||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 46: Night Terror||

The thing is, when mom wasn't home; They usually got to order things, Dad has admitted he wasn't the best cook.
So that one advantage of Dad looking after them.
"Hey Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I invite Nicky for a sleepover?"
Mr Peterson handed him a bowl of cereal,"I don't see why not; As long as his parents are okay with it.", Aaron and Mya immediately ate breakfast and talking about what they'd during the sleepover.
There was a lot of games coming out that they liked, so they probably were looking forward to those releases.

=

"Hello again, Nicky."
Aaron immediately took Nicky inside to the living room.
"Thanks again."
"No problem, I'll make sure he's alright and I'll call if there's an emergency."
Jay nods,"Have fun, Narf.", so Jay was off as Nicky said goodbye.
"Why does your dad call you 'Narf'?"
"It's my nickname, apparently it's how I use to pronounce my name apparently when I was younger."
"Ah. I was wondering why he called you 'Narf', that makes more sense."
And they were off to do their own thing.

Nicky put his bag on the bottom bunk, something caught his eye.
A brown teddy on the shelf,"Oh, I didn't see it last time.", he pointed to it,"Oh yeah. My dad found an old teddy of his and it meant a lot, so I asked if I could put it in this room and he said I could.", Nicky smiled, that was pretty sweet and then Mya came in with a game.

~

Mr Peterson picked up Stephen King IT, it was highly recommended especially since he liked clowns and did like a scary story.
So he relaxed and gave the book a try.

=

"Hey, Dad?"
He looked up, Mya standing in the doorway in her nightgown looking worried.
Did he drift off?
It was 3 in the morning.
"Mya, you're. . . Still awake, aren't you supposed to be in bed hours ago."
Mya nods,"Yeah, and I was scared to wake you. . . But, when someone sleepwalks. . . They don't usually, like sweat a lot, have their eyes open. . . Do they?", Mr Peterson stood up, tossing the book aside,"No. . . Sleepwalkers don't do that, I mean it depends on the case but; Why?", Mya jumped, a thud coming from above.
"Something is wrong with Nicky."
"What?"
Mya looked upstairs,"I dunno. . . He was having a nightmare, he jumped out of bed and at first we thought he was awake, because his eyes were open but. . . It was like he couldn't hear us and was muttering, left the room. . . And swinging around. . .", Mr Peterson frowned, but then recalled something.

"There's is the occasional Night Terror, they're unpredictable but. . . Just a heads up if it happens."

"Oh."
Mr Peterson stood up,"Wait here; Nicky's experiencing a Night Terror, like you did when you were younger.", Mya nods, remembering the stories Aaron and, her mom and dad would tell her.
But. . . This seems like a more extreme case.

~

Aaron turned to his dad,"Where is he?. . .", "He's walking around, he looks really scared and he's muttering under his breath. . .", Mr Peterson nods and goes to look for Nicky, leaving Aaron to stay back as to not get in his dad's way or make it worse.

"Please. . ."
"Please stop staring at me. . ."
"Help me. . ."
"She's going to hurt me. . ."

Mr Peterson slowly approached, Nicky's was whispering through tears and sobs.
He was shaking, as he walked around asking for help. . . How 'She' was going hurt to hurt him.

It loomed over him.
"Please leave me alone. . . Why are you doing this. . ."
He backed away, people still staring at him, the monster got closer and closer, the intercom was crackling, a voice trying to break through it.
The monster growled, raising their arm and the claws made him begin to cry more.
"Stay away please. . ."
"Please. . ."

"NICKY!!!"
Mr Peterson grabbed Nicky's arm.

As The monster launched, Nicky lost his footing and screamed.
"NICKY!!!"
The voice broke through the Intercom.

