Cas was sitting at the kitchen table, staring ahead. He didn’t know what to do. A part of him wanted to stay. Daphne had saved his life. She’d taken care of him when anyone else would’ve just left him at that lake.
But another part, a bigger part, wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. It was safe to say that his lovely wife wasn’t so lovely at all.
So, why didn’t he just go? Because Zoey had been talking to him. She told him what really happened with Martin, their brother. How Daphne felt responsible for his death and how he, Cas, reminded her of him. Because Martin had a mental disability and the fact that Cas couldn’t do much of anything reminded Daphne of her brother. When she found Cas at the lake she thought God had given her a chance to right the wrongs in her past.
“Hello, Meg”
Meg appeared behind Cas.
“We have to go” Meg said insisting.
“I haven’t made my decision yet” Cas replied.
“I just did” Meg said.
“I’m not sure I want to go” Cas said.
Meg grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her. “You cannot stay here. Daphne’s is totally nuts. She’s aggressive, delusional, jealous, possessive, obsessive. She takes a whole bunch of pills”
“Zoey told me why she is the way she is” Cas said. “I understand her pain. She thinks I’ve been sent to her to replace her brother. That’s why she won’t sleep with me. It all makes sense now”
Meg shook her head in disbelief. “You’re married to her. She’s supposed to treat you as her husband, not her brother. She treats you like a dog. You are not her brother. If you stay here you’ll only feed her fantasy. Before you know it she’ll call you Martin”
Cas swallowed. Just because he didn’t know who he was, didn’t mean he wanted to take someone else’s identity. He nodded.
“Okay, I’ll come with you” he agreed. “But first I want to say goodbye to Daphne and make sure she’ll be okay”
“Okay, I’ll meet you there at 10” Meg smiled. “Can you give me Daphne’s room number? I want to say goodbye too”
But another part, a bigger part, wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. It was safe to say that his lovely wife wasn’t so lovely at all.
So, why didn’t he just go? Because Zoey had been talking to him. She told him what really happened with Martin, their brother. How Daphne felt responsible for his death and how he, Cas, reminded her of him. Because Martin had a mental disability and the fact that Cas couldn’t do much of anything reminded Daphne of her brother. When she found Cas at the lake she thought God had given her a chance to right the wrongs in her past.
“Hello, Meg”
Meg appeared behind Cas.
“We have to go” Meg said insisting.
“I haven’t made my decision yet” Cas replied.
“I just did” Meg said.
“I’m not sure I want to go” Cas said.
Meg grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her. “You cannot stay here. Daphne’s is totally nuts. She’s aggressive, delusional, jealous, possessive, obsessive. She takes a whole bunch of pills”
“Zoey told me why she is the way she is” Cas said. “I understand her pain. She thinks I’ve been sent to her to replace her brother. That’s why she won’t sleep with me. It all makes sense now”
Meg shook her head in disbelief. “You’re married to her. She’s supposed to treat you as her husband, not her brother. She treats you like a dog. You are not her brother. If you stay here you’ll only feed her fantasy. Before you know it she’ll call you Martin”
Cas swallowed. Just because he didn’t know who he was, didn’t mean he wanted to take someone else’s identity. He nodded.
“Okay, I’ll come with you” he agreed. “But first I want to say goodbye to Daphne and make sure she’ll be okay”
“Okay, I’ll meet you there at 10” Meg smiled. “Can you give me Daphne’s room number? I want to say goodbye too”
Cas stroked his hair and tried to keep his breathing under control. Meg didn’t understand. He needed more. He had lied about the pain being back, but he hadn’t lied about needing another dose. He opened the upper buttons of his shirt, suddenly feeling feverish.
He hurried to the dresser and opened all drawers and cupboard doors. He searched through them, checking all boxes, finding nothing. He slammed everything shut and began to rub his fingers again.
“If I were a medicine cabinet, where would I be?” Cas mumbled trembling and out of breath. He ran to the stairs and sprinted upstairs. He went to the bathroom and opened the mirror cupboard.
“Got it” he said, sighing relieved and he grabbed all boxes that had medicines in it. He took out all the strips and swallowed the pills one by one.
He leaned against the cold, marble wall and sank down on the floor. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
He hurried to the dresser and opened all drawers and cupboard doors. He searched through them, checking all boxes, finding nothing. He slammed everything shut and began to rub his fingers again.
“If I were a medicine cabinet, where would I be?” Cas mumbled trembling and out of breath. He ran to the stairs and sprinted upstairs. He went to the bathroom and opened the mirror cupboard.
“Got it” he said, sighing relieved and he grabbed all boxes that had medicines in it. He took out all the strips and swallowed the pills one by one.
He leaned against the cold, marble wall and sank down on the floor. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
“Daphne? It’s time to let me go” Martin said soft.
Daphne lifted her head and stared at him with wet and bloodshot eyes. “How? I can’t”
“It’s time for me to move on” Martin said. “I’ve been wandering around for too long. I’m done here. If I stay much longer, I could turn into a vengeful spirit”
Daphne shook her head. “I don’t believe that”
“You didn’t believe I would show up in the first place, either” Martin pointed out.
Daphne pulled her shoulders. “How do I let you go? Aren’t you supposed to walk into the light or something?”
Martin laughed. “Not exactly. You have to salt and burn my bones”
“So I need to go to the cemetery?” Daphne asked.
“No. That grave is empty” Martin said bitter.
“Then where are your bones?” Daphne asked nervous.
“You’re standing on them” Martin answered.
Daphne lifted her head and stared at him with wet and bloodshot eyes. “How? I can’t”
“It’s time for me to move on” Martin said. “I’ve been wandering around for too long. I’m done here. If I stay much longer, I could turn into a vengeful spirit”
Daphne shook her head. “I don’t believe that”
“You didn’t believe I would show up in the first place, either” Martin pointed out.
Daphne pulled her shoulders. “How do I let you go? Aren’t you supposed to walk into the light or something?”
Martin laughed. “Not exactly. You have to salt and burn my bones”
“So I need to go to the cemetery?” Daphne asked.
“No. That grave is empty” Martin said bitter.
“Then where are your bones?” Daphne asked nervous.
“You’re standing on them” Martin answered.