CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

“Who?”

“The beautiful brunette who always has a smile on her face.”

She ignored his comment and walked around him. She was headed back to the psychiatric department.

“Wait don’t you want to watch what I do? I doubt if there is anything for you to do up there.”

“Sure.” She didn’t think Shee would mind. It had been a slow day upstairs and she didn’t think she would be needed any time soon. She tagged along with Archie as he did his rounds. They stopped to redress the leg of an accident victim. His blood was seeping through his bandage. Scarlet moved to the head of the bed and held his hand. She didn’t know how it helped with the pain, but he seemed to appreciate her caring.

She watched as Archie with the help of a nurse cut off his old bandage and peeled it off his bloodied leg. As she watched she felt her pulse race, and the baby inside her was doing backflips. She patted her hand at the top of her belly.

“If this is bothering you, Scarlet, you could leave. I’m sure Mr. Wilson wouldn’t mind if you let go of his hand.” Archie had stopped working on the patient’s leg and his eyes were on her.

She looked down at the patient who was now holding her hand with both of his, “I’m fine, and this kid just seems to forget the limited space he has to play around in.” She gave him a fake smile the best she could muster.

Scarlet could feel the same pulsing rhythm on his hands as she did on Michelle. She tried to ignore it and concentrated on Mr. Wilson’s face. She was soon to learn that was a bad move, her eyes dropped to his neck and she saw the trace of his thick vein. She couldn’t help but want to bite into it. The baby did another flip inside her then kicked her. This time Scarlet couldn’t help but bend over from the pain.

All of a sudden her ears were attacked by the sound of his heartbeat, of the blood rushing through his veins. Her nose was assaulted by the smell of his blood. Her need to taste it overwhelmed her. Scarlet doubled over when the baby kicked her again, this one more powerful than the last.

The nurse rushed to her side to support her.

Scarlet let go of the patient’s hands and stepped away from him, taking advantage of the nurse and using it as a crutch.

Archie handed the patient over to the other nurse and rushed to her side.

Scarlet mastered all her strength and stepped away from his bloody gloved hands. Her instincts fought against her will. The baby kicked again, and this time Scarlet’s knees gave out and she sank to the ground. She tried hushing the baby while lightly patting her stomach.

Archie pulled off the gloves and dropped them in the trash, and then slowly he moved towards her again.

“Shh!! It’s ok. Just relax baby.” She whispered her head bent towards her belly.

“Are you in labor?” The nurse was kneeling beside her.

She shook her head. Scarlet could feel her whole body heat up. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, trickling down her face. She could feel the wetness of her body as her clothes clung to her. Her palms were drenched in sweat as she gently caressed the baby inside her.

“I just need a minute.” Her breaths were short and shallow. “Archie get me out of here.” Her voice was pleading.

Scarlet needed to get as far away from the hospital as she could. She knew exactly what was happening and didn’t know how to control it.

Archie helped her off the floor, he told the nurse to inform Dr. Shee of what happened then he rushed her out of the emergency room.

When they got out of the hospital, the baby had calmed down and the pain subsided. She breathed in deeply, feeling her lungs with as much clean air as she could. Taking it all in and making sure the baby got enough of it. She was attempting to dilute the smell of blood in her system.

“Is that better?” She rubbed her belly as she spoke to the baby again.

“What?” Archie was confused.

“I’m talking to the baby.”

“Oh! What happened in there, Scarlet? You were turning a very strange shade of red and your body seemed to be heating up.” The back of his palm was on her forehead, taking her temperature.

She shook her head to shake his handoff. She knew exactly what was wrong and there was nothing he could help her with.

“I’m fine. It was all the blood.” She swallowed hard. “Do you think Shee will give me the rest of the day off?” she needed to get to the confines of her ten by ten home.

“Sure, I will take you home and call him on the way. Is that ok?”

Scarlet nodded. She was thinking of how she was going to handle all of this for the rest of the pregnancy. She didn’t know how long she was going to be pregnant, she was going into the sixth week.

“Let me just go and grab my keys. Sit on the bench, you will feel better after a few minutes.” He helped her onto the bench.

“Is she alright?” She recognized Shee’s voice behind her. “The nurse paged me and told me what happened.”

He bent over Scarlet and looked her over. He was about to shine a light into her eyes when she feebly pushed him away.

“I’m fine. Stop that, he already examined me.”

“You should go home and rest, you can come back tomorrow depending on how you feel.”

“I was going to get my car keys and drop her home. Stay here with her for a while I will be back in two minutes.”

Scarlet groaned as her minute of privacy was snatched away from her. She leaned her back on the bench and closed her eyes. She needed to relax, her body needed to recover from the hard kicks the baby had dished out to her.

Scarlet thought about calling Kayla as soon as she got home, she needed to know what Nikki would say about this new development. She abandoned her thoughts when she felt someone tug on her hand.

Scarlet opened her eyes to find Archie trying to pull her to her feet. She stood up helping the man’s lost cause. Michelle was standing behind her with her things in her arms.

“Thanks.” She mumbled as she sat in the car and Michelle put her things on the back seat.

“Feel better.” Something about Michelle’s never-ending smiles and cheerful nature reminded her of Vincent.

“Thanks.”

Scarlet adjusted the chair pushing it behind and leaned into it. She stretched herself out on the chair, the upright position it was in was making her uncomfortable. She closed her eyes as Archie drove away from the hospital taking deep slow breaths. Scarlet was trying to relax herself in an attempt to relax the baby and hopefully make him sleep. She gently rubbed the sides of her mountainous belly as she hummed.

Archie looked over at her a couple of times but didn’t dare to distract her. Silently, he drove slowly to her apartment building, there wasn’t any need to rush. Scarlet looked calm and the baby hadn’t kicked the whole ride home. He parked at the entrance and waited for her to open her eyes.

Scarlet felt the car come to a halt then the roaring engine went silent. She sighed then opened her eyes, she turned and met Archie’s gaze. He got out of the car and walked around to her side. He held the door open for her and stretched out his hand offering her some support. Gladly she took his hand, her body wasn’t as strong as it used to be, and moving around not as easy, she appreciated all the help she got.

“I’ll get your things then help you up.”

Archie didn’t give her the chance to protest or decline his offer. He grabbed her purse and jacket out of the back seat. He swung them over his shoulders so that his hands could be free to support Scarlet to her apartment.

He gave her his right to hold on to and his left firmly on the small of her back.

Scarlet appreciated the lift-up, she didn’t think she could have made it on her own.

They met one of her neighbors on the stairwell. The old lady seemed genuinely concerned as she promised to check on her later. Scarlet didn’t like the idea at all, she had grown accustomed to her solitary life, and she was sure the old lady would make the visits regular.

When they got to the apartment door, he handed her, her purse so that she could take her key out. Once inside the house, he headed directly to the bed and helped her lay down. He took off her shoes and pulled a cover over her.

She watched him as he moved about her small cubicle, trying to sort things out and looking for something for her to eat. She peeked at him from under her heavy eyelids and soon his bee movements seemed to lull her to sleep.