lighting speed, and in no time flat, Duncan was in the bathroom expelling the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

  A damp wash rag was pressed to his neck as Pierce rubbed his back, and minutes passed before he felt well enough to go back to bed.

  “I think we need to skip going into town today, Tiger. You don’t look too good.”

  “I don’t feel too great,” Duncan grumbled.

  The disappointment he felt over not going into town was astronomical. His hopes of smelling fresh air and feeling the sun kissing his skin were shattered into a million pieces, and all he wanted to do was cry. But if he was sick, there was nothing he could do except hope for tomorrow.

  “I’ll make you some soup, okay?”

  “That doesn’t even sound good, but I’ll try it.”

  “You need to keep your strength up.”

  “You’re right,” Duncan sighed. “I don’t even know how I got sick. It’s not like I’ve been around anyone, except you.”

  “It’s hard telling. I could’ve brought something home from work or the store. I’d heard a few guys at work complaining about a stomach bug.”

  “That makes sense. I’m mentally cursing whoever gave this to me.”

  Pierce laughed. “I’m sure they’ll feel your wrath. I’ll be back in a second.”

  Pierce left while Duncan laid on the bed in misery. His head was throbbing, and his stomach ached. Whatever he had hit him with the force of an avalanche, and it left him feeling like hell. Hopefully he’d feel better tomorrow and they could go into town as planned.

  Pierce returned a few minutes later with a bowl of chicken broth and some saltine crackers, as well as a tall glass of cranberry juice.

  “Take small bites and even smaller sips. I’ll put the trash can by your bed in case you get sick again.”

  “Thank you for taking care of me. I feel like I’m constantly needing you for help.”

  Pierce smiled softly at Duncan’s words. “It’s no problem. Like I’ve said before: what are husbands for?”

  “I’m sure this wasn’t what you had in mind when you said, ‘I do,’” Duncan mused.

  “For better or worse, Tiger.”

  “Well, this certainly is testing the worse part.”

  Pierce shook his head ruefully and looked down at the watch on his wrist. “I have to go get ready for work.”

  “Is it that late, already?”

  “No, but I got asked to do extra hours tonight if I could. And since we’re not going into town, it’s a great way to make some extra money.”

  “What is it you do again?” Duncan asked as he took a small sip of his juice.

  “I work in a factory making transmissions.”

  “I see. I hope you had plenty of rest.”

  “I did. Do you need anything before I leave you?”

  Duncan shook his head and picked up a cracker. “I’ll be fine. Have a good night at work.”

  “See you tomorrow, Tiger.”

  Then Pierce was gone. Duncan concentrated on slurping up the broth and eating the saltines, but his stomach protested after a few bites. He truly felt awful, and there was no way he could stomach the rest. A few more sips of the juice, and the heaving began. He almost dumped the tray on the floor when he moved it to the side and was thankful only a tiny bit of broth sloshed from the bowl. Then he was bent over the bed with his face buried in the trash can that’d been lined with a plastic shopping bag.

  This was not how Duncan planned to spend his day. He was supposed to be in town with Pierce and exploring the shops. Not vomiting in a trash can while his stomach fought against everything he’d put inside it. And to top it off, he was alone, in the middle of nowhere, with no way to call on anyone to help him. When he finally felt well enough to settle back against the pillows, he couldn’t stop the tears that trickled down his cheeks. Even though he didn’t have his memory, Duncan was certain he’d never been so miserable in his entire life. And for once, all he wanted to do was sleep the day away in hopes he’d wake up in the morning feeling better.

  Chapter Eleven

  Pierce felt guilty for leaving Duncan while he was sick, but he had a job to do. A job he was being paid handsomely for, and they needed the money. So, while he hated leaving Duncan, it was one of those hard decisions he had to make. He just had to hope Duncan would be okay and get plenty of rest while he was gone.

