Your Worst Fears

Chapter 19: Inside

As I headed home from Nick's house, all I could think about was what had just transpired and how Nick had acted... and how his jeans hung so low on his hips. I forced the latter thought out of my mind, wondering what in the world I was supposed to do now. If he was this thing's new host, I had no idea how to fix it. I sure as heck didn't want it to possess me again, but I hated it for him, knowing how it felt.

At the next red light, I did the only thing I knew to do--I called Erik. I knew I'd kissed him, but barely remembered it, since my mind seemed to still be in a bit of a fog then, which I guess is to be expected when one is in and out of a demonic possession. Despite that, I was afraid it would be awkward, but when he answered, he sounded like he always did.

"Hey, Amber. What's up?" 

I told him about Nick, how he had acted, and reminded him what Eleanor's ghost had said. "I think it's got him now, Erik, and I don't know what we can do." I tried to recount everything Eleanor had said at the asylum, which I'd played over and over in my mind since we'd left there. "She'd said it wanted revenge, but revenge for what? And with who?"

He was quiet for a few seconds. "I don't know. Nick's the one who always does the research, so I'm sure he'd know, but seeing as how he's... a bit involved, now, I doubt he'd be much help." It sounded like he was drinking something, gulping against the phone. "I'll go over there and see what he's up to. I'll act like nothing's going on, just that I was checking on him."

"Oh, what happened to his leg?" I asked. If he had told me, I didn't remember.

"He said he fell in the shower."

"Really? The shower?" Old ladies fall in the shower, not grown men. "What was he doing?"

"Well, seeing as how I wasn't in there with him--" he laughed "--I have no idea."

He sounded like he did have an idea, or that Nick had actually told him, but he wasn't going to share it with me and I wasn't going to push it. "Well, after you go see him, call me and let me know how it goes."

"Okay." 

He didn't say anything else and the awkwardness I'd been afraid of crept into the silence. "Okay, then, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay."

"And be careful. He's not himself at all, so watch your back. I'd protect myself, too. Paint crosses all over your chest, or spritz holy water on you or something ."

I heard him chuckle. "I will."

We told each other bye and hung up. I was anxious to see what Erik thought after he talked to him, but knew it would be a while before I found out. I hated waiting.

It was a few more minutes before I was pulling into our driveway. Mom was still in the kitchen, making a grocery list, when I walked in. When she saw me, she asked how Nick was.

"Oh, he seemed... a bit under the weather," to say the least, "but seems okay. Just not really himself."

"Well, come wash your hands. I don't want you bringing something home to us."

"I don't think what he has is catching like that," I admitted.

"Either way, come wash up." I walked over to the sink and proceeded to wash my hands so she'd hush. "Do you need anything from the store?"

I finished washing my hands and dried them before sliding her list across the counter and adding some of my favorites to it. "There you go."

She eyed my additions and then me. "I won't be gone long. Kylie will probably get here before me, though, and if she does, make sure Derrick doesn't come in. No boys are allowed to be here if an adult isn't home," she reminded me.