Group Therapy

5 - Madeline.

We arrive at my house and l hop out of the car not even caring to lock it behind me.

I unlock the front door and swing it open running in, Alex following close behind. Most of the time when hunter has those nightmares he wakes up fully convinced that they're real which often leads to him having a panic attack.

"Hunter?" l call out and run to his room again swinging the door open and frantically looking around for him.

I check in his bed, the closet, nothing.

Okay, time to panic.

Alex tells me to go check my room while he checks mom's and we split up.

I check everywhere in my room, the closet, bed, under the bed, nothing.

I open my bathroom door and turn the light on to check in there too, slowly pushing away the shower curtains to find Hunter curled up in the corner of the bathtub still wearing his pajamas quietly sobbing.

"Hey bud, don't worry it's just me." I mumble and hold my hand out for him to grab it.

He looks up to make sure it's me before taking my hand and jumping into my arms.

"It's okay bud, I'm here now. It was just another nightmare."

"No this time it's real, l promise he's here." he wipes his tears with his sleeve.

"It's okay it's just a dre-"

My sentence is cut short by a loud thud coming from the other side of the house.

"I-I told you, he's here. This time it's real I promise!"

Maybe he's not wrong, someone could be in the house right now.

If there's actually an intruder, I need to get him out of here and go find Alex.

"Hunter I need you to do something for me, okay?"

He pills away from the embrace and nods.

"Alright, I need you to go to Madeline's house and tell her to call 911. Can you do that for me?" Madeline is our neighbour.

"W-Why do you need to call the police?"

"Just do it, please. Alex came here with me and I have to go find him so just go and I promise I'll be out in no time."

I can see the panic and uncertainty in his eyes but he agrees regardless and I help him climb out of the bathroom window.

Now, time to focus. Alex.

I look around for anything I could use as a weapon and crap a fair of sharp scissors. These will have to do.

Carefully, I make my way over to my mother's room. The sound of my heartbeat getting overwhelmingly loud as I try to stay as silent as possible.

I step into the room and there on the floor lies an unconscious Alex.

I drop down to the floor next to him and try not to make any noise as the tears blurr my vision.

Deciding against moving him in case he damaged his spine or neck I just hold his hand and pull my phone out of my pocket before dialling 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" the dispatcher speaks through the phone.

"T-There's someone in my house and my friend is not waking up." I whisper, trying to keep whoever might still be here from hearing me.

"Okay, what are your names sweetie?"

"Laynie and Alex."

"How old are you and Alex?"

"S-Sixteen."

"Alright, good job. Now can you check if Alex has a pulse for me? Do you know how to do that?" the dispatcher speaks.

I try not to breathe too loudly as I put my fingers up to his neck to feel for a pulse.

"He has a pulse but it's really faint a-and he's really cold."

"Okay, can you check for any open wounds?"

I do as directed but it's too dark for me too see anything clearly so shine the light from my phone's screen on his body to find an open stab wound.

I try not to panic as I tell the dispatcher my address and she walks me through the next steps.

After what felt like hours, the sound of the police sirens approaching and the officers knocking on the front door has never been so relieving.