The Shadows of the Past

Is Twelve Too Young For Developing A Sleep Disorder?

I had to wake her.

She needed to see. To see permanently.

Thoughts and visions kept fleeing; nothing stuck. Nothing stayed. Nothing helped or changed. Time was starting to run short. Shorter and shorter... How much did we have? Never enough. They would never leave us with enough time.

It was time to change. To heal

Time to open eyes.

Soon dawn would come, but would she be awake when it did?

I needed to wake her.

***

Laelin

"I'm becoming an insomniac," were the first words out of my mouth to my aunt and uncle when they came to get me from the airport at winter break. I hadn't slept a wink on the flight, my brain continuously thrusting me into consciousness from dreams I had no recollection of.

None of it was right.

I could remember nearly every dream I had; my very first dream, when I was three, had been of me diving into a ball pit but instead of balls, they were Lucky Charms marshmallows. And I could recall every dream since. Nightmares about monsters from horror movies I had accidentally seen when my parents hadn't noticed, dreams of unicorns and Disney princesses and mother's cloud castle. I even remembered the stupid ones, like the time i dreamt i lived inside a giant hamsterball - that one was particularly weird.

My aunt took in my haggard appearance with concern. I had dressed comfortably so that I would sleep well on all twelve hours of my journey: a warm grey hoodie, black sweatpants, hair tied into pigtail braids, with my mother's dragon locket around my neck. That was a rather permanent fixture, though. But, i had merely tossed and turned the whole time in my cramped seat, so, instead of looking warm and well rested, I just looked like a zombie with dark circles and rumpled hair.

"Did you sleep at all on the plane, Jellybean?" asked my uncle, helping me load my trunk into the car. I shook my head.

"I'm not sure i've really slept in the last three days... I mean I rest a little at night or when I catch a nap, but not enough..." My godparents shared a concerned look.

"Well, let's get you home and fed, and maybe being back in your old bed will cure it, hm?" I gave my aunt a weak smile and hopped into the car.

***

Sure enough, I slept peacefully on my first night home.

And that was about it. The change of scenery cure only worked for one night, apparently.

But at least when i was home, I could slip into the kitchen for a snack or glass of milk, I could curl up on the couch with a selection from my uncle and I's massive bookcase, or while away the hours until morning wandering the beach in the backyard. Back at Hogwarts, I had read through the few books i had brought already and I couldn't leave the dorm during the night and go for a walk.

Aunt Mandi always looked at me with the same concerned eyes every morning she found me already awake.

I was feeling too tired to even meet up with Joy and Aimie. They had been unusually quiet all year, though, hardly sending letters all semester. I assumed 7th grade was just busier than normal.

Before New Year's, Uncle Marvin showed me into his potions lab - an extended room inside of their bathroom - where he made me a mild sleeping potion.

"Now, let's see if this helps and if it does, I'll send you back to Hogwarts with enough for the rest of the term. Take it very sparingly, only once before bed," he instructed. Marvin was the potions whiz, according to Mandi, and watching him proved it. He moved deftly and with as much practice and precision as Professor Slughorn.