Magnolia Blooms

16. Forest

Maggie looked around. She was in the scary room again. She curled up as small as she could, hoping the rope things weren't coming again.

"You have a big mouth," one of the monsters said.

"But you tell such horrible lies with it," the other monster said.

They were in the dark, swirly stuff just outside the circle. Maggie couldn't see them.

"Please leave me alone," Maggie whimpered.

"Please leave me alone," one of the monsters mimicked in a mocking tone. Maggie tried not to cry.

"So, what are we to do with you? Our pets didn't work. Throwing you in a hole didn't work. Why won't you go away?"

Maggie curled herself up even tighter.

"Please wake up. Please wake up," she muttered to herself.

"Wake up? You aren't sleeping stupid."

Maggie frowned. Of course she was. She was in the sleep clinic with Mama Debby.

"HA!" One of the monsters said. "You really are stupid if you think you're somewhere besides here with us. Home sweet home and all that crap."

Maggie frowned and looked around again. All she could see was the small patch of wood floor and the darkness swirling around and getting closer.

"We brought more friends with us this time," one of the monsters said. "And he really likes little girls."

The circle was closing in on Maggie. She tried to make herself smaller. She was afraid of the dark stuff and didn't want it to touch her.

Suddenly, her arms were grabbed by the rope things and she was pulled down into a lying position. She could feel things moving on her legs as her body was pulled closer to the dark stuff.

Ropes wound themselves around Maggie's body. She started to scream for her mama but something covered her mouth as soon as she made a sound. Then it wrapped around her entire head, covering her eyes and nose. She was having trouble breathing and was fighting to find air.

"Maggie, Maggie! Wake up! Wake up!" She could hear from somewhere far away.

The ropes tightened and one went around her neck and started squeezing again. Maggie tried to fight but the ropes just got tighter and tighter.

"Maggie! Please! Wake up!" She could hear. It was getting closer.

"Is she breathing? I can't tell if she's breathing! Maggie! Please! Maggie! Wake up! Wake up!"

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Mama Debby and the technician who had helped her get all plugged in standing over her with worried looks on their faces. Maggie burst into tears and Mama Debby sat beside her and hugged her tight.

"It's okay, you're okay, Bug," Mama Debby said, soothingly, holding Maggie and rubbing her back. "You're okay."

"They want to kill me, I think," Maggie said. "Why do the monsters hate me so much?"

"Oh, Bug. I don't know. I don't. But Papa and I, we really, really love you. We will never, ever hurt you like the monsters say."

Maggie nodded. Awake, she knew that. With the monsters, she wasn't always sure.

The tech was talking to someone in the hallway and then came back into the room.

"Do you think she needs the hospital?" The tech asked.

"No. I think she's going to be okay now," Mama Debby said.

"You can sleep in the bed with her if you want. I think we have enough data of her sleeping alone."

Debby smiled and scooted Maggie over. Maggie kept her arms around her mama. She felt safe with her mama.

"Think you'll be okay, Bug?" Mama asked. Maggie nodded.

"I wish Jim coulda come too," she whispered.

"Wouldn't that be funny?" Mama smiled.

"Okay you two. Good night. Again," the tech smiled and turned out the light.

Maggie and Debby snuggled down under the covers and Mama ran her fingers through Maggie's hair. It calmed and relaxed Maggie and she was able to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.

"They can't protect you all the time," Maggie heard. She opened her eyes and saw she was in the scary room again. But the dark swirly stuff was further away. The circle was bigger.

Maggie was standing in the circle. Not lying down. She felt strong. She couldn't see the monsters because they couldn't come near the light. They were forced to stand far away.

"One day they'll be too late," the other voice said.

"Hey, Bug," Maggie heard. She opened her eyes and Mama Debby was smiling down at her.

"Time for us to get up. I know it's early, but it is that time. Want to take a shower and get the yucky glue out?"

Maggie smiled at her mama and sat up. She gave Debby a hug while the tech took all the wires off.

"Well. Good morning to you too," she said, returning the hug.

"I love you, Mama," Maggie said.

"I love you, too, Magnolia Dun," Debby said, smiling at her little girl and giving her a kiss on the forehead and then the nose.

Debby helped Maggie in the shower, washed her hair and got all the goop out. She didn't smell like strawberries, but her hair was clean.

Maggie and Debby got dressed and packed the few things they'd brought back into the suitcase.

"Do we have everything, Bug?" Debby asked. Maggie looked on the bed. She was holding Uff and Turtle, and there was nothing else on the bed. Mama checked her bed and they both looked under the bed.

"I think we gots eberything," Maggie said.

"Okay. Let's go meet Papa. He missed us at home!" Mama said.

"I misseded him too," Maggie said, taking Mama's hand. "And Jim."

"Me too."

They got into their car in the parking lot and drove to a restaurant on the way home.

"There's my little Peanut!" Papa said as Maggie got out of the car and ran over to him. He lifted her into his arms and gave her a big, squishy hug.

"Hey, Bug, be careful in parking lots. Lots of cars might not see a little girl. Next time, let Papa come to you, okay?" Mama said.

"Okay, Mama. I'm sorry," Maggie said sadly.

"Don't be sad, Bug. Papa and I just want to protect you. And keep you safe," Mama said, kissing the little girl on the head.

Maggie put her head on her papa's shoulder and he rubbed her back.

They went into the restaurant and Maggie told Papa about the night in the clinic. But not about the monsters. Or what happened when she fell asleep with Mama.