Fragmented Dreams

Chapter 5: Bully for You

I was alone in a small room, deep in the castle. Even though this was my childhood home, everything felt twisted and different. As I waited for him to return, I sat atop a plush bench, leaning deeply on a window ledge. I was dressed in my nightgown, which was made of layers of white silk organza, the pieces always reminded me of flower petals. The fabric flowed and spilled across my legs and down onto the floor. I gazed lovingly at the moon, high in the night sky. No matter where I traveled, I could feel its power and presence. I could draw strength from the moon, and it calmed me.

I hummed softly to myself, tracing the edges of the stones that surrounded the window's ledge. There was a clicking sound behind me as the door was unlocked. He's back! The door swung open, and I turned to greet him. His tall figure filled the doorframe, and the smell of cinnamon filled the air. I ran to him as a loud ringing noise screamed through the air.

The sharp trill of the school bell roused me from my slumber. My eyes flew around the room, searching for my grandfather or Casimir. I was lying down on a bed in the back of the Nurse's office. The lights were off, but the sun filtering through the blinds illuminated my surroundings. The clock read noon. The bell I heard was for the lunch break. I slid my legs off the bed to touch the floor. I couldn't believe I slept for almost three hours. I felt practically rested. Most of all, I wondered what this new dream was about. I rarely had new dreams. It was so clear, like a long-forgotten memory. I almost wished it had continued. As I pondered my new dream and the mystery man in the doorway, the school nurse bounced into the room.

"Oh! You're awake, that's great," Nurse Johnson chirped. With a flick of her hand, she turned on the harsh fluorescent lights. I squinted as she walked up to me. "Wrist, please."

I obeyed and raised my arm so she could take my pulse. I waited until she had finished before opening my mouth. "How did I get here?"

"Oh, you passed out on the bench just outside," she replied. "That new boy carried you to the bed. Your pulse was a little fast, but nothing else seemed wrong with you." Nurse Johnson took out a notepad from her scrub pocket and scribbled a quick note. "Your grandfather said you hadn't been sleeping very well this past week. He seemed reluctant to take you home, saying you've missed too much school already. So, I decided to watch you for a bit and call him if anything changed."

I was still stuck on the idea of Casimir carrying me to bed, and I'm sure my cheeks had gone a little red as a result. I felt bad for worrying my grandfather. He was right to leave me here, as I would have protested going home greatly if I were awake. I honestly didn't think I was that tired, but apparently, I was wrong. I stretched my arms over my head and yawned deeply. The nausea I had experienced earlier seemed to have vanished, so that was one good thing.

"May I return to class?" I asked, watching Nurse Johnson finish her notes. She pursed her lips together.

"How long have you been having problems sleeping?"

I knew she meant well, but I didn't want to discuss my insomnia with anyone at the moment. Long ago, I had put my trust in the medical system, only to be greatly disappointed. I wasn't sure how much longer I could scrape by with my current routine, as I knew lack of sleep did terrible things to my body. I just wasn't ready to start wasting my Grandfather's money on expensive scans and tests again. I plastered on a fake smile and stood up.

"I'm fine. I am working on it with my doctor," I said. This usually got people to leave me alone, but from the look Nurse Johnson gave me, I'm not sure she believed me.

After a pause, she sighed and waved me off. "Okay, fine. You go back to class, and I'll call your grandfather to let him know you are okay. If you need to go home early, just let me know."