New Arrivals

She took a pen and a piece of paper and wrote down the first thing that came to mind:

"My husband is a monster."

She was startled again. She tore the paper up. What nonsense. Michael was the sweetest man she'd ever met. If anything, he was too endearing. She tried again:

"My husband has a secret."

That was more believable, but was it true? Michael acted strange at times, but was he hiding something? She just assumed that everyone must have secrets. That Michael didn't seem to have any only meant that he worked harder to hide them, as far as she was concerned. Which meant they must be really awful.

She wrote again:

"I love my husband."

But she couldn't finish the sentence.

Gloria put some music on, drank a glass of wine, and thought. She splayed her fingers on her bare stomach and looked at it, as though listening for something. Then she poured the rest of the wine down the sink, changed into an outfit she knew Michael liked, and called him, leaving a message saying that she couldn't wait to see him.

She sat on the couch, listening for the sound of his car, and when it came she began hyperventilating. It's all right, she told herself, you can do this. He's your husband for Christ's sake. Michael unlocked the door and came in looking exhausted. She stood up, forced herself to smile, and threw her arms around him. He looked surprised, but hugged her, kissing her cheek.

"Hi," he said.

"Hello darling," she said. She took him to the living room, sat him down, fixed him a drink, and asked how his day was. Bewildered, he talked a little about filling in for Jolstein, and how one of the other nurses fell down the stairs and ended up in the ER himself.

Gloria smiled, and nodded, and when he was done she put her hand on his leg. "Honey, I wanted to apologize for the way I've been," she said.

He blinked, running a hand through his dark, curly hair. "Well you don't have to. I know how hard it's been on you, losing Abbie. It's hard on all of us."

"But you know it's more than that. Things haven't been right for a long time. You never complained, but I know you're unhappy too, and it's my fault."

"Gloria, no, I-"

She squeezed his hand. "It's all right. I really don't know what's wrong. I have no idea. But I'm going to try harder. I know we can make it through whatever this is. I promise I'm going to try. I promise I'll-"

He kissed her. She was surprised, and almost pulled away, but made herself kiss him back. She closed her eyes and thought back to the night they met, their first date, their wedding night, the times they'd stayed up all night talking about the future and the times she'd waited all day just for him to come home. She tried to make herself feel like that again.

They went to the bedroom, Michael pulling off his jacket and shirt on the way. Just let it happen naturally, she thought. They fell onto the bed, and so long as they only kissed Gloria kept it together. His hands on her body made her tense up, but he didn't notice, or maybe mistook it for excitement. When his hand slid between her legs she couldn't help pushing him away, and when he looked confused she reached down and grabbed hold of him to cover for it.

She unzipped his pants and took out his cock, rigid and pulsing. She closed her eyes and ran her hand up and down it, circling two fingers around it and jerking just underneath the head. With her eyes closed she could forget it was him and just imagine anyone there, and that made it easier. Just get through this, she thought. Everything will be okay if you can just do this. Remember that you love him.

Eyes still closed, she licked the head, then swallowed the tip into her mouth. He grunted and she heard the bedsprings groan as he laid back. She pursed her lips, wetting them and the inside of her mouth. She moved it in and out, licking around the tip, vibrating her lips a little bit. It was easy to do, automatic even. She didn't have to think about it, which meant she could think about nothing at all. She went down further, sliding her tongue along the underside. Once or twice she thought about David, but pushed it away.

She opened wide and took him all in, all the way to her throat, and bobbed up and down. She slathered her tongue around Michael's cock, wetting it, sucking her lips over the shaft, feeling the head push against the back of her throat, its pulsing throb filling her. She felt detached, like her body was going to sleep. She pulled it out, leaving just the head in and sucking on it as hard as she could, her cheeks caving in slightly. Michael groaned and she tasted a warm, wet squirt on her tongue.

She would have liked to continue on like that all night, but he pulled away and pushed her down, his hands moving over her again. She shuddered, but tried to hide it, as he pulled her dress off, filling his hands with her breasts. His touch seemed cold somehow, but when he tweaked her nipples it sent electric jolts through her. His lips were rough on her soft skin, but when his tongue or teeth grazed the mark she trembled and felt herself go wet. A heady tingle crept up and down her body.

I can do this, she thought. There's no reason I can't do this.

He pulled her panties off. She took his face in her hands and kissed him, pulling him down, opening her legs around his body. She held her breath while he positioned himself. When he penetrated her with one hard thrust she dug her nails into his back. It's all right, she thought. Don't think about anything. Just feel.

Normally Michael was gentle, even tentative. This time he went in so hard and so fast she flinched, then as he continued she felt herself relax a little. Her body was responsive enough, growing hot and wet as Michael's cock slammed in and out. He held her down, hands pressing on her shoulders, and closed his eyes, thrusting in deep and hard. It was almost like having sex with, well, David.