  He was parked in an empty lot as he prepared to get to work. The email still waited for him, and he was finally able to open it and study the new assignment. Smugness in his ability had him scoffing at the ease of the assignment, and after making a few notes on the tiny notebook in the glove compartment, he was ready to begin. He’d have the job wrapped up in a few days, and there’d be a hefty sum of money deposited in his bank account. It’d be the easiest money he’d ever make.

  The night was long and dragged on, but Pierce was able to make major headway on the job, and as the sun began to rise, he finally headed back home to Duncan. Hopefully, Duncan would be feeling much better, because Pierce hated how helpless he felt while Duncan was ill. But at least Duncan needed him, and that had Pierce feeling warm inside. It felt good to be needed again, no matter the circumstances.

  Since he was finished a bit earlier than planned, Pierce decided to swing into a coffee shop before heading home. A cup of coffee sounded good and would warm him up after a long night of work. After ordering a cup with a double shot of espresso, Pierce waited at the counter for his order when saw a uniformed officer step inside.

  Pierce shifted to the side to make room for the officer before turning his focus toward the barista making the order. Unfortunately, there was a small cluster of people beside him, so Pierce had to wait his turn. While he waited, he looked around the small coffee shop, taking in the various displays of travel mugs, coffee mugs, and bags of different roasts. There were also gift bags strategically placed around for anyone wanting to pick up an easy gift. The scent of roasted beans and pastries filled the air, and Pierce couldn’t help but take a deep, appreciative sniff.

  The group of people surrounding Pierce started to thin out, and he mentally willed the barista to hurry so he could get his drink and continue home. Weariness was starting to settle over him, and he mentally cursed himself for not going straight home instead of stopping. He wanted to see how Duncan was feeling as well as get a few hours of sleep before another long night of work. The extra-long shifts would help monetarily, but between that and helping take care of Duncan, everything would eventually take its toll and he’d crash.

  “Coffee with a double shot?” the barista finally called out, and Pierce nearly breathed a sigh of relief.

  He had to refrain from snatching the cup of steaming coffee from her, and after giving her a brief smile, Pierce made his way toward the door. On his way out, he saw the officer hand the woman waiting on him a piece of paper, but Pierce didn’t linger long enough to see what it was.

  After getting in his car, he took a tentative sip of his coffee and nearly burnt his tongue. But the caffeine hitting his system felt good, and the espresso gave him the extra kick he needed. He braved another few sips before setting the cup in the holder and starting his engine. The sips of coffee had him feeling awake enough to drive home, and as he pulled out of the parking lot, he saw the uniformed officer exiting the building—sans a cup of his own.

  Pierce was curious what that was all about, but he knew better than to let that curiosity get the best of him. Wasn’t there an entire saying about that? How it killed a cat? He didn’t need to stick his nose where it didn’t belong, and besides, he had a sick husband waiting for him at home.<
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  The drive was easy, since traffic was light, and Pierce perked up upon seeing the turnoff to their home. The farther he drove up the driveway, the more awake he became. By the time he parked his car and got out, he was nearly thrumming with excitement to go inside and see Duncan.

  He set the coffee cup on the kitchen counter and then made his way toward the stairs. When he got to the bedroom, he wasn’t surprised to see Duncan sprawled on the bed, sound asleep, with the discarded tray on the floor beside him. The soup had barely been touched, and there were still a few crackers left. The stench coming from the trash can told Pierce that Duncan hadn’t been able to keep anything down.

  Rather than wake Duncan up like Pierce wanted to, he grabbed the bag from the trash can and tied the handles in a knot before taking it downstairs to the can outside. Then, he took a fresh bag upstairs to replace the one he’d removed and grabbed the tray to take it back downstairs. After washing his hands, he made Duncan a light breakfast of dry toast and fruit, along with another glass of the juice he seemed to prefer. Once the tray was loaded with the food, as well as his morning dose of medication, Pierce went back upstairs and was surprised to see Duncan was starting to stir.

  “Good morning, Tiger. How are you feeling?”

  “Better, but gross. I think after I have a shower, I’ll feel much better.”

