Reflections of Night

Night terrors return

She was trapped. The walls were closing in around her, pushing her down into a confined space. The air was slowly being crushed out of the space, the black vacuum filling every crevice and corner of Nyx's mind. Dark. Crushed. Alone. and fear. The fear ripped through the nightmare, tearing at Nyx's mind...

"MUUUUUUUUUMMY!"

Rachel rushed in. "Oh, not again."
She put her arms around Nyx, soothing her daughter. "Ssssh, it's okay. I'm here. Nothing can hurt you. Do you want to tell me about it?"
Nyx shook her head, sobbing into Rachel's shoulder.
"Okay, it's okay." Rachel cooed, cradling the sobbing girl. "Did you forget to take your medicine? Is that why this is happening?"
"No, I didn't forget. It just doesn't work anymore."
Rachel frowned. "That's not good. I can't make the draught much stronger safely. You've already had it increased twice."
She thought for a moment. "Has anything happened that you can think of? Anything that could have set the Nightmares off again, strong enough to override your medicine?"
Nyx sniffed tearfully. "I did use my powers recently."
"How recently?!"
"Couple of days ago. But it was the only option. I was being attacked by a demon and........ I didn't tell you and now I can't decide why that made it better. Sorry?"
She looked at the horrified expression on Rachel's face. Rachel pulled her daughter close, hugging her tightly like she never wanted to let her go. "Thank god you are safe. Thank god, thank god, thank god. I could have lost you. You NEVER hide anything like this from me again, do you hear? I'm in half a mind not to let you go out alone after this. My little baby could have died, and I wouldn't have known. Oh, thank god you are safe."

"Mum," Nyx croaked "Squeezing too tight. I need to breath!"

Rachel eased up but didn't let go of Nyx, settling next to her on the bed. Nyx looked up into her eyes, a deceptively innocent expression on her face. "Mummy," she baby-lisped "tell me a storwy."