Chapter 5
Shayla
I don’t know when I slept last. The nightmare I had about Iam taking over me. So many ways he could control me still floats in my head like a lingering nightmare. It’s imprinted into my consciousness. I’ve reached paranoia, I believe. I think he’ll pop up everywhere I turn. I cannot escape him.
I cannot complain to anyone about him either. Who’d believe me. I can see the headline now.Woman Believes She’s Being Stalked by God.I’d be worse than those alien encounter people. My goal is to avoid being alone. I’ve gone to the spa, but my eyes popped open every time I’d gotten close to dozing off. My giggle was borderline hysterical. The lady doing my pedicure gave me a cautious look then returned to her work.
Ugh. He has me laughing like a nut. Yet, somewhere under all my fear my body craves his touch when he’s away. My mind and body are being pulled in two different ways and it’s only a matter of time before I snap.
The mall is busy and I people watch after my pedicure. I grab something to eat in the busy food court. I line up the three sauces I chose and pour out my nuggets and fries. My phone buzzes and I check it since it could be Kizzy checking on her home. If she only knew what was going on. It’s just an advertisement but when I look up my nuggets are rearranged. I read it out loud.
“Mine,” I whisper my despair.
Surely, I’m seeing things. An older gentleman is walking by. He’s brown eyes look kind enough to humor a lunatic.
“Sir? Do you notice anything out of the ordinary about my nuggets?”
He smiles like I’m off my meds but responds. “You spelled a word. It says mine. Good job.”
He walks away before my crazy can spread. I drop my head on the table. Total exhaustion hits me. I don’t know how much longer I can take this. Packing up my meal. I opt to leave. I just need a nap. I navigate my way through the people while attempting to hold it together. My life makes no sense. I feel a sense of jealousy at the people shuffling around shopping and completely unconcerned about a stalker god.
Climbing into the car. I grip the steering wheel and squeeze my eyes shut.Don’t cry. Don’t panic.I repeat it to myself because crying or panicking will not help me right now. After a few deep breaths I crank the engine. Fall is a beautiful time of the year and now it’s cool enough to wear a light long-sleeve shirt but not too cold to freeze. It’d be a good day to for a walk in the park and watch the leaves shift colors. Maybe I should get some pumpkin spiced something or hot apple cider.
The thoughts are more soothing than usual. My eyelids drop but I shake my head and roll down the window. The music is blasting but it doesn’t stop my body from slowly shutting down. I just need a little…
Bumping and my car jerking awakens me in time to watch myself out a fence. I try to gain control but it’s too late. My stomach drops when my car lurches forward. My head bangs the driver’s window and stuns me long enough to sideswipe a tree and spin out toward the cliff. Blood from my head drips in my eyes and clouds my vision, but I feel the car begin to free fall.
I do the only thing I can.
“Iam!”
∞∞∞
Iam
Mortals are idiots. Why the hell was she driving and not sleeping. I heard the panic when she screamed my name and appeared just in time to take her away. Seconds later the impact would have killed her and there’d be nothing I could do but wait for the next one.
That pissed me off. I’ve healed her wounds and put her in restorative sleep for a week. In that week, my feelings have oscillated from concern, anger, fear of losing her, wanting to kill her myself, desire, and finally mild understanding.
The human mind cannot handle what I’ve shown her. It needs time to process and consider things. Grow, or whatever all those damn touchy-feely mental health doctor shows I downloaded into my head said.
She must be wooed. I try to refrain from puking. This is so ghetto. Still, I promised the witch that I'd be better in the second chance. That I’dearn her love. Too bad our definition of earning love is different from humans.
I miss Sigyn and the warmth of her love so if I have to get through human roadblocks then what-the-fuck-ever.
The week of sleep is wearing off. Her beautiful face scrunches and I move us back to her place so she can wake up in her own bed. Those big brown eyes pop open since her brain is still in the moment before I saved her. She almost resembles a baby deer in shock. I’m mad that I fall deeper. My anger speaks first despite the lecture I just gave myself.
“Tell me, was almost dying better than being with me? I can take you back and drop you over.”
“It wasn’t a dream?” She asks in awe as she looks around her room. Notability I’d say her almost dying has her less phased about my presence.
“No! You almost died like an idiot. You’re lucky you called for me in time.”
“Don’t yell at me right now. It’s not like I was trying to die. Your harassment had me exhausted. Why are you so mad?”
“Because you almost died over stupidity.” I flash to her bed and grab her shoulders. “You’re my wife and almost lost you. Do you understand that? Had I not come when I did that would have been it.”
She closes her eyes and a few tears slip out. “That was terrifying. I didn’t do it on purpose, but you must see how you aren’t helping, right?”
