Page 18

Mom?
Another scream splits the air. Something falls. Hard. Loud.
Silence.
On shaking legs, I pad to the door. This time, the door handle gives way, but only a little.
“Lil. Sweetheart. Close your eyes.” She sounds exhausted. “I need you to close them. Remember the game we played? Hiding from the monsters?”
I nod.
“We’re going to play it. Okay?”
My hands shoot up, covering my eyes.
“Are your eyes closed?”
I nod. Silence.
“You need to talk to Mommy.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know. Just…” She sounds like she’s in pain. “Everything is alright. Are your eyes closed?”
“Yes.” I sob.
I hear the door creak, and she picks me up in her arms. “Keep them closed, and we’ll go to the beach. Didn’t you ask me to go there?”
I nod. Sniffling.
“Good. Keep them closed.” She kisses my cheek and starts walking.
To where? I don’t know.
I want to peak, but I can’t. My hands are—
Suddenly, we stumble to the ground.
“You little—”
My head snaps up.
“You okay?” Sarah’s hand gently squeezes my shoulder. “You were mumbling in your sleep.”
I blink, trying to orient myself. Books, Shelves, Library. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bad dream.”
“You sure? You look pretty shaken up.”
“I’m good, thanks.” I force a smile, but it feels brittle. “Stayed up late reading and wanted to take a little nap in my break.” If only it would have been a book and not my nightmares keeping me up all night.
“Oh, which book kept you up? Some new rec for me?”
“Pride and Prejudice, actually. Guess I’m a sucker for the classics.”
She chuckles. “Aren’t we all? Though I pegged you more as a Sense and Sensibility kind of gal.”
“Yeah. Both are good.” I hate lying to her, but I can’t bring myself to talk about the nightmares. They’re too raw, too real.