AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Unless the pinch was part of the dream.
“Who are you?” Elizabeth asked. “What do you want?”
The figure took two steps closer to the bed but remained shrouded in darkness. Elizabeth blinked several times, tried to focus. Definitely a woman, she had little doubt of that. Maybe five-three, five-four. But it wasn’t a nurse. The woman was dressed in black, appeared to be wearing a long coat.
The word caught in Elizabeth’s throat. “Brie?” she said.
The woman replied in a whisper. “I just wanted you to know I’m okay.”
Elizabeth struggled to pull herself up.
“No, no,” the woman whispered urgently. “Don’t do that. Stay put.”
“Where have you been?” Elizabeth asked, her voice breaking.
“Away.”
“But why … why have …”
“It’s too hard to explain. But I’m okay. I’m getting a few things in order.”
Tears started to run down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “I can’t believe it’s you. I’ve worried so. I never allowed myself to hope, not until now.”
Was there a smile on the woman’s face? Impossible to tell in the darkness.
“I love you,” the woman said. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Come here,” Elizabeth said, reaching out a withered arm. “Come to me.”
“I … I can’t.”
Was she a ghost? Elizabeth wondered. If she could put her arms around her, would she dissolve in her arms like smoke? Elizabeth was certain she was awake, that this was not a dream, but that didn’t preclude a visit from the supernatural, did it?
“Are you … alive?”
A whispered giggle. “I’m standing right here, aren’t I?”
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“And I’ve missed you, Mom,” the woman said. “More than you can possibly know.” She glanced back toward the closed door. “I’m going to have to go.”
“No, please stay. Pull up a chair. Tell me where you’ve been. Tell me everything.”
“None of that matters. That I’m here, let that be enough. Visiting hours are over. If they find me here I’ll be in big trouble.”
“They’ll understand! Please, Brie, don’t—”
But she backed away and pulled the door open, allowing light from the hall to flood that corner of the room. The sudden brightness blinded Elizabeth and she instinctively closed her eyes for a second, shielded them with her hand.
When she opened them, and took her hand away, the door had closed, and the woman was gone.
Elizabeth twisted around in the bed, looked frantically for the buzzer that would send a message to the nurses’ station that she needed help. She found it, jammed it with her thumb repeatedly until, about thirty seconds later, the door opened and a male nurse ran in.
“Yes, yes, what’s the problem, Mrs. McBain?” he said.
“The woman!” Elizabeth said. “Bring her back! Stop her!”
“Woman? What woman?” he asked.
