A/N: Sorry I disappeared off the face of the earth for a while there. I
hope you like this next part.
"Dream"
So Mr. Wayne tells me that I shouldn't worry, and that he's got the whole batman thing taken care of. At least that much went all right. After dinner, we had a quick group discussion, and then apparently it's bedtime. Eight thirty is too early. Go figure. So in the bunkhouses, there're about twelve of us per house, and we all sleep in a bunk bed. Andrew is stuck with a bottom bunk so he can get himself in and out of his wheelchair. I, luckily, get a top bunk. I don't know why the top bunk appeals to me, but it does. So we get in our pajamas, brush teeth, whatever, then we have to get in bed. Suddenly, I hear giggling coming from the wall. _Oh great. _ I think. _I'm crazy now, too. I'm hearing things._ Jimmy, sitting on the other side of the bunk obviously notices.
"Don't worry. It's just the girls' bunkhouse. That wall is paper thin, so we hear them a lot. We also can hear Garret, but that's something you'll find out in the morning." He grins a little. I can hear the rest of the bunk snickering. Garret pops his head in the door.
"Lights out, boys." He flips a switch, and the room goes dark.
~~
I'm on the exam table. I'm naked. Why am I naked? Oh no. No. Get your hands off me! Where are his pants? Why isn't he wearing any pants? Don't touch me, pervert! No! Stop! Stop it now! You're not supposed to be doing this! You aren't supposed to be ruining my life! Don't touch me!
~~
Someone is shaking me.
"McGinnis! Terry wake up!" Who is that? I know that voice. I open my eyes. It's Mr. Wayne. "Terry, what happened?" He commands. I don't know what to say. I can't tell him. I can't tell anyone. Why do I feel so dirty? Ace, who insisted on coming, is whining.
"Terry?" This time, it's Dr. Creed. "What was going on there?"
"I-I-I don't know." Why won't this dream stop?
"Terry, as far as anyone can tell, you had a doozy of a nightmare. The others in the bunk got worried, and ran to get me. What were you dreaming?" I don't know. I don't want to tell her, anyway. Oh, slag. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.
~~
I kept insisting that I didn't need anything to help me sleep. Dr. Creed gave me something, anyway. So the rest of the night was uneventful. The next morning however, was I guess what the boys in the bunk were snickering about. Through that paper-thin wall, we could hear Garret waking up the girls.
"Ladies, it's time to get up." He said sweetly. More giggling. Then he came into our side of the bunkhouse.
"GET UP YOU SLACKERS! YOU'RE BURNING DAYLIGHT!" Yeah, that's what they were snickering about.
~~
As I found out, breakfast in the mess hall can get pretty interesting. We sit with our bunkhouses, and several odd things can happen. First, four other groups started banging on the table, and then did a piece of the famous "Chicken Dance" in successive order. The last group ended up running around the table. Aside from that, meals are pretty boring. The girls chitter away about something or other. The guys' conversation, however, consists of grunts until we've had our coffee.
After breakfast, we had school. Since the numbers are significantly fewer, and the age range significantly wider than regular public schooling, we get very small classes where the teacher can work with each student individually. For the first time, I actually understand quadratic equations. In between classes, we have a few chores, and then lunch and dinner KP duty. Jimmy ran up to me in between math and English.
"Terry, our bunkhouse is on lunch KP. Be there by eleven thirty." And he walked away. I wonder if he knows I can't cook.
~~
As it turns out, KP is rather easy. As one part of the group chops vegetables, another boils sauce, while another group makes the dough. Homemade pizza. Or at least that was what it was supposed to be.
See, I was on the dough group. We were supposed to put in about three teaspoons of yeast in. I put in three tablespoons. I didn't know there was a difference, until the dough started oozing out of the oven. Andrew looked at me from his vantage point at a cutting board.
"Uh, you guys, what's wrong with that dough?" Another boy in my group, named Thomas, backed up. He was Asian, with round glasses perched on his face. He was there because he had quit eating once.
