My heart is literally breaking.
I'm hugging my boy to myself; my fingers in his hair, my other hand snug protectively around him.
I can't believe any of this is happening.
I can't believe I could have lost my son if I stayed in that house for one more minute.
I close my eyes, inhaling at his hair, and I'm aware of the bitter tears running down my cheeks.
Why me?
"Come with me. I'll take you inside." I tell Reagan who is seated very still, his fingers digging into my arms. I've never seen my son so scared. He's never had a reason to be scared. All his life, he's had two parents to take care of him and protect him, so he never had to know what fear is.
I feel like I'm letting him down. Zane would be so disappointed in me if he knew that I almost let our boy drown while I was seated in the bathtub.
I'm clearly doing an half assed job with parenting.
"Mom?"
"Hey, Reagan?"
"I don't want to go inside."
"You can't stay out here. It's not safe for you."
He pulls back from my arms to look at my face.
"The girl with the black teeth said something."
"What did she say?"
"That I can see my Dad again. She'll help me."
A tremor runs through me.
"I want you to stay away from this pool."
"But Mom, if she was right, I'll have to go into the water to see him."
"Doesn't the girl scare you?"
"She does. A lot. She has like the creepiest face ever. It's like.... Pale and weird and the skin is sort of falling off. She's scary."
"Then why would you want to go anywhere with her?"
"Because I want to see my Dad. If going into the pool with the creepy girl will help me with that, there's no reason not to do it."
Sighing, I turn to look at the pool. It's deceivingly calm; unbelievably blue.
You would never guess that I almost lost my second family member in there in a few days span.
I don't know what the hell is wrong with that pool, but damn me if I let my son get close to it.
"Reagan?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm gonna carry you inside. I'll keep my eyes on you the entire time. I don't want you leaving the house without permission. You understand me?"
He stares at me, then he shakes his head.
"The girl was right. She knows where my Dad is. I can-"
I cut him off.
"It wasn't a request. You'll stay inside until I decide otherwise. I'm calling aunt Amber to come over later today. She'll help you feel better."
"I love aunt Amber."
"I know. Let's go inside and call her."
He hesitates, gazing longingly at the eerie pool, then he pulls himself to his feet and trots to the house.
I walk beside him, my hand on his shoulders, my sharp eyes scanning the compound.
I hope that if, and when Amber comes over, I'll feel safer; sane, less paranoid. At the moment, Reagan and I are still absorbing the greatest loss of our lives. That's why we're seeing and hearing strange things and strange people.
