"Don't you want to sit with us?"

They stared at the table full of people and shivered. Stryker's mother, unharmed, was closest to them, with Jack's ten year old self at the farthest end. Between them was Jack's mother and father; Lula simply appeared dazed, while Victor was staring at Jack with more fondness than he had been able to give in life.

"Come join us, boys," Stryker's mother cooed, tilting her head to the left. "We've been waiting to see you."

There was suddenly two more chairs at the table, one on each side, and the boy's felt their stomach's twist.

"Don't be afraid boys," Victor said, motioning towards the chairs. "Sit."

That sent the dream spell on high, and brought the boys to the table. They sat as obediently as fresh trained pups expecting treats, and then wished they hadn't. In front of them appeared plates full of food, delectable, but obviously hazardous to eat.

"Indulge," Stryker's mother said, reaching over and stroking Stryker's hair. He shivered, staring down at the plate like it would surely kill him. "We've made your favorite."

This is getting more screwy than I expected it to be. Stryker thought.

"I don't want him here, Dad," young Jack growled as he glared at Jack. "He's a coward. He let you drown."

"He can be here just as much as you can be, Jackson," Victor said, touching Jack's shoulder. "Isn't that right sport?"

Jack shrunk inside himself at this. They had to get out of here, before something bad happened.

"Mommy, tell Jack he can't be here," kid Jack whined. "He ruined my birthday."

Jack looked at Stryker and saw him wince. His mother was still touching his head, fixing this and brushing that. Her actions were almost foreboding, as if they should expect something much worse from her. Something about his own mother brought him to glance at her. She had never been in her nightmares before, so it made sense that she would be as simple as a dazed character who didn't contribute. At least there was that.

"Mommy!" young Jack cried. "Tell Jack he can't be here! He ruined my birthday!"

Something snapped, and suddenly Lula was squinting at Jack with a disdain she'd never had before. He felt his stomach clench, then relax when her face softened and she stood. She cupped his chin in her hand, and suddenly he and Stryker didn't feel so relaxed. Her eyes glowed, glowed so bright and familiar and...blue. So very, very blue. Jack's breath caught as she pulled him up and onto the table. Stryker tried to get up, but was pulled back down by his own mother.

"Come...to...me..." Lula hissed; her voice was not her own, but it was a voice he had heard before. "Come...to...me..."

"M-Mom?" Jack squeaked.

"It's okay, Jack."

He glimpsed his father stand and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Everything's okay," he said. "Just go."

Come to me...

The voice was everywhere now as Jack reached up and tried to pull Lula's hand away. She kept a firm grasp on him though. The younger Jack was gone now, and Stryker's mother had let him go. He proceeded to grab Lula's shoulder and wrench, allowing only a moment to notice how her skin was turning to a deep blue color. Jack was too engrossed by his mother's eyes; his head was tilted, his mouth hanging open slightly, his body relaxed.

Come to me...Come-

Stryker grabbed one of the plates, now empty, and smashed it against Lula's head. She dropped Jack immediately, ending his trance, and turned to him, her eyes glowing menacingly. The plate slipped from Stryker's hands and clattered to the floor as Lula stalked towards him. Jack, thinking quickly, grabbed one of his own plates and chucked it towards her. When she looked Stryker leapt over the table and grabbed Jack's arm; they kicked open the back door and slammed it shut, trapping Mr. and Mrs. Spicer in the house.