Teacher's Secrets

Nightmare(Jack)

I was in the tub. It hurt. It hurt so bad. I thrashed trying to get away.

Matt and Ryan stood side by side. Mark pointed a gun at their heads.

"Go on Mark." Shane said. "Unless you'd rather I do it."

"Dad..."

"Papa please... Don't let him do this..."

Matt and Ryan sobbed. Ryan stepped in front, trying to shield Matt from what was about to happen. The gun went off.

Once.

Twice.

Matt and Ryan fell to the ground, each with a single bullet between their eyes.

"No!" The scream was torn from my throat. Rough hands grabbed me. Pinching me, hurting me. Choking me.

I opened my eyes. It was blurry. Mark had his hands on me, yelling.

"Sean! Jack! Kitten wake up. Wake up please you're hurting yourself."

I stopped struggling, and felt the pain flood in. It had been a nightmare. My thrashing had reopened some of the cuts and thee were little red stains on the sheets. I burst into tears.

I felt his arms around me, soft, strong, safe, and warm.

"Shane- he- he made you shoot Matt and Ryan. Ryan Ryan tried to protect Matt bit he couldn't and I couldn't move I couldn't stop it..."

"Sh... hey. Hey. It was just a dream. Do you want me to call the boys so you can hear their voices?"

I nodded. "But I don't want them to hear me like this..."

"They won't. Matt had to write a recipe to demonstrate for the culinary class to make up the day he missed. I'll have him read it or something."

I nodded, and he pulled out his phone.

"Hey Dad."

"Hey Mattie. Papa wants to hear your recipe for Irish stew, and see if he has any little family tradition he wants to add."

"Okay. Hi papa."

I heard his voice, safe and happy. "Hey kid. Where's Ryan?"

"He's upstairs blasting music. Here, I'll put you on speaker."

Strains of... my old highschool band came from a distance.

"How'd he find that music?"

"A friend showed it to him."

"What friend?" I sputtered.

"His metalhead friend from school."

"Matt, go on the computer and look up the name of that band. Its called Raised To The Ground." I sighed.

"How do you know it?"

"The doctor is coming in. I have to go kid. I love you." I lied.

"Love you too Papa. Bye dad." Matt hung up.

"How do you know that band?" Mark furrowed his brow.

"I may or may not have been the drummer..."

Mark laughed. "Bullshit." He sighed, pulling me close. "Wanna watch Netflix?"

He opened the app.

"Sure."

We cuddled, and watched Criminal Minds until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore.