Tommy Nightmare(86)

“I got to get the gun,” he said. He doubled back and pushed by her, though she tried to stop him. “Before they come back.”

“Dad, please, do not do that.” She followed him back to his room. He knelt by the bed and rooted underneath it, where he kept his shotgun. “Dad, no!” She dropped down beside him and pulled back on his arms. “We don't need the gun.”

“You ain't listening to me!” He looked at her, but he still didn't seem to recognize her. “They’re coming for all of us.”

“Nobody's coming.” The cell phone in her pocket was silent as death. Why wouldn't Seth call back? “Come on, Dad. Maybe you need to go to the hospital.” She hooked a hand under his arm to help him up.

“No!” he shouted. He crawled away from her.

“They can help you,” Jenny said.

“They're after me.” He crawled into the hallway again.

“Nobody's after you.” Jenny followed him, trying not to cry now. She didn't know what to do, and there was nobody to help her.

He crawled to a corner of the living and pulled his knees to his chest, head low.

“Dad, please.” Jenny took his hands. “Just let me take you to the hospital.”

“You ain't taking me nowhere. You get the hell out of my house!”

“Dad...” Jenny couldn't help it, she was really crying now. “Dad, come on. Just get up on your feet.”

“What do you want with me?” he asked.

“I'm just trying to get you help,” she said. “Come on, stand up.”

He looked at her with deep suspicion, but he did let her help him stand.

“This way,” Jenny whispered. “It's gonna be okay.”

She led him toward the front door, and he leaned heavily on her. She managed to get him out through the screen door and down the steps. Then she guided him toward the car and opened the passenger door.

“Oh, hell no!” He shouted. He pulled away from her and ran into the shed.

“Daddy, stop!” Jenny ran after him.

She found him crouched behind the workbench, looking around. When he saw her, he ducked his head out of sight.

“Dad, come on.”

“You're gonna kill me,” he said.

“I am not!” Jenny didn't even try to stop her tears from pouring out. This whole situation was confusing and frightening.

“Dad, come on...” Jenny struggled to think of what to do. Her mother's name popped into her head. “Your wife is waiting for you. Miriam.”

“Miriam?” He looked up. “Where?”

“We're going to see her.” Jenny held out one gloved hand. “Right now. But we have to hurry.”

“Miriam,” he whispered. He took her hand, and Jenny helped him stand again.

“This way,” Jenny said. She walked him out to the car, and this time he was willing to sit inside it. Jenny hurried to close his door and run around to the driver's side.

“I ain't seen Miriam...” he whispered as Jenny started the car. “I ain't seen Miriam since...”

“Just settle down,” Jenny said. He was squirming and fidgeting in his seat as they backed out of the driveway.

“Miriam... Miriam...” he whispered. Jenny stepped on the gas. It was twenty-five minutes to the county hospital, if you obeyed the speed limit, which she didn't plan to do.

The longer they drove, the more agitated her dad became. He started slapping at the window by his head. “Where we going?” he demanded.

“I told you. The hospital.”

“Aw, no.” He pulled at the door handle, and the passenger door opened. The road outside flew past at sixty miles an hour. He lifted one foot from the floor, clearly intending to step out of the moving car.

“Daddy, no!” Jenny grabbed him and pulled him back. The forward motion of the car closed the door. Jenny wished she had automatic locks, or that she'd locked the door or put on his seatbelt before starting the car. Or that her dad hadn't gone completely crazy in the first place.

He stared at the car door, looking puzzled. Fortunately, he didn't make another attempt to open it.

The county hospital was a single-story brick building. Jenny pulled into a parking spot near the front door labeled EMERGENCY ONLY. She ran to open his door.

“Come on, Dad.” She held out a hand to him. “We're here.”

His eyes narrowed with suspicion at he stared at the hospital. “Where we at?”

“We're just going to the hospital for a minute, and then we'll go back home.”

“I don't like this. Where's my daughter?”

“She's coming,” Jenny said.

“You better call her.”

He pushed himself out of the car and began to stumble across the parking lot, away from the hospital.