Book 5- 1969 (Michael Jackson)

Chapter 20- The Morning After

                Chapter 20- The Morning After

                Date: Wednesday, October 8, 1969

                Time: 4:52AM

                KAYLA'S POV

"My goodness, who's makin' all that screaming?" Diana's tired voice echoed throughout the hallway. As I was coming to, her footsteps, which were slightly heavier than usual, gradually came closer to the room in which Michael, Marlon, and I had been lodging.

What really knocked me out of my sleepy haze was Marlon. I could sense him getting out of his sleeping bag located beside me, but as he leaped over me to reach Michael, he kicked my arm. I moaned, rubbing my arm in a circular pattern.

That was when my senses kicked in, full-force. Despite my slightly blurred vision, I was aware of everything happening in the room: the blinding lights flooding the room with a piercing whiteness, Michael's wails that probably penetrated through the walls of the house, Diana's nearing footsteps sending rumbles through the wooden floor, and my feet, which were exposed to the surprisingly cool air, sending chills throughout my body.

The door swung open, revealing a rather frazzled-looking Diana. She moved herself toward Michael, who was shivering in place. Loud whimpers filled the room, only sending concern to the three of us. A stressed cry escaped from his mouth, and Marlon took a firm hold of his hand. Michael's body curled up into a ball, yet he was still shaking violently.

I pursed my lips together. It was another one of his night terrors. I was pretty sure that no-one had mentioned anything to Diana, either. Of course, it wasn't like we could have directly stated our issue, but at least there could have been a heads-up. Now, all we could do is wait through the mess.

Miss Ross actually had other plans. "Michael? Michael! Hey, what's wrong?" She lifted his head, holding his hack with another hand. "C'mon, Mike, get up!"

After a couple seconds, his creams came to a complete stop. His heavy panting filled the air, coming in deeply for a moment, and then lightening slightly. The intensity was enough to make my heart rate spike up, even though I was not entirely awake yet.

Sitting up in my spot, I could see Michael curled into his bed bag. His clutch onto his legs had softened, yet he his arms remained wrapped around them. Marlon and Diana were close, nearly holding on to him for comfort. Miss Ross had clearly thought of this as a serious event.

"Michael, are you alright?" she asked tenderly. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Michael's words came out a little shaken, but otherwise normal. "I think-- I think I'm fine. I just need to, um... Mind if I stay up?"

"Stay up? As in, watch TV and play games?" Her tired eyes plead against her presumption.

"No, I'll keep quiet. I promise you that. I just need to stay up, maybe sit and think. I'm very awake right now."

Diana's attention averted to Marlon, most likely looking for an answer to his request. Marlon bit his lip, but simply nodded. "He does this all the time. It's best that we let him when he has a night terror. It's just the way he is." He shrugged indifferently.

Before I could help it, I found myself insisting on the same thing. "... Is it okay if I stay up with him?"

Her brows furrowed as a small frown played upon his lips. "Why so, Kayla?"

"I just think that I need to talk to him. He and I, we've got some things to talk about."

"If it's so important, then why don't you say it in front of me?"