Where The Wild Things Are [Continuation]

1| THE AWAKENING

1| THE AWAKENING

 

THE nightmares came back, and this time they showed no mercy.

 

He woke up screaming, his body twisted in the blankets as he flailed around; his heart ramming against his ribcage. Flashes of the dream played in his head. He was back on the Island and the wild things were chasing him. “Oh, please don't go—we'll eat you up—we love you so!”  they cried in a deranged roar.    

            Another scream ripped from his throat, still drowned in fear. He shut his eyes tight, “NO!” he sobbed. He didn’t want to be back on the Island; in fact he wanted no one on there. He wouldn’t even want his sworn enemies to step one foot on that forsaken beach.

            “Max!” he heard someone say, “Max! Calm down! You’re safe, you’re safe.” He opened his eyes to his mother clutching him tightly to her chest. Another sob bubbled in his throat as he hugged her tightly. “They were back, Mom.” He moaned, “T-They were chasing me. Out to get me . . .”

            He started to hyperventilate. “Max,” his mother whispered. “Take a deep breath, you’re safe. No ones out to get you.” He swallowed thickly and blinked really hard. When he opened his eyes he looked around.

            He was in his room. The moonlight loomed throughout it, giving them just enough light to see. Once he realized he was safe he quickly sat up and rubbed his face with the back of his sleeve. His breathing began to regulate. 

            Silence lingered in the room until he broke it. “I think I need to see Dr. Barbock again,” he mumbled, ashamed. He knew they were running low on money and shrinks were expensive. His mother placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. Her face expressed frustration and disappointment. Their eyes met. “It’s okay Max,” she said forcefully, “I’ll set up an appointment in the morning, okay?” He nodded, and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.  “I’m sorry,” he croaked, his throat raw. 

            As if she didn’t even hear him his mother stood up and left the room, knowing that he could handle the rest of the night. She knew Max didn’t like lingering. When he heard her door close at the end of the hall he slowly untangled himself from his sheets. When the coast was clear he started to walk down the hallway. The floorboards wheezed under his weight.

            “Hey,” a voice whispered. He turned to his older sister Claire standing in her doorframe. “Nightmares again?” she said with pity, he nodded. “Oh, Max,” she sighed as she pulled him in for a hug. He complied, for he really needed one.       

               He was glad that Claire was his sister, because when he feels like he’s about to fall off the edge Claire is right there to pull him back. Tears welled up in his eyes, “Thanks Claire,” he muttered. “No problem,” her voice quivered.

            He pulled away from her and Claire retreated back to her room. Max flicked on the light to the bathroom, shut the door behind him and looked in the mirror.   

            His face was blotchy and red. His eyes were swollen and his face glistened from the tears and snot that stained his face. He sniffled and turned on the sink. He pulled up his sleeves and cupped his hands under the water. He brought his hands to his face and splashed it against his skin.

            He took a deep breath and glanced in the mirror again. Water was dripping from his face and long eyelashes. He turned off the sink and rubbed his face against a towel. At least my nightmares aren't real, he reminded himself. 

        But when he looked back in the mirror he saw a little boy in a wolf suit.

*

           

            “Nightmares again?” Dr. Barbock asked.

            Max nodded.

            “The same one?”

            He shook his head, “Different this time, but with the same plot,” he took a deep breath, “the monsters are chasing me, but they’re saying something this time. Trying to prevent me from leaving.”

            “What are the monsters saying?”

            Max pondered the question for a moment. “They say, umm, they say something like don’t go, we love you so, or something like that.”

            “Why do think that is?”

            Max shrugged.         

            There was a pregnant pause, Dr. Barbock sighed.

            “I can’t help you if you aren’t going to talk,” he said.

            Max nodded, “I know.”

            “Is there anything else that’s different from the previous dreams?”

            Max thought long and hard at the question; he knew something else was different about the dream, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. It was like an itch in his brain. He looked around the room, hoping a certain feature could spark his memory. He glanced out the window and saw two kids playing tag in the park across the street. That’s when it hit him.

            “There were kids trapped on the Island.”