Sadie's Nightmare

Chapter Twenty-Four: Headway

Not bothering to wipe the tears from his cheeks, Sloan managed to slither between the gap in the bedroom door out into the hallway.

He then gently pulled the door until it was almost closed. Shutting the door might have made too much sound, so he'd rather not risk it.

"What's going on?" Asked Steven as he watched Sloan scramble to his feet. Because of the storm and heavy rainfall, Steven hadn't heard a single sound that the officers made when they were inside Patricia's bedroom.

Sloan was trembling, and all the colour was absent from his face. Luckily, Steven couldn't see the wet patch on his dark pants, not that he even remotely cared about being embarrassed at that very moment. No, there were much bigger problems.

"Quickly," Sloan started, little more than a whisper, "we need to leave. We have to get out of here. Right. Now."

Steven gave the officer a puzzled look.

"There's no time to explain. Just move." Sloan said before Steven could ask any questions, and he grabbed Steven's shoulder to turn him toward the stairs.

There was no resistance. And as they rushed down the stairs, the crack of lightning was heard and the lights that were on all flickered.

"There's quite a storm coming." Stated Rosemary, who stood with Sadie by the base of the stairs.

"You have no idea what's coming." Said Sloan, his voice broke and tears welled in his eyes.

Everyone, even Sadie, knew the officer wasn't talking about the weather.

Steven stopped at the bottom of the stair and Sloan went to pass by him, but Steven grabbed his uniform at the elbow. "Where's your partner?"

The policeman shook off Steven's grasp and replied, "Don't you touch me. We need to go. Now!"

"Where's my blanket?" Asked little Sadie.

The adults either ignored her, or just didn't hear her sweet voice over the rain.

Waiting, she looked up at them, but they began to argue. About the storm, the whereabouts of officer Janssen, and even Rosemary wanted to know exactly what happened up there-in Patricia's bedroom.

Sadie frowned and exhaled loudly through her flared nostrils to get their attention. But to no avail.

She peered up in the direction of Patricia's room and cocked her head.

What did happen up there? She thought. And she wondered about her blanket. Wondered if she could go get it without being seen.

The adults were all too busy squabbling amongst themselves, that they had not noticed Sadie slip away up the stairs.

After a comment from Steven, Sloan had rolled his eyes and suddenly his eyes widened. He began to breath heavily and his gaze darted around the room, searching for Sadie.

The others had gone silent, curious about the officer's behaviour, until they too realized that Sadie was missing.

"Sadie?!" Steven shouted, but received no response. So, he went to head upstairs.

Sloan grabbed his shirt sleeve and said, "It's not safe."

Steven shrugged him off and ran up the steps. "Sadie?!" He called again.

At the top of the stairs, he was about to head toward Patricia's room, but a sudden thud drew his attention. It came from Sadie's room.

He let out a sigh of relief.

Sadie was safe in her bedroom.

"What are you doing, Sadie?" He asked as he entered.

She clambered out from under her bed. "Luna is under there and won't come out." She replied. "I was going to get my blanket, but then I saw Luna run under my bed."

"Okay. Look out. I'll get the cat." Steven said as he crouched down beside Sadie.

~~~

Just after Steven had run upstairs after Sadie, Rosemary turned to Sloan and asked, "What happened up there that's got you shaking so much?"

Sloan wanted to make up an excuse for his shivering, but all he could think of was how the wet patch on his pants was no longer warm. But that's not why he was quivering.

"Well?" Rosemary asked again. She'd noticed that Sloan had started to stare at nothing.

His mind drifted away with thoughts of the horrors he'd witnessed. Things that couldn't be unseen.

Rosemary grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a single, firm shake to snap him out of it. She then asked him for the third time, "What happened, son?" Her tone was a little more demanding. "How many are there?"

Suddenly, his eyes widened and glazed over as he met her gaze. "You know about those.. those monsters?" He asked.

"Where are they coming from?"

"The wardrobe behind the door, but-"

Rosemary didn't wait for him to finish speaking. She released his shoulder and immediately hurried up the stairs. She was in such a rush that she didn't even take any notice of Steven and Sadie in the bedroom to the right.

She slowed her pace in the hallway and crept over to Patricia's door.

Rosemary stifled a yelp with her hand and spun around to see what had touched her.

Sloan had snuck up on her and given her a fright unintentionally. One hand rested on her shoulder, the other on his holstered-but unclipped and ready-gun.

She could see that he was afraid, but he gave her a reassuring nod to let her know that he was ready to have her back. Rosemary responded with and understanding smile.