Human Spines

Noticing Sickness

Emmeline

         I nudge the blanket from my face, shivering from the cool air it draws under my covers. "Why are you wearing different clothes?"

        "I took a shower and Lochlan gave them to me." The Dumaine's eyes are the only things that move.

        "When?"

        "Six or seven hours ago. It's only 4:30. You should get some more sleep." Dumaine is curled up, his arms wrapped around wrinkled gray jeans, his taupe shirt not quite fitting him correctly. And there's something wrong with his hair. It's all droopy, and with his round eyes it makes him look like a sad puppy.

        "It doesn't look like you've gotten any." I refer to his strange sitting position, folded on the floor, eyes red, muscles twitching every so often.

        "I haven't."

        "Then go to bed." Silly Dumaine.

        "I can't." His arms seem sore and creaky as he rubs his eyes.

        My lips curl into a smile. "Why's your hair so droopy?"

        "I washed it." He almost seems embarrassed by his clean hair.

        I sit up and lean closer. "Play a song."

        He reaches under his bed, pulling out his case, his bones popping. He removes his accordion and doesn't take his eyes off his fingers as he begins to play the first note. But I'm hearing a horrendous screech. I've heard a sound as equally ear bleeding as this once before, so there's no need to panic. I let go of Amistifer, who's been silently watching Dindolcon, mostly hidden under Dumaine's bed, until now. Dindolcon is scuttling through the wall, escaping this sound. Amistifer is clutching his ears, rage displaying through his eyebrows. But the sound has stopped. Silence is a wet blanket over me. I look to Dumaine but he didn't notice the disturbance. He continues to play, and slowly, I regain my hearing.

        My fingers fiddle around, finding hot blood in my ears. Again.* I turn to Amistifer. Amistifer has disappeared. The blood is dribbling down my neck, under my chin. I search for my bag, untangling it from the sheets and comforter. I must have slept with it on.

        I calmly dig inside, not wanting to alert Dumaine yet. I pull out my handful of worm Demons, who, conveniently got tangled in each other, making one fist-sized, wriggling knot of Demons. I grab onto them, unsure of how to get one to possess me. But hold on a second.

        They're wiggling away from Dumaine. I stick my hand out closer to him and the worms struggle faster. The knot is begins to make its way up my arm. I bring them even closer and they jiggle harder, more fiercely. I detach one wiggly from the others and it—

****

        "You need to change into these." Dumaine is setting a bundle of clothes in my lap. He absently turns away, doesn't even look at my face. It's been about an hour and a half and I've just come back. He doesn't know it's me yet.

        "Why? Is there blood on my shirt?" I look down, noticing I'm in the exact same place and position, minus the throbbing ears and squirming ball.

        He spins back around, his eyes brightening. "Emmeline!" His eyebrows are so close to popping of his head. I smile as he attempts to hide his excitement. "Yeah, how did you get blood all over yourself? You probably need to take a shower before we go anywhere. Don't want to make me look like a murderer," he jokes, sitting beside me, so much more life in him now than there was a moment ago. But I can still see the sleeplessness in his eyes. They aren't focusing correctly, and when they do he starts to go cross-eyed before blinking it away.

        "My ears were bleeding from this horrible screech, the same thing that had happened back in New Orleans." I hold up the clothes he gave me. They match his.

        "What did happen back home?" He seems shy about asking, his eyes not their normal size but still trying to focus on the clothes I hold.

        "I'm fairly sure I already told you." I scoot closer to him, seeing if I can make his eyes big again. It's working. But he's starting to go cross eyed. "Have Hans and Lochlan woken up yet? Did anything happen while I was gone? Did any other Demons show up? I hope you haven't actually killed Lochlan. When are you going to finish telling me about yourself?" Why do you look at your fingers when you play?

        "Well..." He hesitates, looking up as if he's still trying to make out what I'd said, and focusing on not knitting his eyebrows together. "While you weren't yourself Hans, Lochlan, and I figured out what we're doing next. We're not sure how yet but we're going to Nevada—"

        "Why?"

        "Becau—"

        Oh! I almost forgot! "I haven't told you about what Amistifer said. Quickly." I grab his hand and notice he's not wearing his boots as I'm pulling him to the door. We step out into the hall and I rattle my fist against Lochlan's door. He has the keys. And Dumaine is wearing striped socks.

        The door handle twists and I shove it open, nearly knocking down a very surprised Lochlan. Dumaine doesn't even try to hide his smile. I pull him into the room and release him only once the door is closed. He seems to be able to focus now.

        "Where's Hans?" I look around, finding one ferociously mangled bed and one lightly rumpled bed. I wonder whose is whose.

        "Here I am!" Hans exits the bathroom door, his white hair freshly combed, a crisply ironed pale blue shirt buttoned around him. Where'd he get a change of clothes?

        I see. Drexel steps out from behind him, a duffle bag around his shoulder. His eyes land on my raised eyebrows.

        "Hans and his new friend..." Drexel looks toward Lochlan, his eyebrows bunching slightly. "Lochlan?" He remembers and I nod. "They called. Said you're all going on a trip so I packed Hans some things. Clothes, and stuff. Oh, and a some money, just in cas—"

        "Keep the money, we won't need it. You might."

        "Oh... what sort of trip is this again?" He glances to Lochlan but I move close enough to Drexel that he can't help but pay attention to only me.

        "We're on a mission," I report. "Some of our goals are to stop demonic creatures from possessing me, to learn about the angelic creatures that fall away from the Earth, and to figure out what Dumaine is. Hans may not return for a long time. He may return tomorrow. We really do not know what will happen. Thank you for providing Hans with necessary supplies and supporting him on his decision to help us. You may now proceed with your regular daily schedule, unless you have also decided to accompany us in our quest for knowledge, fairness, and the safety of our world."

        "No, n-no thank you." Drexel has transformed into a frightened dog, keeping his head down and progressively slipping away from me while tripping over his own feet. I think I may have accidentally told him too much at once. "I'll leave now. I'll leave. I'm leaving." His voice slurs out of his mouth. He's frozen, realizing he must pass me to leave. I think something I said may have been some kind of childhood fear. So, I don't do as my father would. I am polite as I step away from Drexel. He slides along the wall to the door, keeping his face toward me. He's struggling with the door handle, glancing a goodbye to Hans. He barely cracks the door before shoving the duffle bag off his shoulder and jamming himself through the crevice. The door clicks shut, the duffle bag on the floor, and all eyes are on me. Alright.

        "Last night, Amistifer told me quite a lot." I stand in the middle of the room and begin to recite all that was said.

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*Parts that are underlined and italicized are meant to be striked out.