Reaper - The Curse

|Nine|

April 17th, 1894
The Morrison Residence
Fairview, Pennsylvania

Jed Morrison's motionless body lay upon the couch, where it was for two days. He fell from the roof on the barn and had been knocked unconscious. Though he still had a pulse, he was

His nephew, Daniel Morrison and Daniel's pregnant wife, Catherine, were only a few feet away. She was lying on the bed with her husband at her side. She hollered every time a contraction took hold of her. The doctor had been called to assist in the delivery but lived an hour out of town.

"The baby is coming!" Catherine grabbed her husband's shirt and pulled him close, "It's time, Daniel."

The colour to his face disappeared, and his eyes widened, "But the doctor's not here."

"It's the time!" Catherine groaned as her body tensed.

Daniel moved into position at his wife's feet, and within a few minutes, a newborns' squeals were echoing through the house.

"It's a boy," Daniel sobbed, "Cath—"

Catherine heard a thump.

"Daniel, what's the matter? Daniel?" There was a break in the crying. A moment of indecision in her son before his cries became siren wails. Fearful shrieks that would kill a mother with a faint heart.

The door creaked, and a knock was heard, "Mrs. Morrison; it's Pat Schulz." He stepped inside the room and hurried to the foot of Catherine's bed. He scooped the baby up from the floor and gave him to his mother before returning to Mr. Morrison's side upon the level. "How long has he been like this?"

"It just happened. The baby was born, and then he fell." Catherine used her blanket to clean up her newborn, "Is he going to be ok?"

Dr. Shultz felt his wrist for a pulse, "He is still alive. I will stay—"

The doctor stopped speaking when movement from the couch caught his attention.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Morrison; your husband has passed." The doctor announced, he placed his arm down and closed his eyes.

Jed sat up on the couch and rubbed his face, "Where am I?"

Catherine screamed into her hand. Her son cried just the same in her arms. Her husband. His father. Everything they had planned, it was all gone now.

Dr. Shultz lifted Jed from the couch and assisted him in walking into the kitchen. He sat him at the table and poured a glass of water that he placed in front of Jed.

"What's going on, Doc?"

Pat took down his hat and ran his hands through his silver, thinning hair, "Daniel is no longer with us, Jed."

Jed shook his head and then dragged his hands down his face, "That's awful," he left his hands over his mouth.

Dr. Shultz patted Jed's back, "Dan was lucky to see his son born, now your legacy will live on." He pushed the glass closer to Jed and adjusted his shirt collar, "It is saddening that he was only 21, but he lived a good life. Don't let it eat at you," the doctor squeezed his shoulder and left to check on Catherine and the baby.

Jed shot out of his chair and ran for the bathroom as soon as he had the door locked and his hands over his face, a halfhearted-breathless snicker resonated from him. He looked toward the ceiling and let his body go limp on the floor with his back against the door.

His eyes stayed open, but his mind shut down. He was awake and asleep at the same time. Reality no longer existed in his mind. The things he saw when he was knocked out, no one would ever believe him.