Hospital Update “Hunter of Monsters”

I woke up in the middle of the night. Another night-mare. I dreamed about the end of the world, where humans had been consumed by rot. They didn't know they were dead and acted like one would expect. They were collecting together, hurting one another. They never knew that something was wrong, even as the biting flies and other insects began to degrade their forms.

One of them was walking around on his hands, because he had lost his body from the waist down. No one batted an eye. They couldn't tell that there was something terribly wrong with them. Something they weren't willing to see; that they were monsters.

I woke up and had to distract myself for a while. I hate nightmares. Especially those really intense ones that linger.

They are the ones where you have to keep your eyes open or else you will start the dream back up again.

It took nearly fifteen minutes for me to fall back asleep. Did some reading while I waited. Margaret didn't wake up thankfully. The pain killers have been working at night. She can sleep solidly again.

I have had no word about my son Noah. No more incidents it seems. I must have been right, that it was my presence that seemed to be setting him off.

My eyes burned, but I pushed through it and went to work. I sympathize with the previous author of this blog. Lack of sleep or a troubled sleep can really mess with you. It can make you see things and become testy.

People have stopped asking about Margaret. I don't mind. Just means they will talk to me about regular things, like everyday things. I could do with some normal after everything that has happened. With how I have been sleeping and with Margaret's condition, maybe I am having trouble telling what is a dream, and what isn't.

I needed to feel grounded again, and I remembered when I was younger there being a dog that really helped out when things got hard.

So I decided to get a pet.

The doctors say that it may be a little bit before Margaret can go back to work, and I knew she could use the company while I was out.

So, I went to the local shelter and got her a cat. He is a little older, around four years old, but that is fine. I figured Margaret probably would have trouble taking care of a kitten.

His previous owner had called him Loyd. Seems as good of a name as any. I was told that he used to live out in the country, so he was used to being outside.

I have taken up the habit of letting him out for a little while every night. He is neutered and always comes back. I know you aren't supposed to let them outside since they kill birds, but it is winter. The birds are gone and it means I don't have to change the litter box as often.

The other night I was waiting for him to come back to the door. He usually wanders around for a few minutes, but always comes to the door eventually. However, ten minutes passed and he still hadn't returned. A few more minutes passed, and then finally he became visible again, making his way over to the door. Only he wasn't just bringing himself. There was something in his mouth.

Something with ten fingers and ten toes.

It was this dark mass of flesh. Its skin was almost oily. Black. Whatever it was, I was sure Loyd couldn't have killed it himself. It was too big for that, and there hadn't been enough time. I think the only reason he managed to make it to the door was that the thing was mostly in half.

I have seen all sorts of wounds. Wounds from...all sorts of methods. I even saw a few animals disemboweled while growing up on the farm. But this thing wasn't natural. The smell alone gave that away. Like something chemical. The fact that Loyd grabbed it confused the hell out of me.

I checked Loyd over. He didn't seem to have eaten any of it. I guess he just wanted to claim the kill. Like I said, I have seen things disemboweled. I’ve seen plenty of that as a kid on the farm. But this thing hadn't been tugged at or anything like that.

Whatever had done it had bit clean through.

I grabbed a plastic bag and scooped it up. Then I tied it tight and put it in the garbage bin. I don't know what that hell it was, but I wasn't going to call someone. At least, not someone from around here.

I kept thinking of the thing in the garbage bag. Thinking about how unnatural it smelled. How wrong it looked with its black eyes and skin. Its teeth like needles. I keep thinking about it and thinking about it and I keep wondering what would hunt something like that.

I went to take out the garbage yesterday, only the top was off. There were scratches on the bottom of the lid and the plastic bag had been torn open.

It rained and sleeted today. Nearly crashed on the ice coming home.

It's a little warmer.

I smell the rotting of the leaves.