Malcolm seldom got decent sleep.
If it wasn't hijinks he was tempted with or mountains of homework, then it was just teenage stress.
He rubbed his tired eyes and buried his face in his pillow.
Sleep came unexpectedly quickly.
"Mom? Mom?" Malcolm looked around the kitchen.
He needed to find his mom, but she was nowhere to be found.
The slamming door at the end of the hall made him jump.
He really hoped it was his mom.
"Mom?" He peered around the corner.
The long hallway stretched out for what seemed for miles. It was threatening and Malcolm knew he should run but his feet carried him down the hall.
"Mom," he tried again.
His bedroom and the bathroom door were gone but he didn't notice.
When he arrived at the door he knocked. He was told he should always knock.
No reply came so he opened the door.
"Mom, are you in here?"
The room was the same as always.
He felt a wave of relief wash over him as he confidently entered the room now.
"She must be at work."
But something else began to nag at him.
"This house is too quiet. Where are my brothers?"
Suddenly the room didn't seem so safe.
He looked around again when in the corner, by Jamie's crib, he saw it.
Its eyes were the most discernable thing on it; they glowed, in contrast to its whole body, which was mostly dark.
It glared at Malcolm, heaving.
Malcolm's fear gripped him, choking him.
Luckily, his feet took over again and were racing him to the front door.
He tried opening it but it was locked. He undid the lock but then another appeared beneath it. He scrambled to undo it but another appeared above the knob.
But it was too late. The beast was charging at him, and he tore at the door but it never opened.
He closed his eyes just as the impact came upon him.
Malcolm sat up, panting.
He looked around, expecting the nightmare to have followed him into real life but the only thing in the room were his siblings.
He placed a hand to his chest trying to steady his heartbeat.
On the other bed, Reese snored, tossing and turning until the worn-out blanket he was using slipped off the bed.
Malcolm rolled his eyes. He hated when Reese rolled over into a position that caused him to snore. He considered punching Reese awake but he appreciated the distraction from his dream.
He settled back and watched Reese spread out, one leg dangling off the edge. The boxers he had on were more worn than the blanket on the floor.
Malcolm made a mental note to yell at Reese about the snoring in the morning.
"You sound like...like a fucking chainsaw!"
Malcolm prepared his backpack for the school day as he cursed out Reese.
"Can I have your candy," Dewey asked.
Malcolm noticed his backpack was filled to the brim with sweets.
"No," he snapped. "You're not allowed to sleep in the room anymore," he added, looking to Reese.
Reese crossed his arms over his chest.
"You sound like a banshee!"
"I'll fight you for it!"
"Fine!" Malcolm placed his candy-filled backpack on his shoulders.
A purple-pink portal opened and out stepped Francis.
"What's up," he greeted, waving.
"Malcolm won't admit he's got magic," Reese shook his head angrily.
"What?! I said I didn't!"
"Malcolm, you have to, it's the only way to help you." Francis looked at Malcolm solemnly.
Malcolm knew he wasn't playing around.
"I'll just help," Reese announced.
"No, no! You promised!" Malcolm covered his face in horror.
"It was always the plan," Hal interjected.
Malcolm wanted to cry, he couldn't help it.
"It's okay," soothed Reese, who was suddenly in Malcolm's personal space.
The rest of the family was gone, and so was his backpack.
The room was dark.
Reese rubbed Malcolm through his boxers.
Malcolm couldn't believe how good it felt.
"I have some candy," Reese whispered.
"I need it! I need it..." Malcolm cried.
"I'll give it to you." Reese pushed Malcolm down on the bed.
Malcolm could see that Reese was naked, but his lower region was blurry for some reason.
"Reese! Reese!" He couldn't believe how loud he was being. "I can't! The bees are coming! Hurry!"
Reese nodded, unbuckling Malcolm's belt and pants. In a swift movement, they were gone and Reese was licking at him.
For some reason, everything below his belly button was also blurry, except Reese's eyes.
He grabbed a tuff of Reese's hair, pleading, for Reese to put an end to his suffering.
The old alarm clock buzzed, startling Malcolm. Reflexes kicked in and he swung an arm overhead and turned off the alarm with a slap. His head throbbed.
"Dibs on the bathroom!" Dewey leaped from the bed.
Malcolm finally opened his eyes to the morning light.
Reese sat up, stretching his arms overhead.
Malcolm searched his older brother's eyes, frightened by the accuracy of what he'd just seen in his dreams.
Reese was about to get up to threaten Dewey out of the bathroom when he noticed Malcolm, curled up like a shrimp, staring back at him. "What?"
Malcolm's expression turned dark. "You kept me up all night with your freakin' snoring!"