The Incubus

Chapter 5, Scene 12

'What's wrong?' Justin asked. He could see from Rebecca's facial expression that she was terrified.

Rebecca merely cried and slid down with her back against the wall.

Justin dropped his bag and knelt down beside her. 'What's wrong, Becky?' he insisted.

'The shadow,' Rebecca said. She felt faint and her head was spinning. 'The shadow moved.'

'What shadow?' he asked.

She pointed in the direction of the living room.

'Wait here,' He said and made his way to the living room. Justin scanned his eyes around the room, but couldn't find what he thought she'd classify as a 'shadow.'

'Where exactly is this shadow?'

'Next to the...wall unit,' she sobbed. She got up and joined Justin.

No shadow.

'Take a seat,' he said. 'I'm going to get you something to drink.' She sat down as Justin went out to collect his bag and closed the front door. He then entered the kitchen where he filled a plastic cup with tap water and stirred in some sugar. Once she finished the water, Justin took the cup from her and placed it down on the coffee table. 'Okay,' he said. 'Now tell me what happened; but slowly.'

Rebecca told him about the shadow against the wall as well as the radio and television that kept switching on by itself.

'You mean there's someone in the house?' Justin asked.

'I...I don't know,' she said, unsure herself as to what was going on.

'Wait right here,' Justin said. 'Don't move until I get back.'

She nodded.

He went back to the kitchen and took a carving knife from the drawer. He then headed for the study, where after a quick sweep, he found no one. Justin then checked the bathroom, and finally their bedroom. Still he found no one. He returned to the living room, feeling foolish and relieved at the same time.

Rebecca looked up expectantly, but Justin's facial expression made her heart sink.

'I'm not sure what you think you saw,' Justin said, 'but there's no one in this apartment.'

Rebecca didn't say anything.

Justin sunk into the couch next to her and sighed intentionally loud. He picked up the television's remote control and pressed the power button.

Nothing happened.

'What's this?' he asked and slapped the remote against the palm of his hand.

'That's what I've been trying to tell you,' Rebecca said. 'I unplugged it.'

Justin looked at her. 'Unplugged what?'

'Everything.'

Justin put down the remote and walked to the television. He worked his way to the back and saw that she had indeed unplugged it. He then scanned his eyes across the room. Sure enough, everything electrical had been unplugged. The radio, DVD player, and even the lamp in the corner of the room.

'Why did you do this?' he asked.

'It goes on by itself,' she said. She rocked back and forth on the couch and a realization struck Justin. A thought occurred to him that Rebecca might not be doing this for attention at all. It suddenly dawned on him that his wife might indeed be losing her mind.