CHAPTER NINETY

CHAPTER NINETY
Cold hands grabbed mine as I struggled to set myself free from the strong grip. It had to be a man, no woman was this strong. I thought as I continued struggling.

Getting frustrated I tried to scream but I realized my mouth was sealed, more like it was missing from my face. Panic sets in even more as I begin to struggle harder. Everywhere was dark and I couldn't make out anything except the shadows I was seeing. If I weren't seeing them I would think I had gone blind.

Forcefully I was able to pull myself away from the man's grip and suddenly everything turned bright and I was in a room. The same room where the mystery man slept. He laid peacefully on his bed.

Still shaking from the struggle I had just had I inched closer to see if he was awake. Just as I got close enough he sat up and stared at me. No, he stared into me. His eye sockets were empty but I knew he was staring at me.

"Help" he muttered and something hit me with force I was back on my bed. Immediately I sat up in panic. I was covered in sweat. My body shook from the force with which I woke up.

I put my breathing in order and got up when I was calm. I knew I said I wouldn't but I couldn't help myself.
I left my room and went hastily to the strange man's room. His room smelt bad today but I didn't care. Ignoring the smell I walked towards his bed. His eyes were closed.

"Who are you?" I asked in a hushed tone. I know it was unnecessary but I couldn't help but speak out my thoughts. He was a mystery to me. One that was showing up in my dreams, something was not right and I was so curious but I had no one to ask.

Sighing because I knew I was not getting any information from him I began to walk away until I heard him wheezing. I looked back to make sure he was okay and when I kept walking it turned into a full-blown cough. One that shook his body. I rushed back to his bedside.

"What is wrong?" I asked even though I knew it was futile.

His cough increased that it scared me. There was an empty cup by the bed, I grabbed it and went back to my room to fill it up with water and I brought it back. He was almost falling from the bed. Setting the cup down I rushed to his side, I held him and placed him well with the last strength I possessed. 

"There you go" I said when he was placed well. I raised his head and brought the cup to his mouth for him to drink. He barely drank but he did drink cause his cough had reduced.

I dropped the cup and lay him well, gathering the covers over his body. While I was doing that I heard the door open.

"Oh no" I muttered.

In fear, I looked around for where to hide. Seeing none and my best bet was under the bed so I hid there. It was uncomfortable but thankfully the space was big enough for me to crawl under the bed.

"This is becoming tiring, you aren't even getting well" Esau's father muttered to himself as he walked up to the bed and sat down next to the man.

"What shall I do with you" he said and went silent. I hoped in my heart that he uttered more enough words for me to figure out who the man was to him.

"It's been years, you don't want to die and yet you haven't gotten better. What are you still holding onto?" He said and I sniffled. It was not intentional and thanks be to the goddess he didn't hear me sniffle.

He got up from the bed and continued from where I stopped in arranging his bed. I noticed him pause and I stiffened. He picked up the cup that still had water in it.

"Forgive me, I can't believe I left this water here since. Let me get you fresh water, you must be thirsty" he said and I saw his feet leave the room.

I was scared that if I stood up and left he would come back inside immediately and catch me so I stayed back down and suddenly there was dripping from under the bed. Shit.

I wanted to get out but then Esau's father showed up. The pee was dripping even more and it was beginning to smell. I closed my nose so as not to take in the smell again.

"You soiled the sheets, there are no more spare sheets!" Esau's father said in frustration.

"That means no water for you tonight then" he said before pulling the bedspread from his body and dragging out the sheets. I prayed he didn't check under the bed.

"You're going to have to manage the bed like this tonight" he said and grumbled some other words underneath his breath.

"It's not like you can even tell the difference between a wet sheet and a dry one.." sigh "...I can't wait for you to get better, you don't deserve to live like this" There was sympathy in his voice and my heart broke.

I couldn't tell if it was because I was pregnant or because I was normally an emotional person but whatever it was, I was hurting for the man lying lifeless on the bed.

"Sleep well" Esau's father said before covering him up and leaving the room. When I was sure he was no longer in the room I crawled back out. I was drenched in piss but I couldn't complain.

I looked at the man one more time and in that moment I took it upon myself to care for him. I turned away and headed to my room as I began to think of what type of soup I was going to trick Esau into making for me. Right now I needed to change my clothes and try to go back to sleep without having the man show up in my dreams.