Mini Tales of the Alternate Universe

Childhood Tales II: Night of the Living Fears

Ever felt that weird sensation that overtakes your body when you find yourself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling in the middle of the night, that feeling of desolation, mixed with uncertainty and expectation that fills you, when you realize that the bed you're resting on is not yours? Flanna had experienced that when she moved to the city and now it was just another déjà vu. It wasn't that Finn's bed wasn't comfortable; on the contrary, it was nice to know that he was so close. After all, she had asked for it.

The distance separating them, only cut by Jake's fat body in the middle, was determined by an agreement between the two nervous teenagers. Sleeping feet-next-to-head and head-next-to-feet was also part of their agreement. Having one of them lying towards the south of the bed would help make things less uncomfortable. At least that's what they thought until the risk of getting kicked on the face, or being tickled by the other's hair became present. Not to mention that one of them had very stinky feet. It didn't matter, though. It was less awkward than having to face each other on the same mattress.

And what could be so bad about that? Nothing of course, Flanna knew it and so did Finn. It wouldn't be the first time in which they slept together. But why did the word bed had to make things fifty times more embarrassing than they already were? She couldn't know, her father wouldn't tell her.

Flanna blinked and sighed. She couldn't sleep, unlike Finn who was now sailing into Dream World. It wasn't just because she was sleeping on a strange bed; the Mertens' house was also getting on her nerves. This was her first time in a wooden house. The old boards and planks creaked and cracked, creaked and cracked, creaked and cracked. It was driving her crazy. And when the wind blew, the second floor would feel as if it was balancing itself, bringing more unnerving noises with its movement.

The red-haired girl was already feeling anxious, which was normal on her most of the time. She wasn't a scaredy-cat, no. It was just that it was hard for her to feel confidence on the things that surrounded her most of the time. Add that to her sheltered life, and it would derive on her many insecurities, claustrophobia, anxiety attacks, irregular sleep patterns and constant aggressiveness. It was obvious that Mr. Hacksworth hadn't done a good job with her as a father. Her previous experiences at the city and the events involving the Destiny Gang didn't help either.

Neurotic was the word that could wrap all of Flanna's flaws together, and it was okay. She understood that she wasn't perfect and that she needed help. Flanna knew she that needed to spend more time with people like Finn, and that's why she had decided to stay in Junktown. To find some relief and care, things that money couldn't buy.

"Finn…?" she whispered. "Are you awake…?"

The boy snored peacefully, maybe not even remembering that she was there.

"Finn…!" Flanna insisted, this time rising and pocking his feet.

"Wuh…! Wha…?" he mumbled drowsily. "No miss Bonnibel, I'm not sleeping in class…"

"Finn!" the red-haired called, staring at him in frustration. How come Finn could sleep so well, even when he was half awake? "There are weird noises coming from outside…!" she whispered.

"Oh yeah?" Finn yawned. "Maybe it's just the wind… Go back to sleep, Jake."

Flanna rolled her eyes in annoyance. It was clear that Finn wasn't even conscious, although he appeared to be half awake. Knowing that she wasn't going to get a proper response from the farm boy, Hacksworth rested her head back on the pillow. However, this time she pushed herself closer to Finn, just in case there were monsters hiding beneath the bed or waiting below its edge. Good thing she hadn't chosen to sleep on the floor, after all.

Her movements forced Jake to open his eyes momentarily and stretch himself with a yawn of his own. His paws kicked Finn's sides subsequently, making him rise and wonder what was going on. He spotted Flanna lying below him and her sight made him react. He had forgotten that she was there, Flanna, the girl he had waited for so long. The one he had gotten to kiss only hours ago on the rooftop. The one he didn't want to see leaving and was glad about having rescued from the woods, because that meant that she would have to stay with him. How come he was so dumb?

"Flanna, are you still awake?" Finn whispered, back on his own side of the bed.

"Yeah…" she replied. "Can't sleep…!"

"What's wrong?" the boy asked in worry.

"The noises and the things…" Finn felt her moving closer, "Say… Are there any mice living inside the walls? I think they are the ones making all those scratching noises…"

"Well, I don't know about mice…" the boy sighed, noticing how Flanna's nervousness pulled her even closer to him. It wasn't that he wanted to tease her, but he needed an excuse to bring down the walls separating them. "Uh… But I think dad saw a rat once…!"

