Read Online 13 Drops of Blood by James Roy Daley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: James Roy Daley
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was truly gone. The trust had vanished, the bond was destroyed, and the bed they shared seemed to be carrying some terrible secrets––secrets that would haunt her for as long as she allowed them to. Her future felt like a better place without the damaged remains of her marriage clinging to it like a bad smell. So she asked her ‘soon to be ex-husband’ not to call, and although there were many nights that he wanted to, he respected her wishes and left her alone.
When the doorbell rang, Kate was cleaning up the kitchen and Jennifer was, unfortunately, in the hospital. She had been having problems with her pregnancy––reoccurring pains were getting worst as time moved on.
The last batch of agony was almost four weeks ago, three and a half weeks into her second trimester. It lasted nearly three days. During that time she found herself buckled over on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs, one hand clutching her belly, the other tightened into a fist that was pounding on the hardwood like a jackhammer. And although Kate was absolutely furious with her, Jennifer wouldn’t visit the doctor until well after the pain had subsided. Kate didn’t understand why; she couldn’t understand why. And Jennifer couldn’t explain it. But deep inside she knew something was terribly askew in a way that made her feel nauseous with fright. The child inside her body was scaring the hell of her, not just because of the pain she felt but also because of the atrocious thoughts that had been swirling around inside her head like a cyclone.
Jennifer was having nightmares–– terrible nightmares on a nightly basis. She kept thinking about Rosemary’s Baby , not the movie but the book. She had started reading it the day before she told Richard she was pregnant. She finished it forty-five minutes before the policemen gave her the news. Being the type of person that enjoyed Christmas stories in December and spooky stories on Halloween, she thought it’d be fun to read Ira Levin while pregnant. How unfortunate. Now her days were spent wondering if she’d find herself surrounded by doctors and nurses that were chanting “Hail Satan” after she gave birth to a child with a forked tail, little horns, and eyes that belonged to a goat.
When Jennifer finally found the courage to have her herself examined––a full week after she was sprawled out on the floor, kicking, screaming, and drowning in pain––the doctors were seriously concerned. Not just for the welfare of the unborn child but for Jennifer as well. For reasons they couldn’t explain Jennifer’s uterus had been torn in several places and she was bleeding internally. She also had bruises on her fallopian tubes, a pair of swollen ovaries, and a cracked rib. Needless to say, she was at risk of losing the baby. Worst than that, her life seemed to be in jeopardy as well.
Her stay in the hospital lasted for five days. During that time she had two minor operations. After that, Dr. P. Hollis, the head physician, made her promise that she’d return immediately if the abnormal pain started to flare up again. She agreed.
Earlier in the day the pain returned. And although she was afraid to have the baby examined while the aches were progressing, the fear of the unknown had taken control of the situation. She left for the hospital alone, informing Kate by phone hours after she arrived.
Kate swung the door open without looking through the window. Had she looked, things would have played out differently.
Richard was there, leaning a dislocated shoulder against the wall. He looked bad. Beyond bad. His back was twisted; his neck was broken. The top half of his skull had been crushed like an orange that had been stepped on by a very large foot. Both of his eyes were still in place, but one had turned dark and the other sat deep within its damaged socket. Parts of his brain bulged through a long crack in his face and his bottom lip had been torn free.
Kate stepped back, fingers on her
When the doorbell rang, Kate was cleaning up the kitchen and Jennifer was, unfortunately, in the hospital. She had been having problems with her pregnancy––reoccurring pains were getting worst as time moved on.
The last batch of agony was almost four weeks ago, three and a half weeks into her second trimester. It lasted nearly three days. During that time she found herself buckled over on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs, one hand clutching her belly, the other tightened into a fist that was pounding on the hardwood like a jackhammer. And although Kate was absolutely furious with her, Jennifer wouldn’t visit the doctor until well after the pain had subsided. Kate didn’t understand why; she couldn’t understand why. And Jennifer couldn’t explain it. But deep inside she knew something was terribly askew in a way that made her feel nauseous with fright. The child inside her body was scaring the hell of her, not just because of the pain she felt but also because of the atrocious thoughts that had been swirling around inside her head like a cyclone.
Jennifer was having nightmares–– terrible nightmares on a nightly basis. She kept thinking about Rosemary’s Baby , not the movie but the book. She had started reading it the day before she told Richard she was pregnant. She finished it forty-five minutes before the policemen gave her the news. Being the type of person that enjoyed Christmas stories in December and spooky stories on Halloween, she thought it’d be fun to read Ira Levin while pregnant. How unfortunate. Now her days were spent wondering if she’d find herself surrounded by doctors and nurses that were chanting “Hail Satan” after she gave birth to a child with a forked tail, little horns, and eyes that belonged to a goat.
When Jennifer finally found the courage to have her herself examined––a full week after she was sprawled out on the floor, kicking, screaming, and drowning in pain––the doctors were seriously concerned. Not just for the welfare of the unborn child but for Jennifer as well. For reasons they couldn’t explain Jennifer’s uterus had been torn in several places and she was bleeding internally. She also had bruises on her fallopian tubes, a pair of swollen ovaries, and a cracked rib. Needless to say, she was at risk of losing the baby. Worst than that, her life seemed to be in jeopardy as well.
Her stay in the hospital lasted for five days. During that time she had two minor operations. After that, Dr. P. Hollis, the head physician, made her promise that she’d return immediately if the abnormal pain started to flare up again. She agreed.
Earlier in the day the pain returned. And although she was afraid to have the baby examined while the aches were progressing, the fear of the unknown had taken control of the situation. She left for the hospital alone, informing Kate by phone hours after she arrived.
Kate swung the door open without looking through the window. Had she looked, things would have played out differently.
Richard was there, leaning a dislocated shoulder against the wall. He looked bad. Beyond bad. His back was twisted; his neck was broken. The top half of his skull had been crushed like an orange that had been stepped on by a very large foot. Both of his eyes were still in place, but one had turned dark and the other sat deep within its damaged socket. Parts of his brain bulged through a long crack in his face and his bottom lip had been torn free.
Kate stepped back, fingers on her
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