Page 59 of Matrix

“I can help you. I won’t tell anyone you’re stealing. You can come live with me. I have a whole room full of candy and soda. You can have as much as you want.”

“Really?” I may only be ten years old, but I know grown-ups lie. “Why do you want to help me?”

“I have other kids your age who live with me.”

“Are they yours?”

“They are now.”

I don’t understand what he means, but it doesn’t matter. Maybe he’s not like the other dads. If he has a lot of candy for kids, then he can’t be a bad man. None of the other dads had sweets. I never got any until after I started stealing stuff.

“Where do you live?” I ask.

“On a big ranch in the mountains.”

“What if I don’t like it there?”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s your choice. Either you come with me, or I tell that man up there to call the police. Stealing is against the law. They put kids who steal in jail. You know what that is, right?”

“Uh huh.” I nod while my eyes go wide. I’ve seen those cop shows on TV. Bad men go there. I can’t go too.

“It’s really a simple decision. Once you get to my house, you’ll have so much candy your teeth will fall out.”

“I don’t know …” My stomach hurts so much that I can’t figure out what to do.

“Give me the stuff you hid in your clothes so I can pay for it.” The man holds out his hands.

I check to make sure we’re still alone before passing everything I stole over to him. If he’s a bad man, I can always run away the way I did before …

We’re not in the store anymore. I don’t know where I am. It’s dark. Someone’s crying in the corner. The floor’s cold and damp.

Oh, no! Oh, no! It’s the dungeon!

“Help!” I scream.

“Shh. They’ll come down here if you don’t shut up,” one of the boys says in a hushed tone.

It all comes rushing back. The man. The way he tricked me into walking down the basement stairs. The sound of the lock clicking into place behind me, leaving me in the dark. I must get away. I have to run.

Someone shakes me, but I push them away. Then I’m on my feet, running down a long, dark tunnel that never seems to end. Finally, a light appears at the end. A wooden door creaks open. I can’t go in. I can’t. Because the man’s in there, and he won’t let me leave until he’s done hurting me.

Screams fill the room.

They’re mine.

I wake up disoriented and shaking.

“Matrix, it’s me. It’s Daisy. Honey, you had a nightmare.”

“Fuck!” I drag my hand down my face. Sweat covers my palm. I wipe it away on the sheets.

“It’s okay. I’ll get you some water.” She leaves the room, returning a few minutes later with a full glass. She hands it to me. “Drink that. You’ll feel better.”

“Thank you.” I want to die of embarrassment. No one’s ever caught me in the middle of a nightmare before. I can’t believe Daisy heard me screaming. What else did I say? How much does she know? Did I yell out his name?

Slowly sipping the cool liquid, I avert my eyes so she can’t read the turmoil in them.

“Do you have a lot of bad dreams?” she asks softly.