Waking Nightmares(Lined Bullets)- A GMD Fiction

Chapter 5: Bonding

       It was another nightmare. I knew it, but it seemed so real... Rattigan was hitting me left and right. His speed was surreal as was the pain that came with every claw that raked my body. My body ached. I could not move another millimeter. His weight was upon me and I couldn't breathe. My mind was in malfunction and was growing fuzzy.
       Once again, the clock struck ten and we fell. Falling... falling... falling into darkness...
*****
       "Aah!"
       I shot up in my bed, looking around. I was covered in another cold sweat and my head was throbbing. As I looked around my eyes landed on my door. It was cracked open ever so slightly. But I know I shut that door.
I silently got out of bed and shut the door, but before I turned back to bed, I heard a small gasp. I whipped around to see young Able standing in his bundle of blankets. He was staring at me with wide eyes and he looked scared.
       "Able," I asked. "What's the matter? "
       He pointed towards me, made scratching motions with his hands, then gestured back towards me.
       "Are you meaning my scars?"
       "Y-yes," he muttered. "How did you get them Basil?"
       I smiled a bit then picked him up and placed him on my bed with me. He was still rather warm to the touch, but more curious about me and my scars than concerned about his fever.
       "Well, how about you tell me why you snuck into my room and I'll tell you how I got them."
       His face lit up, but then it fell into a frown. He scooted closer to me and closed his eyes.
       "I had a nightmare," he stated. I nodded slowly, encouraging him to continue.
       "I dreamt about that night my parents were killed. They were shot, but this time I went out after him. When I reached him, he turned to face me, and... and..."
       His eyes showed signs of tearing up and he jumped into my arms. I rubbed his back and consoled him for a bit until he quickly finished his dream.
       "He turned and I saw myself."
       His conscience was giving nightmares about killing his parents himself? That seemed strange for one so young. Come now Basil, he's a child who just witnessed the death of his parents. I looked to the ceiling as if the answer up there. I just had to look hard enough. I sighed and looked towards Able.
       "Able, you understand that your parents' death was not, under any circumstances, your fault, correct?"
       He nodded slowly and looked up at me with child-like innocence, and smiled.
       "Now it's your turn," he whispered.
       I chuckled at his innocence and I looked at the ceiling again. The more I thought about it, the more I wasn't sure Able should hear it. I suppose that as long as I word it carefully then it would be okay.
       "Well, very simply, I had a case last year with a terribly evil rat. As it so happened, we ended up on the face of Big Ben. I tried escaping, but he had me cornered. All these scars are from him swiping at me with his long sharp claws. That's basically what happened."
       "Is that why you woke up screaming and sweating? You have nightmares too?"
       "Too many I'm afraid. They stopped for a while, but then they came back."
       "Oh... Basil, may I show you something? I just remembered about it and I want to show you it before you get lost in your work."
       "Sure."
       He hopped off the bed in his bundle of blankets and ran towards his jacket that had been soaked in the rain. He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small piece of paper. He unfolded it gently, but when he realized that it had remarkably stayed dry, he shuffled back to the bed and handed to me. The hand writing was one that I remembered seeing in my childhood. It belonged to Colette.
*****
Dear Basil,
       It has been so long since we have see you. Unfortunately, if you have received this letter, then Ash and I are most likely dead. We knew of the kidnappings as soon as they began.
       It's actually rather amusing. Able has never met his godfather, yet he takes more after you than his own parents. If you think I wrote something accidentally, I didn't. You are Able's godfather. I'm so sorry we were never able to tell you in person, but you're the only relative that Able has left.
       With Able's intelligence, we knew that he would be in danger of losing him. We both are willing to give our lives for his. If this letter has reached you, he has made it to you safely.
       All that we ask is that you please take care of our son. Thank you so much Basil.
Your childhood friends,
       Colette and Ash
*******
       "Did... mum just say that you are my new dad," Able asked innocently.
       I was shocked. Colette, my childhood friend, had known that they were in danger of being killed and then said that I was Able's legal guardian, thus making me his... father? I didn't know what to say.
       "I... I suppose... that is... if you're ready for it. You can continue you to call me just Basil, though."
       "Thank you... just Basil."
       He hugged me again and then snuggled up against as we both tried to go back to sleep. He was so warm, but I'm sure he wouldn't have agreed to me pushing him away. I put the covers over us and laid us onto the mattress. Then both of us fell into a serene slumber.