The Incubus

Chapter 3, Scene 6

What's she doing outside? Justin wondered as he parked the car. He locked the door and as he approached Rebecca, he could sense that something was wrong. She was sitting on a small cement step with her head tucked into her arms as she rocked backwards and forward.

'Hey you,' he said as he approached her. 'What are you doing outside?'

Rebecca looked up. Her facial expression told Justin that she was relieved to see him back earlier than expected.

'You're going to catch a cold out here, love.'

'I don't care!' Her words escaped as a sob. 'I'm not going back into that place alone again.'

Justin frowned. 'What place?' He looked up at their front door. 'Our home?'

Rebecca didn't answer. She just kept on rocking.

'What's wrong, Becky? What are you talking about?'

'Paintings,' she said. 'They're off.' Her eyes darted from Justin to the apartment and back to him. 'Little man with big eyes. Study door...'

'Whoa there,' Justin said. 'You're not making any sense. Come, let's go inside and talk about it over a nice cup of tea, eh?'

He wrapped his arms around his wife and led her to the front door. It was unlocked. He opened it and she instantly headed for the living room.

'These paintings,' she said and pointed without looking.

'What about them?' Justin asked.

'They...they're down.'

Justin frowned. 'Down from what?'

'The wall, Justin!' she snapped. It was hard to hide the irritation in her voice. She looked up and her heart sank. The paintings were back on the wall as if nothing had happened. 'They...they were on the floor,' she said and walked to the nearest painting. 'This one was lying right here.'

'And now it's not?' Justin asked. He couldn't help but smirk at his own joke.

'Do you think it's funny?' Rebecca asked with an agitated quiver in her voice. 'Do you think I'm making this up?'

'Calm down, hun,' Justin said. 'I know you're not lying, but you have to see the humour in this.'

'The study door was open again.'

Justin walked to the study. 'Well, it's closed now,' he shouted from the little hallway. He appeared again and took Rebecca into his arms. 'Are you sure that you're okay?'

'I'm fine,' Rebecca said and pushed herself away from him.

'I'm just wondering if you're...you know...all right up here...' he twirled his finger next to his head and crossed his eyes. He meant it as a light hearted joke to try and ease some of the tension.

Rebecca didn't appreciate Justin's condescending tone of voice. 'I'm not crazy,' she said, but the last word came out choked. The first tear started the chain reaction.

Justin stepped forward and took her into his arms again. 'I'm sorry, Becky,' he said softly. 'It was a terrible joke.'

'I'm not crazy,' she said, her voice muffled with her face pressed against his chest.

'I know, my love.' He held her for a moment longer and allowed her to cry it all out. Whatever it was that piled up inside her had to come out. Hormones? 'Don't pregnant women sometimes hallucinate?' Justin asked when he thought it was safe to talk again. 'I think I read it in one of your pregnancy magazines.'

Rebecca shook her head. 'I didn't hallucinate,' she said.

Justin decided that it would be best for him to drop the subject. If he didn't, she might cry the night away; something he was not in the mood for after a long first day at a new job. 'It's okay,' he said as re-assuring as he could. 'I'm here now. Everything's going to be just fine.'

She held him tighter.

'I'm here to protect you now. Nothing will harm you.'