Imagination

Sixth Encounter

Aviva helped Navin get ready for sleep. As she tucked him in bed, he whispered, "I'm afraid. Can you stay with me?"

Aviva laughed quietly, trying to build his confidence. "Don't you think you can be by yourself? You seem pretty strong to me!"

"Please!" Navin begged.

"Okay, okay." Aviva pulled up a chair beside Navin's bed and held his hand. "Go to sleep now."

His breathing slowly evened and soon he was asleep. Aviva was about to go to her room when she heard something open and close the door.

"Hello?" she whispered.

No response.

"Who's there?" Aviva turned around and stifled a scream. A huge, dark, nondescript shape loomed near the door.

As she examined it, too scared to move, she noticed it had five eyes and clear facial features, but the rest of the body was blurry. It growled menacingly and started limping towards her.

"Navin" she gasped, realizing he might be in danger. She ran back into his room to find him was thrashing wildly on the bed.

"Navin, Navin, it's okay. Navin, it's Aviva. Wake up!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him awake.

"Aviva!" he gulped, and scrubbed at the tears in the corner of his eyes. "I had a terrible nightmare!"

She looked over her shoulder and saw that whatever that creature was had disappeared.

"It was awful. This huge monster with five eyes started to come into my room...." he grasped her hand and held onto it as if it were a life-line.

Aviva gripped back equally as hard, her mind making horrifying connections. I was seeing his nightmares. His imagination can create Figments even while he's sleeping.

"It was just in your head," she reassured him, "Good night."

She kissed his head and exited the room before he could feel her trembling hands.

Nightmares can become real too.