Mr Peterson pulled Nicky back from the stairs, Nicky screamed and that was the first he had heard him scream.
Nicky felt like he couldn't breath, the ringing in his ears were unbearable and he could hear his heartbeat.
He struggled against something, it held his close and all he could do was to kick and punch, he didn't want to be hurt!
"Nicky- Nicky, it's okay. . .!"
A voice broke through the ringing, everything started to feel more clear. . . He wasn't in a supermarket. . . And he wasn't being held by a monster. . .
Nicky began to cry, shaking and hiding his face into whoever held him.
Nicky's hits stopped, he grew tired and broke down into sobs as stopped fighting.
Mr Peterson ran his hand through his hair, Aaron and Mya coming to check once hearing Nicky scream.
"I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry. . ."
"It's okay. . . It's okay. . . You're safe. . ."
Mr Peterson turned to his kids, both looking concerned for Nicky,"Do you mind turning on the lights and going to the living room?", Mya rushed to do that and Aaron rushed back to the bedroom.
"I'm gonna pick you up, okay. . ."

~

Nicky sat on the corner of the sofa, shaking and hugging himself.
Aaron returned,"How is he. . .?", "Well. . . He's awake. . .", Aaron walked over to Nicky, handing him a teddy bear Nicky packed in his bag, apparently it was a gift from his Uncle Saul.
Nicky took it and held it close to himself, Mr Peterson came in with a glass of water.
He then sat with Nicky, Mya and Aaron joining him.
"Nicky, you're safe. . . Do you remember anything?"
Mr Peterson made sure to talk as calm as he could, to not panic Nicky or scare him.
Nicky shook his head,"No. . . I remember. . . Going to bed, and then. . . I'm suddenly pulled awake. . .", Nicky gripped the bear harder, he was really ashamed and embarrassed. . . He had hoped, he'd never have an episode at a sleepover and it slips his mind for once and then it happens.
"I'm sorry. . . I'm so sorry. . ."
"It wasn't your fault, this isn't something in your control and you have nothing to apologise for."
Mya spoke up,"I know. . . I know when this happens it's really scary, and. . . I know how it feels as I use to have this too.", Nicky looked up from his bear and knees,"You. . . You did?", Mya nods,"Yeah, I use to have pretty bad nights and would thrash around, apparently I once punched Aaron in my sleep.", Aaron sighed, remembering that and he had a bruise for a few weeks.
"And that's why I never come to you at night for anything."
Nicky laughed a little, trying to wipe his tears and seemed to calm a little, though he still was shaking,"Heh. . . Uhm, yeah something similar happened to my, Uncle. . . When it first happened, he didn't know what to do.  . . And I needed up kicking him in the jaw.", Aaron chuckled, Mya giggled,"Oh dear. . .", "Dang. . .", Nicky nods,"According to dad, he said I was stronger than he realised.", Mr Peterson rubbed his back,"How about we stay up and watch a movie? I'll put on some food, I'll get drinks and we'll keep it a secret from your mother.", Aaron and Mya nods, Nicky too and then Mr Peterson felt his heard and his chest,"I can give you a change of clothes, your current clothes might be uncomfortable now.", he was really sweaty, hair sticking to his forehead and the clothes sticking to him.
Whatever he was dreaming, it was really bad.

~

Mr Peterson put on some pizza, chips and got out some drinks for them.
Nicky came in, a fresh pair of PJs he found for him.
"Perfect fit."
Nicky nods,"Thank you again, uhm. . . I'm sorry again. . .", Mr Peterson knelt down,"You have nothing to apologise for, we were more worried about you.", Nicky nods, Mr Peterson then rested his hand on his shoulder.
"Nicky, I will need to let your dad know what happened, because. . . He did tell me this could happen, and I can tell he really wants to help you.", Nicky nods, looking down,"I know. . . I'm just, I don't want to worry them or put more stress on them than I already do.", "But it's worse if you don't tell them, bottling it up or hiding things will only make it worse. . . I had to learn it the hard way. . .", he looked at Mr Peterson.
. . .
"Okay. . ."
"Thank you, Nicky."
"And uhm, sorry for kicking and hitting you. . . Sir."
Mr Peterson chuckled,"It's fine, you're a strong kid.", he smiled, Nicky relaxed, taking a deep breath.