When he put his hand over her mouth is when she really began to lose herself. She closed her eyes, not thinking about Michael or David or Abbie or anything not even herself, just the simple rubric of back and forth, in and out, touch and contact. The physical sensations of what was happening surrounded her and bottled her up. She felt safe and distant from the world. Nothing could get close enough to hurt her as long as they didn't stop.

After some time, Michael pulled out, leaving just the tip inside, and she felt a hot squirt. She gaped and moaned, thrashing her head from side to side. Then he plunged in, cumming some more with the stroke, and then back out, and the stream was still spurting. Each new thrust was punctuated by a quick, hot squirt, and Gloria's head swam. How much more could he have? It felt like a long time, though it was probably only a minute or two, before he relaxed, releasing his last. He kissed her and through the hazy, post-coitus fog, she kissed him back.

Michael lay at her side, stroking her, whispering to her. Gloria was looking at the wall again. She felt cold inside. Michael was talking and holding her, and she felt like she was freezing to death. She buried her face in the bed and tried not to let Michael see her cry.

She couldn't pretend that nothing was wrong. Something was very wrong. Now that the moment was over, she felt infected, like something awful was moving under her skin, or in her blood. The air smelled toxic. She wanted to talk to Abbie, but of course, she couldn't. She was alone.

She thought she would never fall asleep, but eventually she did. An hour later she woke up and heard the noise again; the horrible unidentifiable screeching sound. She saw that Michael's side of the bed was empty. She knew the sound was coming from the living room, and she knew he'd be there if she went and looked, but she didn't look. She couldn't.

Please God, she thought, let me fall asleep and not wake up. Just let me sleep forever. She covered her ears, and put the pillow over her head, and tried to pretend that the rest of the world wasn't there.

***

Now:

The bedroom. If she got the bedroom she might find a cell phone, or at least some clothes. She willed her legs to work. They were still sluggish, but she was moving.

She realized as she stumbled down the hall that the house was not empty. There were voices coming from the bedroom. No, not voices really, just noises? What was that sound? She realized that it was like the sound she'd heard in her own home, a sound like violin strings being stretched out. What the hell was it?

She stopped just outside the door. It was a little open, and she saw a light that might have been a television. The noise was getting louder, a horrible, grinding, screeching sound. Her heart beat so fast she had to stop walking for fear that it might burst. She leaned against the wall and bit her lip and listened to the noise.

I can't go in there, she thought. But what else was she going to do? Something was moving on the other side of the door. Something was coming out. Something was-

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Arms wrapped around her and she beat at her assailant, and then she heard his voice. "Hey, it's okay, it's me," said Michael.

She sagged in his arms.

"It's okay, it's okay," he said, holding her up. He stroked her hair. "You shouldn't be up and out."

"Michael!" she said, "Michael, what's going on? What's in there? Why am I here? What was that room? Michael-"

Suddenly she was seized with the urge to run. Something about Michael's eyes filled her with a sense of panic, but her body was still not responding at all now, and rather than flee she felt herself losing consciousness again.

"It's all right," said Michael. "I'm here now. I'm here."

***

Then:

Gloria sat on the bathroom floor and thought about the many ways she might kill herself.

She looked at the pregnancy test again. It was her third. They all said the same thing. This can't be happening, she thought. Not now. Not ever.

She stood, knees wobbling. She looked in the mirror and saw herself pale and wan. She splashed water on her face, gripping the edge of the sink. What was she going to do? The baby couldn't be Michael's, the morning sickness had started before the last time they slept together. It had to be David's.

Abbie, she thought, where are you now? I need you.

She looked her reflection in the eye. There were only two options; get rid of the baby, or come clean with everyone. A bout of morning sickness accompanied the thought of both possibilities.

She looked around the house. Michael had been called in for another Saturday shift. It was probably a good thing. She dressed and started the car, dialing David's number on the way. He picked up right away.

"I was about to call you," he said.

"Good," she said.

"I think I've put up with the silent treatment long enough. I know you're going through a lot right now, but I still deserve some consideration."

"I agree," she said. "None of this has been fair to you. I'm on my way to your place right now, are you home?"

He said he was. She hung up. She put the top down as she drove. Everything felt lighter now. She realized that no matter what happened, the hard part was about to be over. No more lies, no more sneaking around. If the truth ruined her marriage, well, maybe it was a lucky break. If not, then at least she could be honest now.

She spent an hour at David's. She told him it was over, and he didn't take it well. She listened to his abuse without comment. He was, of course, right about everything, and she said so after, which made him angrier. She did not tell him about the baby. When he was done, she went home.

She left a message for Michael telling him she had something important to talk about. She waited until he got home, feeling again like the wife in an old sitcom, and sat him down.

