Dark Flutters: Stories for a Moonless Night

From Within

From Within

“I think I might have some sort of virus, or something,” Tim said to his wife as he walked into the kitchen.

She glanced over at him.  “Are you okay?”

He nodded as he pulled out a chair at the table and sat down.  “I just don’t feel very good, Mary.  I was up all last night.”

“Maybe you don’t want this after all?” she asked as she sat a plate of food before him.

He shoved the plate away from him and sighed, “No, not really.”

She reached out a hand and placed it on his forehead.  “You’re burning up.  Maybe you should stay home today?” 

“No,” he said, shrugging off her hand.  “I have that meeting today.  I have to go.” He stood up and gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek.  “I’ll see you later,” he told her as he headed for the door.

He sat at his desk and tried to concentrate on the paperwork in front of him.  He leaned back in his chair.  It was pointless; all his mind would focus on was the gnawing ache in his stomach.  

Tim took a deep breath as the pain flowed through him in waves.  “What is wrong with me?” he muttered as he mopped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

Suddenly he felt something somersault in his gut. His eyes widened in disbelief as he felt something wiggle deep inside of him, causing fire to engulf his abdomen. 

He stood up and grabbed his desk for support.  Something was wrong.  A simple virus didn’t feel like this or at least, it never had before.

He took a deep breath as the pain subsided a little and grabbed his coat.  He had to see a doctor. 

“Tim, buddy.  Are you going somewhere?”  

He turned to see his boss standing in the doorway of his office.  “Yeah, Carl.  I’m not feeling well,” he told him as he scooped up his briefcase and keys.  “I think I’m just going to head home.”

“You can’t, Tim.  The meeting’s starting now and I need you there.”

“I can’t.  I really have to go.”

“Please,” he said, placing a hand on Tim’s arm.  “Do this for me.  Give me twenty minutes and then you can go.  Hell, you can even have tomorrow off.  Just don’t bail on me now, okay?”

Tim frowned but laid his stuff in his chair.  “Okay, twenty minutes.  After that, I’m gone.”

A smile spread across Carl’s face.  “Thanks, buddy.  I owe you one,” he said, relieved as he turned and walked down the hall.

He followed him into the conference room and took a seat.  The pain had dwindled into a dull ache once again.  The slithering sensation was no longer occurring.  Maybe he could last these twenty minutes.

Other people started to trickle in and the meeting got under way.  He sat there listening to the others as he tried not to focus on his stomach.  He knew whatever it was; it was nowhere as bad as what his imagination was trying to tell him.  He just needed to deal with the meeting right now.

One of the Senior VP’s turned and looked at him.  “So Tim, tell me, where do we stand with the Honeycutt account?”

He took a deep breath and looked around the room.  “Well, I believe we’re looking good on it.  The figures are close to what we projected and I don’t think…”  His words were cut off as another spasm rocked his abdomen.  His hand flew to his mouth as he tried to catch the breath that had frozen on him.