“I mean…probably?”
“You’re not really helping, you know that?”
“You’re asking questions you don’t want the answer to! I’m not going
to lie to you. I’m not a monster!”
Out of nowhere, there was a thunder crack and the room was
illuminated in a brilliant flash. Jacob nearly jumped out of his skin, but the
noise snapped Joe out of his trance. Outside the heavens opened in a
powerful and torrential rain- but inside the storm was only beginning. “Oh hey.” Joe whispered. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
“No I was…Just coming back…bathroom.” Jacob uttered. Teddy
nodded at him.
“Good cover.”
“Sorry- I guess I was sleepwalking.” Joe said. “Silly me, right?” “Yeah…very much so.” Jacob responded. “Need water?” He tried to
excuse himself, but Joe grabbed him by the hand.
“Hey, come back to bed. I want to feel you.”
“Feel me- what?” Jacob asked a bit too quickly.
“Just to hold you in my arms for when we drift asleep. Is that okay?”
Joe pleaded to Jacob and he could feel himself melt.
“Sure. I mean yes.” Jacob responded. He slid over to Joe , and laid beside
him. Joe wrapped his strong arm around him and fell asleep in no time.. “Sweet dreams.” Joe said, nuzzling into the back of his neck. “Sweet dreams…” Jacob responded, but didn’t sleep much that night. That night Jacob had a dream where he was runningaway from a giant
bird. Arrows were whizzing all around him as he desperately tried to
escape from a jungle. He was being clawed at by leopards and monkeys
and bears (oh my) and thrown around by aggressive winds. Then when he
landed, he’d somehow ended up back at his fourth grade teacher’s
classroom without pants and having to give a presentation on calculus.
Then the ground opened up and he fell in as his teeth flew out of his
mouth.
He woke up in a pool of what he hoped was sweat. He looked around
the room- and no one was there.
“Hello?” He called out with a mix of curiosity and dread. The dream
last night had stunned him, but the potential revelation about Joe was
