Wildest Dreams

c on v e r s a t i o n

"So how are your parents doing, Glen?"

"They're doing fine, sir. Though a little bit shaken up at the recent killings. That is normal, right?"

"Of course. Maple's a bit troubled too, girl didn't sleep for nights and always having nightmares. Are you having these nightmares too?"

"Not every night. Maple and Nancy take it too seriously."

"Too seriously... can you say they are paranoid?"

"I'm not trynna be harsh about it sir, but I think so. They both said they dream about the same thing, which totally unreal."

"Well, I'm very glad they trust you to share this dreams. Maple's been quiet about it but her grandmother and I know those scars and wounds she have. She never tells us where those came from. Promise me you won't tell her this, Glen, but do you know what's happened?"

"I'm afraid I don't. She had those gloves in her hands ever since I met her, and I've never saw her remove them."

"Yeah, those ones too. We get worried about her."

"Unless it's been brought up, she doesn't talk about it, sir. She's a lot of secrets."

"She is, and trusts you to keep these secrets of hers, I hope?"

She trusts me not to tell you about what we found in your attic, the weird newspapers and your cut outs of articles about the Springwood Slasher, whoever that is. She trusts me enough to tell me that she's suspecting you of something really gruesome. She trusts me to be there with her when she asks me to. She trusts me that I'll be there even if she doesn't asks me.

But...

She doesn't trust me to tell her darkest nightmares yet, what keeps her up at night, why she doesn't want to fall back asleep even if she was brave to fight the monster in her dreams. She doesn't trust me to tell her deepest secrets yet, what made her the person she is now, why she wears those gloves and why she moved here.

But I'll wait for her. I'll wait until she lets me hold her bare hand and tells me about her wildest dreams.

"Trust is a very meaningful thing, Glen. It's not given, it's earned—and Maple has gone through a lot of things for a young age. But it's good to know that she's got someone she trusts and cares for her, except for us."

"What about her parents? They're back in Michigan, aren't they?"

"They were. Maple hasn't told you yet? Her parents died that's why she moved with us. Poor thing's been traumatized and she closed herself in the dark."

"Oh. I'm really sorry about that. Thank you for the ride, Mr. Benson."

"It's no problem. Thanks for the visit, I heard you and Maple had fun. Say hi to your parents for me, we should have dinner sometime."

"I'll tell 'em that, Mr. B."

"You take care of yourself, Glen."