Giant Dancing Hedgehogs are Nightmare Fuel

Chapter 14

“Hug her, Pete.”

“This is only a dream,” Pete says to the blanket with a sigh, batting a levitating fidget spinner away from him. It turns into a shuriken and implants itself into a breathing wall with its sharp blades. The wall explodes and reveals bars. “And I don’t know who that is. She doesn’t have a face.”

“Because you don’t remember! Your head is just up in the clouds, isn't it?” the blanket snaps, walking away from Pete, despite it not having legs, “Yet you decide to be lucid right now. Just think, Pete. Think hard-”

“I don’t know!” Pete says, then gestures at no-face, “She looks like the woman from my dream before, which means she’s Vegas’s mother. What does it matter if I hug her or not? She’s a figment of my imagination!”

“Excuse me?” Milan says, then looks at the blanket, “You said he would help me-”

“And he will,” the blanket says, holding one of his corners out placatingly, “I promised you, right? Who do you think put the idea of making Pete the head bodyguard into Porsche’s head?”

The blanket turns to Pete and winces. Pete isn’t even sure how the blanket winces. He just does, “Not that he didn’t already want to. I just gave him a little push with a subtle, but compelling dream. He was thinking about it and wanted to, but didn’t want to make things awkward, considering your relationship with Vegas-”

“You keep saying my son’s name,” Milan interrupts, her voice urgent, “Just…tell me how he is. Please. He’s okay, right? He was able to move on and live his life to the fullest?”

“...Eh,” the blanket says, then backs up when Milan takes a threatening step forward, “He’s alive! He has people who love him surrounding him now! In many ways, he’s never been better! That’s why I brought you and Pete together! Because you and Pete are the two who love him the most. Besides Macau. But Macau has been so stable, despite everything. I feel like a dream like this would really confuse him and possibly break him. He’s still a child. Pete’s an adult and in love with your son. He wants what’s best for him and I thought the two of you should talk!”

Milan breathes in, then turns to face Pete. Her features are a bit clearer now. Pete can make out her eyes. While Vegas resembles his father a little more, his eyes match his mother’s. 

“You love my son?” Milan asks hopefully, coming closer, “You’re with him as we speak?”

“I…” Pete starts, but then nods his head, “Yes? Or I’m sleeping next to him. But yes. I’m with him. Macau should be around too.”

Milan lets out a cry, “I don’t believe you.”

Pete feels a little offended, “Well, I don’t believe you! You’re dead! So how are we talking-”

“Milan, he has his writing on him,” the blanket says, then reaches over to expose Pete’s hip, causing him to let out a screech, “Look! Our boy’s penmanship has always been so neat. He put that on Pete himself, while Pete tattooed two tiny hedgehogs on your son-”