"Rat…?" the girl exclaimed in consternation. "Was it big?"

"Oh no, just about… A cat's size…!" Finn said, "You know, with glassy eyes, long whiskers, ugly hairless tail…"

Flanna climbed up to the northern end of the bed, pushing Jake aside. She placed her pillow next to Finn's and lied down, giving him her back. "And large sharp teeth…?" she asked nervously.

"Yep. But rats are not that bad."

The red-haired girl turned herself around, pushing the dog back once again in the process. "You mean… there are worse things… in here?"

The look of her green eyes, glowing in the dark as the moon shined on them brought a smile onto Finn's features. "Well, there are…" he glanced at the window beside him and then faced the girl again. "The owls…!"

"Owls? What about them?"

"I know they seem to be wise innocent birds, but I wouldn't trust an animal that munches up rats, and bats, and little birdies." Flanna stared at him in disconcertment. "Ugh yeah, and then they puke what their stomachs can't handle, leaving pellets of fur, bones, claws, and teeth all over the place… quite disgusting if you ask me. Have you ever stepped on a pellet? Oh dear, it's the worst…!"

"Quit that already, Finn…!" the red-haired girl yelled quietly, leaning closer. "It's gross…!"

"I told ya, owls are like the devil…! Did you know they can turn their heads like… 360! And then they fix their eyes on you, big deep round eyes that pierce into your soul…! Pretty disturbing…"

"You idiot, you think I don't know what you're doin'?!" Flanna protested, glaring at him. "You are trying to scare me, aren't you? Well, that's not gonna work!"

"Oh, look! An owl! At the window!" Finn snapped all of a sudden.

Without thinking it twice, the Hacksworth girl dived into his embrace, hiding her face on his chest. Her feet kicked Jake onto the floor without noticing it, and the dog, tired of Flanna's uneasiness and constant shifting, chose to curl down on the rug with an exhausted sigh.

"W-where? Make it go away!" the red-haired girl cried, causing Finn to chuckle lightly.

She dared to peek at the window and of course, there was nothing there. Irritated, Flanna pushed herself away from him, erasing the goofy grin on his face.

"W-wait, what are you—?" the boy asked in disappointment.

"I'm crawling back to my side of the bed…!" she exclaimed, "Happy?"

"Not at all…" he sighed and then looked back at her, full of expectation. "I-I wasn't lying about the rats, I swear!"

"Is that so? Well, good thing Jake's here to protect me…! Right, Jake?"

"Uh… bouw…?" the dog titled his head in confusion, glancing at the two teenagers above him.

Flanna did as said, covering her face with the sheets as she curled on her corner of the bed. Maybe she'd fall asleep if she just pressed her eyes closed long enough. Meanwhile Finn leaned upwards, searching for her among the blankets. He had to admit it. Perhaps, toying with her emotions hadn't been a good idea. Instead driving her closer to him, it just pushed her farther. He should have considered that Flanna wasn't in the mood for jokes and pranks. It had been a long day for her, full of strong emotions of all kinds. For the first time, it occurred to him that Flanna was still scared and confused, even if she wouldn't show it.

Perhaps, she was the one that needed him and not vice-versa as he had thought. To patch things up, Finn crawled downwards and reached her side. Without asking for permission, the farm boy caught her from behind in a hug, forcing her to pop out from beneath the sheets.

"Finn…! What are you doing?" she protested, blushing in both anger and embarrassment.

"I'm hugging you. If you sleep on the edge of the bed, you might fall and I don't want that. I like to have you here, next to me…" Finn rested his chin on her shoulder and sighed. "I'm sorry… I know I was a bit of a jerk, but I just wanted to be with you… I want to be with you… 'Cause I really like you and I don't know how to explain what I feel…and it's so weird…!"

"Finn…?" she interrupted, enjoying the closeness between their bodies. "Are we still going on our date tomorrow?"

"Why yes, Flanna…!" he gulped. "I mean… if you want to…"

"I want to…" Flanna whispered, finally drifting into sleep. Finn's arms were comforting for her. Even if one was cold and stiff, she still liked to feel it, surrounding her waist. "Just make sure… there are… no owls at the window…"

"I will, Flanna." Finn promised, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. "I will…"