  “Let’s get you in the shower, then, and I’ll change your bedding while you’re in there. Then I’ll rewrap your ankle.”

  “Thank you. How was work?”

  Pierce’s heart warmed at the question. To him, Duncan asking about is job made Pierce feel like Duncan cared about him. “It was good. Kind of slow, but not too bad. I was just ready to get home.”

  “When do you have a day off?”

  Pierce chuckled as he turned on the water. “Not for a while.”

  “Well, I hope you don’t get burnt out and make yourself sick.”

  “I won’t, I promise. How about you? Any more flashbacks?”

  Duncan slowly shook his head. “No, I crashed so hard it was like I didn’t move.”

  “It could just be from getting sick. Maybe something will jog your memory soon.” Pierce tested the temperature of the water. “The water is ready. Get cleaned up, and I’ll change the bedding. Fresh bedding and a shower will make you feel much better.”

  Duncan gave Pierce a weak smile before Pierce left the bathroom to start stripping the bed. The sheets were damp from where Duncan must’ve sweat during his sleep, and Pierce decided to open the window to air out the room. He tossed the wadded-up sheets on the floor and went to the hall closet to grab a spare set they had. Luckily for them, they had some—considering they didn’t have much of anything else. The fresh air instantly filled the room, and Pierce could feel the cool breeze on his skin and hear the faint sound of birds chirping in the distance.

  With the bedding changed, Pierce waited for Duncan to finish in the shower. The water shut off, and Pierce sat on the bed until Duncan let him know he was ready to get back in the bed.

  “You opened the window?” Duncan asked in surprise.

  “Yeah, I figured it would help ventilate some of the sickness out of the room. I’ll shut it soon because of your allergies.”

  “I like it open,” Duncan said softly. “The fresh air feels nice.”

  “Let’s get you settled, and I’ll rewrap your ankle.”

  Pierce was pleased to see the swelling in Duncan’s ankle had gone down, and after wrapping a fresh bandage around it, he grabbed the wadded-up bedding.

  “I’ll be up later to check on you, but first, I need a nap.”

  “Do you think we can go somewhere tomorrow? I’m feeling much better already.”

  Pierce pursed his lips. “Maybe. Let’s see how you’re feeling tomorrow first, okay? It’s a long trip into town, and I need you feeling one-hundred percent better before we go.”

  Duncan sighed. “I’m going stir-crazy, Pierce.”

  “I know, Tiger. But do you really want to get halfway there and get sick?”

  “I think I’ll be okay. But, fine, let’s see how I’m doing tomorrow.”

  “Deal. Let me shut the window so your allergies don’t get kicked up.”

  “I like the window open.”

  “I do, too, but with your allergies how they are, you don’t need them to bother you on top of being sick. Maybe later today we can go out back or something to give you a change of scenery, okay?”

  “That’d be great. Thank you.”

  The smile Duncan gave Pierce had his belly swooping and his knees threatening to go weak. Pierce had to catch his bearings and clear his throat before he could speak. “Try to eat some of your breakfast.”

  Duncan picked up the toast and took a small bite as Pierce walked over to the window and pushed it closed, and then he exited the room. After taking the bedding to the laundry room, he tossed the sheets inside and started the wash cycle before going back to his car. There, he grabbed the folder he needed to get a little bit of work done before taking a much-needed nap. After compiling a list of things he needed to email his client, he grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and settled down to let sleep finally overtake him.

  When Pierce woke a few hours later, the first thing he did was go upstairs to check on his husband. The tray was empty, except for the crust from the toast, and the glass of cranberry juice had been drained. Pierce inspected the trash can and was relieved to see it was empty, and he felt better knowing Duncan was able to keep his breakfast down. Duncan was lying on his side, his mouth slightly parted as he snored lightly while he slept. He looked peaceful, and Pierce couldn’t find it in his heart to wake him by planting a kiss to his forehead. Instead, he left the room, making sure to pull the door closed slightly behind him before making his way downstairs. It looked like they’d have to plan a trip outside for another day, since his husband needed as much sleep as he could possibly get.

