I couldn't sleep... The knot of nerves in our stomach was winding itself tighter with every second. My brother slept peacefully, resting his head in the crook of my neck, although we did share a stomach...
The clock by our bed showed 2:30, what it had been showing for the past eternity and a half. Seconds trickled by, slowing down to a minimum. I stared at the ceiling, unable to relax. I was the older one, even though it was mere minutes, the confident one, the one that stood up for little Terri all through high school, and here I was, scared of a simulator with a plastic kid inside it. Really?
I couldn't believe it. We were in the final of the Scare Games... If only we were more scary. We're misfits. Outcasts, that's what they all said.
Get yourself together Terry, I thought. I felt awful, I needed to go out, get some fresh air and chase away the suffocating thoughts. "Terri?" I whispered. He groaned, ignoring me.
I was near tears. This really was stupid. We both knew scaring wasn't for us, we looked too... UNscary, sweet even. My brother didn't seem bothered. A true optimist he was, always looking out for the silver lining, while sceptical old me was ruining everything.
The moon shone through the curtains, reflecting off the silver shield hanging on the wall. Some high school reward, probably.
I couldn't bear it any more. I shook Terri awake.
"Mum? Can I just have five more minutes?" He muttered, trying to turn away from me as far as our body let us.
"Terri, please!"
"Mmm?" He lifted his head briefly off the pillow, before lowering onto it again, quickly getting back to sleep.
"Oh c'mon!" I was desperate. In the end I stood up, and dragging a sleepy brother behind me, made my way downstairs. He must be a deep sleeper, I thought.
He still wasn't fully awake when I sat in the front yard of the OK house, leaning against the brick wall with my side of the tentacles sprawled out all over the floor. I sat like this for a while, gazing out into the starry sky.
I always thought I was the one who should be positive and cheer everyone on, yet I was the one sulking like this, alone. Almost. Terri was snoring beside me, his cheek warm against my neck, his hands interlocked in his sleep. He seemed so peaceful, I didn't dare wake him, so we stayed by the wall. It was getting cold, but all I did was wrap the blanket I brought with me tighter around our shoulders.
I was so carried away I almost jumped when, for the first time in what seemed thousands of years, the front door creaked open. Sully slumped down next to me, and berried his head in his hands, letting out a deep sigh. His weary sky-blue eyes focused on me. He only just realised I... we were here.
"Having a bad night?" His voice was hoarse with worry and exhaust. He hasn't been sleeping much either.
I didn't reply. He could probably see by my own bloodshot eye, and he knew well what was bugging me. Only why was Sully worried? Surely he, a future Scarer, the son of the famous Bill Sullivan, had nothing to panic about, I wondered.
"Sully?"
"Huh..."
"W...why are you out here?"
"I couldn't sleep" he answered simply.
"But...?"
He seemed to understand what I was thinking. He groaned. It seemed he was about to snap, with all this stress towering over his shoulders. How come nobody noticed this before, I asked myself.
"I'm sorry", I whispered, to nobody in particular, just because there was nothing else left to say.
The blue monster trembled silently, turning away from me. Was Sully... crying? Terri stirred beside me and I held him close. I never knew what it felt like to be... lonely. It was better not to say anything, I reasoned. Reaching out, I patted the big monster on the back, a form of comfort. He froze.
"Terry?" The monster whimpered. It was terrifying to see Sully - the bravest, most frightening of us all, now so weak and helpless.
"Terry?" He paused, then added, "thanks"...
I smiled. It's ok, I muttered, it's ok.
_
Sorry about the emotional moments, if that bugs anyone.
REVIEEEEEEWS PLEEEASE! Some suggestions on what I should write about next as well, please!