Trembling With the Strings

I closed the door softly behind me, looking for Darius. Our “bed”, which had been made, was now a mess. It looked like Darius had been there, but he certainly wasn’t there any longer. I looked in my bedroom, but he wasn’t there either. He wasn’t in any of the bedrooms! I stepped into the kitchen and sighed out of relief.

He was sleeping at the table with his face planted into the wood. I heard him groan, so I stepped closer, kissing his cheek.

“Feeling any better?” I asked him, pulling up a chair and sitting behind him.

“No,” he grunted, looking up at me through red eyes. “I feel like I just got run over by a truck repeatedly.”

“You look like it, too.” He let out an exasperated sigh before throwing his face back onto the table. “I’m sorry, I just mean you look like you’re sick. Do vampires get the flu?”

“No, they don’t,” he muttered, sarcasm biting his tongue. “And I can assure you this is much worse than the flu. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’d rather be dead than put up with this for a second longer!” He reached out and grabbed my hand. “My dad has no idea what’s wrong either.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked him, frowning. “Because I am. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he mumbled, kissing my cheek sloppily. He pushed his chair back and stood up, nearly falling over in the process. I caught his arm and helped him back into the living room so he could sit down. “So how was your day?”

“Do you honestly not remember?” I asked him, gawking. He shook his head gently, lying down on the bed. “You told the whole school that you knocked me up and now we’re engaged.”

He groaned again, throwing the pillow over his face and muttering something I couldn’t quite catch. “I’m an idiot,” he finally mumbled loud enough for my ears.

“Darius, stop,” I begged, looking over to the door as Marcy peered in.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, stepping out of the way so my siblings could pour into the house. Marty started crying, running up to Darius and throwing himself over him.

“Feel better!” he cried, sobbing into his chest. Dray held him gently, but tensed.

“Don’t be so rough, Martin,” I begged. “How about you go help Johnny and Marcus do the dishes?”

He frowned, but followed them nonetheless. Katelynn scowled at us before storming into her room. Marcella rolled her eyes and sat down beside us as Drakken came lumbering into the living room as well.

“Dray, I have a theory. If it’s right we need to get you to a hospital, fast.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” I asked him, kissing Darius gently. He lurched forward suddenly and grabbed his stomach, letting out a loud scream.

Before I could start screaming myself, he fell back onto the bed limp. His eyes were open just barely, his mouth gaping slightly. He looked so much paler than usual.

“What’s wrong?” I begged, frantic.

Drakken pressed his lips into a grim line. “We need to go. Now.”