Page 46 of Splintered
“Evan is a very, very lucky man.”
“So am I.”
“I’ll be staying at the hospital overnight. I’ll let you know how Evan is doing.”
She hung up, and Ben kept driving, drawn back toward home like a cord was pulling him there, back to his house, and to the darkness.
* * *
Chapter Fourteen
Vomit roseinside him when he saw Evan climb out of Father Mathew’s car.
He hadn’t seen Evan in the sunlight in weeks. He hadn’t seen him outside of the house.
He hadn’t realized how bad it had become.
Evan looked wasted. Like a skeleton dressed in old clothes, or a gangly child playing dress up with his father’s outfits. Evan’s shirt hung off his shoulders, the knobs of his shoulder bones sticking out at odd angles. His jeans seemed limp on his body, too baggy, too big. He was pale, sunken hollows beneath his eyes, caverns carved in his face and filled in with sorrow and exhaustion. He looked a week away from death, one foot already in his own grave.
Father Mathew helped him from his car to Ben’s front porch, walking slow and steady, his hand laced through Evan’s. They climbed the front steps one at a time, pausing in between.
The whole walk, Evan stared at Ben, holding his gaze while tears dripped down his cheeks.
As they summited the porch, Ben stepped forward, reaching out to take over for Father Mathew. Father Mathew pressed his forehead to Evan’s and whispered a prayer in his ear, then passed Evan’s hand to Ben. “I will see you both tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Father,” Evan whispered.
“Thanks.” Ben nodded. He squeezed Evan’s hand.
“God be with you both,” Father Mathew said. “I will be available for you all night tonight. I’ll be in prayer, readying for tomorrow. If you need me to come here and be with you both, I will gladly. You do not have to fight this alone.”
Ben nodded again. “If we need you, we’ll call.” Evan trembled beside him, shaking like he was about to collapse. Just the walk from the driveway to the porch had weakened him. Whatever they had pumped into him, whatever sedative, it had knocked Evan on his ass.
Whatever it was, it hopefully was enough to keep the demon away for the night. Or, keep his violent outbursts from the psychosis under control.
If not, Ben had Officer Velasquez’s phone number right next to Father Mathew’s in the kitchen.
“Ben,” Evan whispered as Father Mathew’s car pulled out of the driveway. “Ben, I’mso, so sorry. I—”
“Shhh.” Ben pulled him close. Kissed his temple and wrapped his arms around his quaking lover. “We’re going to figure out how to help you through this.”
“I think I’m possessed.” Evan’s breath burned the skin of his neck. He felt Evan’s lips move over his throat, felt the heat of his skin.
Ben stayed silent.
“Do you think I am?”
“I don’t know,” Ben sighed. “I just don’t know, Evan.”
“Do you think I’m crazy? That this is all in my head?” A sob bubbled up in Evan’s voice, warbling his whisper.
“I don’t know,” he repeated. He kissed Evan again, letting his lips linger on his forehead. “We need to talk.”
“I know.” Another sob, a hiccup. Evan clung to him. Leaned into him. “Ben—”
“Let’s go inside. And before you react, let’stalk. Okay?” He tilted Evan’s face up. Looked into his eyes. “I love you.”
Finally, Evan smiled, watery and wavering, but he smiled.
