7 Sleepless Nights

Chapter 1

The room was dark I could only see the faint flashing light of what looked like a toy in my closet, I sat up from my bed, turned around and sat my once warm feet on the cold hardwood floor, and proceeded to stand up. Not taking my eyes off of the strange light in my closet. Then walked over to it, I didn't want to but it's like it had a rope tied to my waist pulling me. My hands began to shake as I turned the closet doors knob. Then quickly swung the door open only to find my little brother hugging onto his bright light teddy bear. "Oh my gosh , not again , go back to bed Richard!" I said rolling my eyes pointing my finger to my bedroom door. Even In the cold dark room I could see the aching fear in his eyes. "B-but he is gunna getcha sissy..." he whined. I've had to wake up to him rambling on about a monster in his room for about a month now, and was very tired of hearing the same story... He wouldn't budge. I finally took him by his hand and dragged him out of the room.

Then came the fit, He began to cry and whine, and this never ends well. Then over the crying and whining I heard moms bedroom door creak open. She turned on the hallway light and stumbled down the hall with a grumpy attitude, so tired only one eye would blink at a time. " What is it now?" mom sounded more than just aggravated tonight. But of course I wouldn't blame her, she had to wake up early in the morning after dealing with all of this so she could go to work. Then suddenly throughout all the chaos she gave me a face only a person with a horrible idea could have. Which never turned out well for me. " How about he stays in your room for a few nights?" mom asked her face full of hope and exhaustion. I immediately hated this idea..." mom how is him staying in my room going to help at all?" I testified. I was going to be the one watching the ceiling with wide eyes and rings of lack of sleep under MY eyes if she was going to go through with this.. " Well he runs to your room every night anyway, maybe he just needs some time out of that room.."

I knew mom wouldn't stop until she got her way, its what happens every time. " Fine but if he doesn't stop crying every night he is going back to his stubborn room or yours." I raised my voice that seemed to echo through the empty cold walls. My mom thinking she could just roll back into bed turned around walking back. " mom? Where is he going to sleep?" I raised an eyebrow with one hand on my hip. She stopped and slung her body back around. "the mattress." She said in the same tone I had spoke with but more of her version of teenage sass. I grabbed my little brothers small hand and lead him back into my room. Leaving him standing at the door while I bent down to pull the mattress from under my bed. I already had a feeling I wasn't going to sleep for a while. I was just hoping that mom was right.

But I honestly knew that sleeping in my room wasn't going to stop his nightmares... And that I knew for a fact.. I snapped out of my thoughts and pulled the mattress from underneath the bed. I brushed off the old particles of ancient dust from the mattress. I stood up and grabbed a pillow from my bed and a blanket from the closet and sat them on the mattress. I looked over to see his small hands tightly gripping the teddy bear, as his eyes ran wild venturing my dark room. " Come on, you need to sleep and not drive mom crazy..." I pulled him over to the mattress. I looked at him with one eyebrow raised waiting for him to go to bed. I could see in his eyes that he didn't want to... So let me stop you here! And let's rewind. . . . . . . My mom was happy once, when she had our loving father, life was perfect. Almost like what you would see on a tv. commercial.

Sure mom and dad had their small fights but that one fight that grew too big, me and my brother hid up in our rooms, that night was the last night we were an actual family, mom and dad got a divorce and life lost its pieces after that. . . . .that was also the last night my brother slept without a nightmare . . . that was two years ago. And here I am staring into my brothers terrified, sleepless eyes. I watched him climb into the cold covers not losing the grin on his teddy bear. I climbed into my own bed that now has lost its warmth. Then I fell asleep surprisingly in peace.