Chapter 8

It was two o'clock when Sportacus heard a soft noise through Stephanie's door. The noise sounded like Stephanie crying.

"Stephanie, please let me in. I want to talk to you." Sportacus tried for about the three-thousandth time. And for the three-thousandth time she didn't let him in.

Stephanie hadn't opened the door and he hadn't moved from his spot for almost three days. Mayor Meanswell had been putting food through Stephanie's window. They had tried to get Stephanie to come out but they couldn't. She wouldn't let anyone touch her and from the looks of things she hadn't been sleeping very much. Every time she did she would wake up screaming. Sportacus was at the end of his rope. The kids had tried to get him to come out and play but he wouldn't leave Stephanie's door.

Now that she was crying, Sportacus wanted to hold her in his arms. To tell her everything was going to be all right. But she wouldn't let him; she wouldn't even tell him what was wrong. What had she meant by 'How could he do this to me? I thought he loved me'? He couldn't for the life of him figure out what she meant.

Stephanie cried and cried. She wanted to get rid of that image of Sportacus taking off that dinosaur head but she couldn't. Why would he be wearing the one thing she told him had frightened her? Why would he chase her?

Sportacus couldn't take sitting down anymore though emotions were all in a jumble. He stood up and went downstairs. Then he went around to the back yard. Sportacus started to climb the trellis. He was going to get some answers from her.

Stephanie heard someone climbing the trellis. She was too physically, emotionally, and mentally drained to do anything about it. Wiping the tears from her face she relaxed her legs and stretched them out.

Sportacus squeezed in the window. Stephanie gave him a look but he couldn't quite figure out what look it was. Slowly he sat on the end of her bed. When she didn't flinch he shuffled closer to her. Finally he had shuffled until he was at her knees. Then he stretched out his hand toward her. This however did make her flinch. Cautiously, Sportacus shuffled until he was near her waist. Then Stephanie sat up and stared at him.

"Why?" Was all she said.

"Why what, Stephanie? What happened to you? Why are you acting like this?" Sportacus said showing his concern. Stephanie hesitated to answer.

"Please tell me what is going on? Why can't you sleep? Why won't you let me hold you?" Sportacus kept barraging questions at her. Stephanie looked at him. Sportacus looked at her and focused his attention to her dark brown eyes. Her eyes weren't showing a clear picture of what she was feeling. Finally Stephanie opened her mouth, "I have been having a horrible nightmare." Sportacus waited for more but none came.

"Stephanie you can tell me anything. You know that." Sportacus said moving a little closer to her. This time Stephanie didn't move.

"It was you who was in my nightmare. I was being chased by a dinosaur and I would always wake up before it caught me. That is up until a few nights ago when it caught me. The dinosaur removed his head and it was you inside the costume." Stephanie spilled. Sportacus didn't know what to say at this point.

"What does it mean, Sportacus?" Stephanie asked. Sportacus wasn't sure what it meant.

"This is all my fault. I never should have…" He didn't finish. Instead he got up and began to do pushups. They helped him think but it made Stephanie nervous.

"Sportacus! Stop that at talk to me! You never should have what?" Stephanie shouted at him. Sportacus stopped, got up, and looked lovingly at Stephanie. Suddenly without another word, he ran from the room.

Stephanie followed him but soon was out distanced. Exhausted she collapsed on the nearest park bench. She buried her head in her hands and cried.

Robbie watched as Stephanie cried and Sportacus ran away. Laughing to himself, he went over to his costume tubes. Now it was time to put his plan into action.

To Be Continued…