"Jake, how about stretching out for awhile?  You don't look so well and, you know, maybe you ought to get some rest."  I threw a glance toward Bailey and she picked it right up.

"Yeah, Jake, you can use my bedroom.  Hang on and I'll fix the bed for you."  Bailey got up and headed back down the hall toward her bedroom.

I looked at Jake.  I could swear he was getting worse by the minute.  He was just sitting there, changing before my eyes, his eyes cast toward the floor.  His breathing was very heavy and drool began to drip from his lip.  He wasn't even aware of it.  I jumped up and cautiously, I didn't know for sure how he would react, I touched his shoulder.  He didn't react at all.  Emboldened I put both hands on his shoulders and gave a quick squeeze before trying to urge him onto his feet.

Jake moved easily enough, following my guiding hands until he was standing.  Weaving, slightly, but standing.  He looked at me from about a foot away and I almost lost it.  His eyes were turning red.  Not the white part, his irises were turning red.  His teeth were definitely longer than even a few minutes ago, especially his canines.  Sweat was literally pouring across his cheeks.

"Jesus christ, Jake.  Maybe we should go back to the hospital instead?  I'm sorry, man, but you aren't getting any better.  Not even a little bit.  I'm not sure laying down for a bit will do any good."

Jake seemed incapable of speech.  He just grunted and shook his head, no.  Slowly, he raised his trembling hand and pointed in the direction Bailey had taken to her bedroom.  I sure wasn't going to argue with him.  I was scared.  Really scared, now and all I wanted to do was get him out of my sight.

Normally, I would have put his arm across my shoulders, but I couldn't bear it.  I moved a step away and merely grabbed his upper arm.  I began leading him down the hallway. 

Baily came out of the room just as Jake and I arrived and when she saw him, she involuntarily squeeked and covered her mouth with her hand.  Her eyes, big and wide spoke volumns of the fear and disgust she felt for this creature that Jake was becoming...had become.  She moved quickly to the side and I guided Jake into the room and onto the bed.  He flopped on his back and I backed out of the room, closing the door behind me.

"My god, Danny! He looks awful.  God, I'm so scared.  What's happening to him?"

"I don't know, hon.  I just don't know."  Just then, the doorbell rang.  Bailey and I looked at each other. 

"It must be Kaley and Samantha.  I called them from the hospital to meet us here," she said.  I nodded and we headed off down the hallway.

Katey and Samantha were as shaken as Bailey and I but, damn,  they didn't even know about Jake, yet.  Bailey and I proceeded to fill them in talking over each other, at times, in our effort to tell the story as quickly as possible.

Kaley and Samantha kept interrupting, "He did what?  He looks like what?  Oh, my god.  Oh, my god."  Clearly, by the time Bailey and I had finished they were far more shaken than when they'd arrived. 

I was looking at Samantha so I noticed immediately when she jerked up, eyes wide, hand to mouth.  She was looking down the hallway.

I spun around expecting to see a monster, the final product of Jake's transformation but that's not what I saw at all.

Jake looked perfectly normal.  As he walked in the room with a big smile on his face, I could see nothing of the wildness from before.  No growing fangs.  No red eyes.  No claws for fingernails.

I turned toward Bailey to see a mirror image of my own horrified surprise.  Had we dreamed all of this?