Missing Martha

107

Martin sat in the cold shower, he'd been in it for over an hour, watching the blood from his self inflicted wounds trickle down his wrists and dyeing the water pink as it streamed into the plug.
Martha was dead. She had died yesterday.
To check if he was physically okay, Emily knocked the door of the bathroom and walked slowly in to see him sitting naked and covered in blood with his head resting on the pane of glass.
She didn't have any words to say; she was as bad as he was. So, removing the uncomfortable dressing gown she'd dressed herself in for the last day she entered the shower and sat down beside him, flinching as the freezing water permeated through her skin.
Martin pressed his shaking fist against his lips as his tears mixed with the water, and Emily leant her head on his chest, numbed by the loss of their only child, and the only thing keeping them together.
Martin lifted up a bottle from the edge of the shower, looking at the kids shampoo, he took off the lid and smelt it, it smelt of Martha. There was precious little left of her now.
Emily looked down at the razor blade at Martin's feet then looked to his wrists which were shredded with blood and ripped skin. He looked blankly at his faint reflection in the glass. He hadn't even phoned in sick into work. And he'd heard his phone ringing constantly, but he felt that if he so much as opened his mouth he'd be sick again in the overwhelming shock that swarmed through his body.
"We're never going to get back from this are we.." Emily breathed, her eyes scarlet from the still subsiding tears.
Martin shook his head in response, the cold water dripping down his lips as Emily leaned her head into his chest and began to cry unbearably. Martin stroked her bare, shaking back and pressed his jittering jaw on top of her hair, biting the inside of his lips together as his eyes tensed in the utter agonising heart break he was suffering.

"Sir?" Whispered someone's voice, who happened to be Lucy. Martin's head was leaning on Zoe's shoulder, who was also fast asleep, his nose buried in her arm. His tired eyelids slowly flickered open and he jutted his hand towards his face as he sat up, rubbing his pink eyes that seemed to sting from his memories. He looked over at the others.
"Where are we?" He asked, his eyes adjusting.
"We're at the hotel; is Miss Flynn okay?" Asked Cloda, indicating to Zoe who had her very pale head rested on the window.
Martin looked over to her and placed one hand on her cheek, stroking it gently and feeling her hot feverish temperature,
"Zoe?" He whispered, turning towards her and moving closer as he brushed her blonde hair off her face.
She made no response, so he pressed his other hand on her cheek, rubbing it gently with his thumb as he said relatively loudly, "Zoe."
Her eyes opened slowly which appeared to be bloodshot. She looked incredibly dazed, and her eyes wouldn't focus.
"You okay?" Martin asked her, meeting her gaze.
"W-where a-are.. are we at the h- Martin?"
Her eyes were large like a begging dog as Martin ran his hands comfortingly down her arms.
"It's okay, it's okay. I've got you." He soothed before looking back to Ollie and Cloda who stood alert at the door. "Right.." he turned back to Zoë, "Are you well enough to sit up?" He asked.
"Of course, I'm fine." She Insisted, sitting up and standing up slowly before suddenly gripping the top of the seat in front.
"Take my arm." Martin ordered, wrapping his arm around her waist as he helped her out of the van.
"I really don't feel well.." she muttered, her head swaying slightly.
"I've got you." He assured, holding her tightly, "I've got you."
"Martin, honestly I think I'm gonna faint." She mumbled, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
"Hang in there." He told her, kissing her cheek as he walked away from her over to the posh reception area. He walked over to Ollie first,
"Keep an eye on her, would you?" He asked, Ollie nodded sincerely in response and walked a few steps closer to Zoë.
Martin walked up to the receptionist and gave him his details before he began to hand him the key to the room.
Ollie saw Zoë's expression turn blank, her eyes seemed to roll upwards and just as her knees began to give way he ran over to her and caught her as her head fell onto his chest and her knees planted to the ground.
"Zoe?!" Called Martin, taking the keys and quickly running over to her.
"She's completely out of it." Said Ollie, still holding her as Martin put his hands on her cheeks.
"Can you hear me, Zo?" He asked, but as he expected, there was no response. Her eyes were closed and she was completely limp. He pressed his thumb against her wrist to check her pulse, which was slow.
"D-do you need an ambulance?" Offered the receptionist.
"No, no thank you. She just fainted. Where's the lift?" Martin responded, feeling a keen desire protect Zoe from anyone else.
He was directed to the elevator, and with all the energy he could muster he slipped his hands beneath her back and her legs and Zoe's head fell limply onto his shoulder as he carried her bridal style into the lift.
"Is she gonna be alright?" Asked Cloda, seeing Martin's muscles strain as he held her close.
Martin nodded, "she should be." He said, looking down at her porcelain face as the doors opened into the huge penthouse apartment they had booked.
"Oh my god.." Martin gasped, it was sunset already, and an orange haze dazzled in through the windows.
"There's a really nice bedroom in here." Suggested Ryan, who had opened a door.
"I'll put her in there, then." Said Martin, walking into a large modernised Victorian bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed and slipped off her heeled sandals before walking into the en-suite and dampening a face towel and pressing it against her forehead and the back of her neck before sitting down beside her on the bed.
"Are you alright, sir?" Asked Ollie, standing at the threshold, leaning against the wall.
"Am I alright?" Questioned Martin, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't mean physically. And I know she's not alright." Ollie reiterated.
Martin looked down, "Not really, Ollie." He admitted, blankly smiling at him.
Ollie took a couple steps into the room, "can I just say.. thanks so much, for everything. You're an amazing teacher and friend, and you will never ever know how grateful we are to have you."
Martin stood up and walked over to Ollie, wrapping his arms around his back in a friendly manner, which Ollie wasn't quite expecting.
"I think you should have a lie down for a few hours. We'll go out and bring some dinner in." Suggested Ollie, patting Martin's shoulder as he walked back towards the bed.
"Thank you." He replied.
"No problem." Ollie said.
"No really, thank you." Martin looked at Ollie sincerely as he nodded and left, closing the door behind him.