"I have news," she said.

He looked anxious. She took his hand.

"I'm pregnant," she said.

She waited until comprehension dawned on him. At first he looked shocked, and then he broke into a grin, and then he was hugging her and laughing.

It's not yours, she thought. The baby is someone else's, Michael. Michael, I've been having an affair. Michael, I don't love you. Michael, I'm afraid of you. She thought these things, but didn't say them. She opened her mouth but all that came out was "We're going to have a baby." What was she doing? Tell him, she thought, tell him everything! But she didn't.

He wouldn't stop smiling. Doesn't he realize, she thought, doesn't he know that it couldn't possibly be his? How can he not? But he kept smiling and kissing her and talking about how lucky they were, and she smiled back, though she felt sick to her stomach.

After a while Michael's expression clouded, and she braced herself. Here it comes, she thought, he's put it all together. She thought he would scream and lose his temper, but instead all he said was, "I have something to tell you too."

She tensed. "Yes?"

"Gloria...I've been keeping a secret from you," he said, standing.

She looked at him. Her pulse doubled. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know quite how to tell you this," he said. "I knew I'd always have to someday, but now that it's here, well...just know that I love you, all right? I've always loved you, and I always will. Okay?"

She tried to talk, but was suddenly speechless. She managed to nod.

"All right," he said. "Here goes."

The instinct to run came a second too late. By the time she willed her legs to stand, it was happening. There was a noise like tearing velcro, and kind of seam appeared down the center of Michael's body, and then he split open. He tore himself in half, and something came out, a flopping, segmented thing with skittering limbs and blind white eyes and a mouth full of round teeth. The thing kicked the shredded, bloodless remains of Michael's body aside.

I'm losing my mind, thought Gloria. It's finally happened.

And then the thing opened its mouth, and she heard the noise, that awful screeching noise she'd heard so many times now; it was the thing's voice. And then she blacked out.

***

Now:

When Gloria came to, Michael was standing over her, smiling, looking perfectly normal again. Her first instinct was to scream, but nothing happened. She tried to sit up but she couldn't move at all.

"Careful now, don't hurt yourself," said Michael. "You're partially sedated. It's for your own protection. I know how you must be feeling right now, believe me, I do. If you'll just let me explain, you'll see that everything really is okay."

He touched her forehead, brushing her hair back like he used to. "The first thing you need to know is that you're not in any danger. I wouldn't ever hurt you. I love you more than life itself."

He looked up for a moment, and he nodded to someone outside her range of vision.

"We came here because we couldn't survive on our own world anymore. But we're not dangerous; we just want to live like anyone else. I wanted to tell you all along but, well, you see how I couldn't?"

She tried to speak. It didn't work. A second shape blocked out the light, a misshapen lump of a head with an oozing hole for a mouth. Gloria felt another scream push against the inside of her chest, but she had no way to let it out.

"Don't be frightened," Michael said. "It's just Alan."

The thing nodded its flabby, tumor-like head, in confirmation.

"He's been taking care of you. He's a doctor, you know. Not here, but back home. I'm helping him learn human anatomy."

Another nod from the thing. It made a few screeching noises. Michael put his hand on Gloria's stomach.

"This is all I ever wanted; a woman I love, and a child to call our own. You've made me the happiest man in two worlds."

I want to wake up, thought Gloria.

"But there is something we have to talk about. Something that might not be easy for you to hear," said Michael. "If both you and the baby are going to live, there are going to have to be some...adjustments made."

He looked her in the eye.

"Surgical adjustments."

The table rose up, putting her into a sitting position and allowing her to see the rest of the room.

"As you can see," Michael said, "we've started already."

Gloria felt dizzy. My legs, she thought, where are-

"It's just part of the way these things work," Michael said. "The arms will have to go too, in a minute. You wouldn't be able to fit otherwise." And he pointed to the other side of the room, where she saw the metal cylinder with the hatch open, the interior a nest of snaking cables.

"You won't be able to survive outside of the tank when we're done," Michael explained. "But it'll make sure that the baby survives to term, and remains human in appearance."

She saw tears in the corners of his eyes.

"We're not doing this because we want to. I'm not trying to hurt you Gloria. I wish there were some other way. I wish it could be me instead. But that's not how nature works. It won't be so bad. Abbie says she's never been happier."

He squeezed her unfeeling hand.

"We're going to get started now. You don't have to worry. You're completely safe." He kissed her. "I love you so much."

The table dropped back down. This can't be happening, she thought, this can't be happening. She tried to scream, tried to scream as loud as she could:

"Michael, stop! The baby isn't yours, the baby isn't yours!"

But she couldn't.

She heard Michael say, "Okay. Let's get started."

Oh God, she thought, please let me wake up, please let me wake up, please, please, please-

And then she heard the whine of the surgical saw.