"Run!" he shouted. And that's what I should have, done, except I was paralyzed. I just kept staring at that dough. It seemed to be.
"Oh. Slag. That dough is alive!" I shouted. Mr. Wayne and Ace came up behind me. I had never seen the man's eyes so big. Ace cowered at the blob crawling from the oven. I didn't notice Scott rush in, and turn off the oven, stopping the huge blob of what was supposed to be pizza crust.
"Well. I guess it's Top Ramen today."
~~
At the end of the day, after lights go out, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, coming slowly into focus as my eyes adjust. I close my eyes. I start to dream.
~~
No. That crazy man. He's back. Stop. No! Don't touch me anymore! What are you doing? Why is your hand on my mouth? I can't scream. What are you doing?
"If you tell, I will kill you. I will kill everyone important to you. I will kill your mother, your siblings, your boss, everyone. You got that?" I can't nod. He's got my head to still with his hand. "You got that!" He shouts. I try to nod. He grips my hair with his other hand. "Don't tell." Then he lets go. He's touching me again. Stop! No!
~~
"McGinnis!" It's Mr. Wayne again. Ace's front paws are on the bed. He nudges me. I pet him. Dr. Creed is standing in the doorway. Doesn't that woman get any sleep?
"Terry, will you come with me?" Andrew, Thomas, and Jimmy look like they'd go with me in an instant for support. They're good friends already, and I hardly know them. "You boys stay here." Dr. Creed says. I put on my robe and shoes, and go with Dr. Creed.
~~
In Dr. Creed's office, I sit down in a chair. She sits down across from me. Mr. Wayne is standing in the doorway. Is he going to come in?
"Your call, Terry." Dr. Creed indicates Mr. Wayne. "Do you want him here for support?" I shrug. He comes in. So does Ace. "Terry, this is the second time in two nights that you've woken up from nightmares. I do not think this is a run of the mill occurrence. Terry, will you please tell me what happened?" I can't. He'll kill them. I'll be responsible. Not again. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. Too late. I'm crying. Will this nightmare ever end?
"Dream"
So Mr. Wayne tells me that I shouldn't worry, and that he's got the whole batman thing taken care of. At least that much went all right. After dinner, we had a quick group discussion, and then apparently it's bedtime. Eight thirty is too early. Go figure. So in the bunkhouses, there're about twelve of us per house, and we all sleep in a bunk bed. Andrew is stuck with a bottom bunk so he can get himself in and out of his wheelchair. I, luckily, get a top bunk. I don't know why the top bunk appeals to me, but it does. So we get in our pajamas, brush teeth, whatever, then we have to get in bed. Suddenly, I hear giggling coming from the wall. _Oh great. _ I think. _I'm crazy now, too. I'm hearing things._ Jimmy, sitting on the other side of the bunk obviously notices.
"Don't worry. It's just the girls' bunkhouse. That wall is paper thin, so we hear them a lot. We also can hear Garret, but that's something you'll find out in the morning." He grins a little. I can hear the rest of the bunk snickering. Garret pops his head in the door.
"Lights out, boys." He flips a switch, and the room goes dark.
~~
I'm on the exam table. I'm naked. Why am I naked? Oh no. No. Get your hands off me! Where are his pants? Why isn't he wearing any pants? Don't touch me, pervert! No! Stop! Stop it now! You're not supposed to be doing this! You aren't supposed to be ruining my life! Don't touch me!
~~
Someone is shaking me.
"McGinnis! Terry wake up!" Who is that? I know that voice. I open my eyes. It's Mr. Wayne. "Terry, what happened?" He commands. I don't know what to say. I can't tell him. I can't tell anyone. Why do I feel so dirty? Ace, who insisted on coming, is whining.
"Terry?" This time, it's Dr. Creed. "What was going on there?"
"I-I-I don't know." Why won't this dream stop?
"Terry, as far as anyone can tell, you had a doozy of a nightmare. The others in the bunk got worried, and ran to get me. What were you dreaming?" I don't know. I don't want to tell her, anyway. Oh, slag. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry.
