Sandman

I awoke to screams.

I share my my bedroom with my two younger brothers, Tatum, and Jacob, both six, and all to often I am sprung from my slumber by the wailing cries of one or the other. I would always try my best to calm them and coax them back to sleep. With their chests heaving, hearts beating, and faces leaking it was always difficult. But tonight, unlike most nights where a cup of coco would drift them back to rest, the wild creatures of their dreams where far to terrible. Even more odd was the timing of each scream was exactly synced with the other. Each shriek tore at my ears.

"Abel" eachone would shout, "he's gonna get us!Abel wants to eat us!"

It was odd but, my brothers practically share a brain. I assume that they watched a show that gave them nightmares. Quietly I held each small hand and guided my little brothers into the kitchen.

"Squid," I turned towards Jacob and nealed down to his level, "would you like some coco? And how 'bout you popey?" I looked over to Tatum.

I put the kettle on the stove. Napkin in hand, I sat on the love seat and patted my lap to invite the two over to sit with me. I wiped each boy's face to rid it of snot and tears and asked what had happened in their dream.

Tatum scrambled his words with each sniff and cough from crying, "he, he ,he, was big and smelled really bad..."
"And his face was hairy and he had super long nails" Jacob blurted.

"Well what was this man doing?" I asked. Normally, I would find a way to turn the nightmare into a joke so, my brothers would forget their fear. As they explained the dream my own fear set in. I have seen this man before.

The kettle whined. "Let's have some coco" I stood up with no idea of how to make their nightmare anyless terrifying. I sat the boys down at the dining table and poured three mugs full of coco andmarshmellows.

We sat for quite some time. My brothers, like most small children, had soon lost memory of their bad dreams. They played rock-paper-siccors and told silly knock-knock jokes. Tummys full of coco and marshmellow I walked my little brothers back to our bedroom, tucked them in, and I crawled back into bed. Such a welcoming feeling, my warm bed, especially in this cold winter. Thoughts of sleep slow creeped on me then suddenly, flashes of this man I once knew from dreams as a child, left me trembling and unable to drift to sleep.

The sun was rising. I felt like crap for the fact that I hadlaid in bed for hours without a sliver of sleep. My alarm went off. I streched and walked into the kitchento make breakfast.My mom stood at the sink drinking her odinary cup of coffee.

She looked at me and spoke in her soft voice, "Goodmorning my squish, how are you?"

"I feel sick." I put a pout on my face and sniffed. This was my cheap attempt to avoid school on an average day but, today Iactually felt sick. "I could barely sleep last night both Tatum and Jacob woke up at1:00 andI didn't lay back down till two and thenI couldn't fall asleep! And when will I get my own room!!! I'm fourteen now."

"Aw, baby the other rooms are almost done so you will soon have your bedroom back. And well... let me call your father and see if you can just stay home today and just this once. I'm not going to let you missschool unless you truelly can't make it." She called my dad and asked if it was okay and other usually question like what's for dinner and what time he will be home. Her head shook. "Okay hun, I will see you tonight." The phone call ended.

My mom stood up straight and turned around to face me. "You can stay home today, and today only, I will take care of your brothers, you will not leave the house at all. Your dad will be home at 2pm. Pick up abit while you are here today your room isa mess and so is the kitchen. But for now go lay down on the couch. You're a growing boy you need your sleep."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." I walked over and hugged my mom. In the closet down the hall I grabbed a sheet and pillow. I was making up a comfortable place to watch T.V. and sleep when my brothers came bellowing out of their bedrooms dressed and ready for school. They both came and jumped on me yelling and giggling. They both kept saying something about a secret.

Tatum pulled my head towards him. "What do you want Popey?"
"I have a secret to tell you Aiden!!!!"
"And what is that?"
"The man from my dream had candy and he told me to tell you that he would like to talk to you" Tatum whispered in my ear, "he said that we can only tell you and that you can't tell ANY one the secret"
"What's the secret Tatum?" I felt my stomach drop with each time the man is mention my memories of him grow stronger.
"He said that he is watching you and that you need to.. what did he say Jacob?"
"He said you need to get ready for the shoesing." Jacob said.
"Shoe-sing??"
"No, Jacob he said choosing!"
"Come on boys time for school." my mom called from the garage. My brothers went running off.

"Choosing? Um.." I gripped the remote and turned the tele on to cartoons. I rested my head on the pillow and soon I was asleep.

______________________________________

Everything was foggy and dark and cold. I squinted in hope to see better but it didn't help. I wondered this strange land. I never been here before in my dreams. I searched for clues and climbed trees. I walked across a river and seen very odd animals of mostly human features but, they had a mouth that streched from ear to ear and eyes of all black.

"Creepy"

I walked and walked and soon I was in a field of wheat. AsI countinued sounds started to follow my every movement. In fear I ran. When I finally stopped the sound was still behind me.With every bit of courage I had a turned around to face my follower. I jumped back when I seen a large black figure dart off in the other direction. I turned to run and ran into him. The man I have feared since a was little. I froze.

He reached down with his dirty boney hands with long fingers and even longer nails and grabbed my face. "Hello, Aiden." He lifted his head and a crooked smile from between his beard and mustasche grew. "Do you remember me?" He leaned in closer and I clenched the wheat grass in my fists to keep me from screaming. He laughed a deep horrifying laugh and bursted in to a million black birds.

I awoke in a cold sweat. I ran to the bathroom and threw up violently with no contol of my body as it convulesed in shivers. I walked in to the living room with my eyes watering and my head pounding.

"It is only a dream"
"It is only a dream"
"It is only a........"

Where I had been sleeping early was now torn grains and wheat stems as well as a long black feather.


to be continued.