  Chapter Twelve

  His lungs were burning with each step he took. His body was fueled by terror as he ran down the sidewalk, while his eyes darted around wildly as he looked for a place to turn and hide. His side hurt, his feet ached, and he felt like his lungs were going to explode with every breath he took. He needed to find somewhere to hide so he wasn’t out in the open. But where would he go?

  Just when he was about to think all hope was lost, he saw the entrance to an alley, and he almost wept in relief. He nearly tripped over his feet as he took a sharp turn. His hopes to disappear in the alley were high, and when he saw there was an exit on the other side, they rose even more. It was his way to safety—all he had to do was make it to the other side.

  Duncan jerked awake and held his chest as he tried to catch his breath. It was a dream. That’s all it was—another dream. He was safe in his bed. But as he continued to tremble, he felt anything but safe. He felt unsettled and scared—very scared.

  It took him a while to get his bearings, and with every calming breath he took, the tremors began to subside. As he sat with the blanket pulled tightly around him, he looked around the room and saw how dark it was. He’d slept the day away…again. Looking down, he saw the tray had been restocked with snacks, and his heart sank when he realized he’d lost his chance to go outside. Why didn’t Pierce wake him?

  As he eyed the window, the urge to go to it was strong. He longed to feel the fresh air again so much that he could no longer ignore it. He wasn’t sure what time it was, since the sun was down, but he was certain Pierce was gone, meaning calling him for help wasn’t an option. But he didn’t want to give up. Not when the window was right there. Surely, he could hobble over and balance on one foot to pull it open. Flinging back the blanket, he went to put both feet on the floor and hissed when pain shot up his ankle, but he didn’t allow it to deter him.

  Placing his hands on the bed, Duncan put all his weight on them as he slowly pushed himself to an upright position. His ankle screamed in protest, and tears stung his eyes, but he refused to sit back do
wn. Instead, he shifted all his weight to his uninjured ankle and grabbed on to the bed, using it as a makeshift crutch.

  Hopping on one foot, Duncan rounded the bed while keeping his hand firmly placed on it. The window was close enough Duncan was confident he could make it there safely without further injuring his ankle. He held on to the bed as long as he could, until his fingertips were barely touching the comforter, and then he let go and hopped on one foot across the room.

  His balance was wobbly, and a few times he was nervous he was going to fall flat on his face, but he gritted his teeth and refused to stop. Holding his hands out, he sighed in relief when his palms slammed into the wall, and he was able to lean his entire body against it. Sweat beaded on Duncan’s temple, and a trickle started to slide down his cheek, and his shirt was starting to stick to his back. But he’d made it. Now all he had to do was hold on to the wall as he moved over to the window.

  By the time his hands gripped the glass of the window, his entire body was shaking, and exhaustion was starting to envelop him, but it was too late to stop now. Evidently, his time spent in the hospital, as well as lying in bed, had weakened him significantly. But all he had to do was pull the windowpane up. Duncan could already feel the ghost of a fresh breeze over his skin, and he was anxious to get the damn window open. Gritting his teeth, he put all his weight in his hands and started to lift—but the window wouldn’t budge.

  Not willing to give up, Duncan squared his shoulders and tried again, but still nothing happened. A noise that Duncan could only describe as a growl and whimper of frustration tore from his throat as he tried again and again, until his arms were shaking, and his leg was feeling like jello. Duncan knew he had to face the truth; no matter how hard he tried, the window wasn’t going to open, and he wanted to cry. It seemed effortless when Pierce had opened it, so why was Duncan having so much trouble?

  Duncan looked down where the window met the ledge and eyed the paint speculatively. All he saw was the brightly painted windowsill and nothing else. Nothing looking amiss. Deciding to give it one more try, Duncan bore down and let out a small growl as he tried to push the window up and didn’t stop until his palms slipped against the glass from the sweat that dampened his hands.