~~
I kept insisting that I didn't need anything to help me sleep. Dr. Creed gave me something, anyway. So the rest of the night was uneventful. The next morning however, was I guess what the boys in the bunk were snickering about. Through that paper-thin wall, we could hear Garret waking up the girls.
"Ladies, it's time to get up." He said sweetly. More giggling. Then he came into our side of the bunkhouse.
"GET UP YOU SLACKERS! YOU'RE BURNING DAYLIGHT!" Yeah, that's what they were snickering about.
~~
As I found out, breakfast in the mess hall can get pretty interesting. We sit with our bunkhouses, and several odd things can happen. First, four other groups started banging on the table, and then did a piece of the famous "Chicken Dance" in successive order. The last group ended up running around the table. Aside from that, meals are pretty boring. The girls chitter away about something or other. The guys' conversation, however, consists of grunts until we've had our coffee.
After breakfast, we had school. Since the numbers are significantly fewer, and the age range significantly wider than regular public schooling, we get very small classes where the teacher can work with each student individually. For the first time, I actually understand quadratic equations. In between classes, we have a few chores, and then lunch and dinner KP duty. Jimmy ran up to me in between math and English.
"Terry, our bunkhouse is on lunch KP. Be there by eleven thirty." And he walked away. I wonder if he knows I can't cook.
~~
As it turns out, KP is rather easy. As one part of the group chops vegetables, another boils sauce, while another group makes the dough. Homemade pizza. Or at least that was what it was supposed to be.
See, I was on the dough group. We were supposed to put in about three teaspoons of yeast in. I put in three tablespoons. I didn't know there was a difference, until the dough started oozing out of the oven. Andrew looked at me from his vantage point at a cutting board.
"Uh, you guys, what's wrong with that dough?" Another boy in my group, named Thomas, backed up. He was Asian, with round glasses perched on his face. He was there because he had quit eating once.
"Run!" he shouted. And that's what I should have, done, except I was paralyzed. I just kept staring at that dough. It seemed to be.
"Oh. Slag. That dough is alive!" I shouted. Mr. Wayne and Ace came up behind me. I had never seen the man's eyes so big. Ace cowered at the blob crawling from the oven. I didn't notice Scott rush in, and turn off the oven, stopping the huge blob of what was supposed to be pizza crust.
"Well. I guess it's Top Ramen today."
~~
At the end of the day, after lights go out, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, coming slowly into focus as my eyes adjust. I close my eyes. I start to dream.
~~
No. That crazy man. He's back. Stop. No! Don't touch me anymore! What are you doing? Why is your hand on my mouth? I can't scream. What are you doing?
"If you tell, I will kill you. I will kill everyone important to you. I will kill your mother, your siblings, your boss, everyone. You got that?" I can't nod. He's got my head to still with his hand. "You got that!" He shouts. I try to nod. He grips my hair with his other hand. "Don't tell." Then he lets go. He's touching me again. Stop! No!
~~
"McGinnis!" It's Mr. Wayne again. Ace's front paws are on the bed. He nudges me. I pet him. Dr. Creed is standing in the doorway. Doesn't that woman get any sleep?
"Terry, will you come with me?" Andrew, Thomas, and Jimmy look like they'd go with me in an instant for support. They're good friends already, and I hardly know them. "You boys stay here." Dr. Creed says. I put on my robe and shoes, and go with Dr. Creed.
~~
In Dr. Creed's office, I sit down in a chair. She sits down across from me. Mr. Wayne is standing in the doorway. Is he going to come in?
"Your call, Terry." Dr. Creed indicates Mr. Wayne. "Do you want him here for support?" I shrug. He comes in. So does Ace. "Terry, this is the second time in two nights that you've woken up from nightmares. I do not think this is a run of the mill occurrence. Terry, will you please tell me what happened?" I can't. He'll kill them. I'll be responsible. Not again. I will not cry. I will not cry. I will not cry. Too late. I'm crying. Will this nightmare ever end?