Page 83 of Jase

Run.

I couldn’t make it past the word. Run, what? Run where?

I flipped the page, seeing nothing but the word repeating over and over. I shut the book, letting it play out in my head. Who was running? Where were they going? Standing, I glanced through the almond trees. There were no apples this time. No swing. No David.

“Jase?”

The book fell from my hands as I headed back to my childhood house. I couldn’t see it from here, but it was there somewhere. If I hurried, would he be there waiting? Had he met my mom yet?

I walked faster, realizing something didn’t feel right about that. Should he not meet my mom? Was my mom even home?

Run.

The word came back, and with it…uncertainty. Should Jase not be at the house? Wasn’t it safe there? Was it safe anywhere?

Run.

“Jase? Jase, where are you?”

Run.

The letters were no longer repeating on the pages; they were looping in my mind.

What went from a walk to jog, quickly turned into a sprint at the chanting. My bare feet pressed hard into the earth, searching for speed I wasn’t sure I was capable of. He wasn’t okay. Not if he wasn’t at the house. What if he left? What if he was gone when I got there? He’d go somewhere. Somewhere where they were. Somewhere bad.

Run.

“Jase!”

Terror took over, enveloping my tone. Yes. He’d go find them. Jase would try to kill them, and he’d be gone for good. Gone like he was now.

The white fence came into view, barely visible through the intertwining branches. They were growing thicker by the second, trying to keep me out. Trying to keep me away so I couldn’t warn him.

“Jase! Jase!”

“I’m right here. Shh, I got you.”

Needles stabbed into my raw throat as I clung to his body. He was still in bed with me. Still holding me as I slept. When he handed me the water, I gladly took a deep drink, soothing the fire.

“They had to intubate you. That’s why it hurts. What were you dreaming about?”

I swallowed, trying to recall. It was right there, just out of reach. “I don’t know. I think I couldn’t find you.”

“Well, there’s no need to worry. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“How long have we been here?” My hand travelled over the growth on his face. Jase immediately moved his cheek to fit into my palm.

“Four days? It’s all a blur. The first two were scary. Your heart was unstable. They’ve been keeping a close watch on your insulin levels. So far, so good. They actually should be back any time now. The nurse was going to inform the doctor that you woke up.”

“I hate hospitals.”

He laughed, nuzzling me. “Me too. Let’s hope we never have to come to another again.”

I soaked in the affection, seeing how weary and exhausted he appeared. He almost didn’t even look like the same man I’d been living with the last few weeks. He sure wasn’t acting like him. Sure, we kissed, amongst other things, but didn’t cuddle. Jase didn’t strike me as the affectionate type. Or hadn’t, before now.

“Jase?”

“Yeah?”