Nightmares

Ch. 1

Mirabel was fast asleep in a small cocoon of soft blankets and cold pillows, a pleasant silence emanating throughout the small space of the Nursery.

Well, all except for one small sound.

Right next to her lay little Antonio, where small noises of distress could be heard from his curled up frame.

The noises grew ever so slightly - the young boy trapped in a cage of his own mind, his tiny arms wrapped around a small pillow as his mind continued to torment him.

"Antonio… are you oka-" Mirabel flinched as a sudden "NO!" pierced the air in the small room as the young boy bolted up, eyes wide with fear.

Antonio gasped in quick succession, holding a knitted animal pillow close to his chest. His little fingers dug into the worn fabric as he stared ahead.

"Hey, Toñito, hey…" Mirabel yawned, blinking the remaining haze of sleep away. She reached for her glasses and gently massaged his arm. "Are you alright?"

He turned to her and blinked a few times, willing to rid the nightmare away before his brown eyes softened and focused on her own. Antonio took a couple more shaky breaths before he let the tiger pillow he was holding go and crawled into his elder prima's lap, snuggling close into her.

Before she could ask again, Antonio's small hands wrapped around her arm and hand, holding on a little too tight for comfort. His small face pressed into her nightie and Mirabel felt his body shake, followed by something warm wetting her upper stomach. She heard the sounds of muffled choking. Sobs.

"Don't go," he pleaded, his voice muffled. "D-don't leave me alone."

Mirabel was struck speechless. Where did this come from? And why was it coming from little Antonio of all people? "Whoa, whoa, I'm not going anywhere." She tried to free her arm from Antonio's embrace but he held on tight.

"Please…" he whimpered quietly, little hands gripping tighter around her arm. "Don't go away. I still need you, prima."

Giving up, she adjusted her body to better support his weight and enveloped him with her free arm, bringing his shaking body closer against the gentle thrumming of her heart.

"I'm here, Antonio, I'm here," she whispered into his curls, shushing and rubbing his back. "It's okay, it's alright. I'm right here."

"Can you take a deep breath for me? Like this: In," she took a breath. "Uno, dos, tres..." she held the breath for a bit before exhaling, "out; four, five, six."

Antonio took a couple deep - yet shaking - breaths. 

"You're doing great. Let's do this a few more times, okay?" She brushed over his hair and waited until she received a tiny nod in response.

"In..." she inhaled deeply, chest expanding, letting Antonio do the same. "Uno, dos, tres..." Mirabel tapped Antonio's arm to count each second.

Uno.

Dos.

Tres.

"Out..." she exhaled and repeated the motion, Antonio copying.

Four.

Five.

Six.

They repeated the breathing exercises together until Antonio's shaking eventually subsided and his panicked breathing evened. He took one last deep breath before sitting back up as he hesitantly let go of Mirabel's arm, pulling himself back.

"There you go..." Mirabel brushed a couple tears away and pulled him close, holding him tight. "You're safe. It was just a bad dream."

Antonio shook his head and curled into her chest once more, a slow slide of tears maintaining visibility despite the darkness of the room. "It wasn't just a bad dream," his faint voice protested.