Parker

Chapter 38

Carson was sound asleep when he felt the hand cover his mouth.  His eyes flew up open and he found himself looking into the leering eyes of Mister Gaines.

"Naughty boy." The man growled as he pressed down on his mouth as he struggled to get up.  He tried to scream but only mufflers sounds came up. A cat of nine tails appeared in Gaines hand that he raised up over his head and brought down towards him.

"NO!" Carson screamed as he shot up in bed. "Don't beat me." He cried out as he recoiled across the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud.

Carson then tried to catch his breathe as he looked around room for him. To his surprise he was gone. Relief washed over him as he realized it was a dream.  He then let out a small laugh as he told himself again it was a dream.

He then got to his feet and was about to crawl back into when he felt a hand wrap itself around his arm. He turned and looked into the dead eyes of his father.

"I'm very disappointed in you Carson." His father said holding a thick cowboy belt in his hand. The calm he felt escaped vanished and once again sheer terror returned. He tired to pull away but his grip only tightened.

"Carson."

"Please no." He begged.

"Carson!" A voice yelled. "Wake up."

Once again his eyes opened and he let out a panicked cry. "I'm sorry I was bad please don't beat me."

"Carson you're having a nightmare."

Carson's eyes then focused and he saw Rodger over him. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around him holding him tightly.

"Its okay buddy." Rodger said as he sat  on the bed. The shaking boy buried his face in his chest as he Rodger said "No one is going to hurt you."

"Is he okay?" Parker said as he stood by the door. His screams woke the two up and they had come running.

"He's fine." Rodger said. He looked at the silver round clock that sat on the dresser and saw it was a few minutes after four. "Why don't you back to sleep buddy."

"Okay." Parker said and returned to his room.

"I'm sorry." Carson said.

"Shhh..." Rodger said. "You have nothing to apologize for."

Rodger sat on the bed holding the boy until he stopped trembling.

Two hours later West residence....

Two seats were empty at the West table. Calvin's of course and now Christine's who refused to come down for breakfast. She had tried to coax her out of room but to no avail. The only thing she accomplished was getting screamed at through her locked and a shoe being thrown at the door she begged her to come downstairs.

So she gave up choosing to eat in peace  instead of with a moody, sulking teenager who was going to shoot invisible daggers at her the entire time.

All through out breakfast Melinda looked at the two empty chairs wondering how she was going to put her family back together before it fractured even more.

They were almost finished with breakfast when Christine decided to grace them with her presence. She did not look at them as she walked to the  refrigerator. Melinda's eyes were on her daughter as Pete and Lael were more interested in the few scraps of food on their plate.

"Morning Christine." Brian said.

"Morning Brian." Christine said as she opened the door.

Well at least she still capable of being civil Melinda observed. "Why don't you sit and have some breakast?"