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Nightmare and Dream

Jack's alarm went off alerting him a new day was beginning. He cringed at the sound, he didn't get much sleep again but was thankful he got all his homework done the night before, yay for the little things. Jack looked at his phone wondering if he could get another ten minutes of sleep. The time read 6:00 AM and school started at 7:15 AM, deciding another 10 minutes wouldn't hurt Jack snoozed his alarm. It didn't take long until Jack was fast asleep once again.

Jack's alarm went off like, clockwork went off once again. Jack groaned not wanting to get up, but started to rise from the comfort of his bed anyway. He thought it would be better to get up on his own over his mother coming to get him. Jack started to get ready for the day and was thankful it was Friday which meant he would get to sleep in tomorrow. His restless nights were starting to get to him, what started out as something rare was starting to become constant.

Jack wasn't sure where these nightmares were coming from, he stopped watching anything in the horror genre after getting freaked out by watching a B flick called Deadware. The one really freaked him out. It felt like watching that film unlocked some sort of door. Ever since then, the nightmares came night after night. It's been four months since then, and every day since that night seems more and more draining.

The sleeplessness has been getting to him to the point where he has been irritable, snappy, and just unpleasant to be around. Jack thinks Zach is even getting fed up with him, and what little friends he has have been avoiding him. He was becoming more and more of a loaner at school, while at home he's been avoiding his mother in order to not make things harder on her with his current shitty mood. Everyday Jack was isolating himself more and more, so as to not lash out. He didn't think it was fair to those around him that he could not control his mood and temper lately.

On the bright side, his grades have been gradually improving, and Jack was able to keep his promise to his mom. With how little Jack had been sleeping he figured he could use this new free time that originally was used for sleeping to keep up with his studies. It wasn't only at night that Jack was visited by nightmares, but every time he closed his eyes. Jack figured the nightmares had to stop at some point, but this was becoming way too much.

The nightmares themselves had no rhyme or reason behind them. They often consisted of horrifying topics, such as death, murder, monsters, etcetera. The list went on and on, the worst one was of something he thought was a man, but Jack really couldn't tell if it was a man. The voice sounded male but all he usually saw were shadows and darkness forming the shape of a person.

"Jack? Jack? Jack!" said his mother's voice gradually getting louder until she had her son's attention.

Jack came back from spacing out a lot of things going through his mind. His eyes snapped to look at his mom with a questioning look. She was looking at him with one of concern.

"Jack, sweetie, is everything alright? We were talking and then you didn't respond. You just stared at the wall," explained his mother.

"Oh yeah sorry mom, I just have a lot on my mind right now. I haven't been sleeping very well." Jack admitted. He wanted to ask for help but how can someone help with nightmares?

"I've noticed." his mother responded. "Maybe you should stay home today and try to get some sleep, you really do not look well," She said while coming around to feel Jack's forehead for any type of fever.

Although she didn't feel anything to indicate some sort of ailment, she was concerned for her son. Jack was just like his father she thought, not wanting to burden someone with his own problems. She wished he would just talk to her, but he was sixteen and she hoped he would come to her eventually. She hated seeing him like this and figured the best thing for him would be to sleep.

"Jack? How about you stay home today and try to get some real sleep?" his mom asked.

Jack looked at his mom not expecting the question, he's not surprised that she figured he was not sleeping at least not very well. Actually, he was glad she noticed, he was not one to ask for help, especially when he didn't really know how.

"You sure mom? Aren't you worried about my studies?" Jack teased tiredly.

"Yes Jack, I'm sure. I'm more worried about you falling asleep on your feet than some classes at the moment. If your sleep goes out the window so does everything else," his mom explained.

Jack was so thankful for his mother. He was so exhausted a day off from school sounded pretty alluring. Jack took his mom up on her offer, and after breakfast headed back into his room to sleep. Jack sent a text to Zack asking him to pick up his schoolwork for the day. Zack replied that he would do him the favor, and sent vibes Jack's way for him to get better. Jack's mother called the school and said Jack would be absent for the day and that Zack would pick up his schoolwork.

"Okay, Mrs. Frost we have this request noted. Have a good day and we hope Jack feels better," said the receptionist from Burgess High School.

"Thanks, Rhonda you too," said Thiana.

Jack made his way back to his room after taking a shower, hoping it would be enough to relax him for some sleep. His mom provided him with a good opportunity to rest, he was sure a fuck going to take it. At this rate, he was up to trying anything to get back to his normal self. This life of little to no sleep was for the birds, Jack thought.

Jack plugged his phone in back into its charger and tried to look for something to play to help him fall asleep. He's been researching how to get a better quality of sleep and found on the internet that white noise may be something that can help him fall asleep. With the exhaustion, he felt he had no doubts that he would stay asleep. Jack felt like such shit he could sleep for a hundred years and it still wouldn't be enough.

Jack eventually found something that he thought might be up his alley, some music that sported a background of a nebula in space and it had a runtime of four hours. Jack was a space nerd, he and Zack had been out camping a lot, since they both got their driver's licenses, just to look at the stars. The memory of his friend, accompanied by the music was enough to let his mind rest and lull him into a peaceful sleep.

Thiana came to check on her son and found him sound asleep, not tossing and turning like she heard him doing last night when she came home early. Today was her day off and she would keep an eye on Jack to make sure he got some form of rest. Silently she entered Jack's room the music from his phone greeting her. She had a cloth bag in her hand, inside it was glowing sand, like a million tiny little stars. Thiana sprinkled some of the sand over her sleeping son and saw a pleasant dream play out of the boys with a telescope watching the night sky on one of their camping trips.

Satisfied that he was having a good dream she left his room so as to not disturb Jack and closed the door as quietly as she could. Thiana made her way back to her room where she put the cloth bag back inside an intricate box, a note inside saying: Use this when you think the time is right. The note was signed by Sandy. After closing the door she looked at a photo of herself, Jack, and her husband and Jack's father Nathaniel.

"Oh honey I wish you were here, I'm not sure I am doing this parenting thing right," Thiana gave a little laugh talking to the memory of her beloved, "I think if you were here Jack would be more open than he is now. Maybe if you were here, he wouldn't struggle with asking for help," she concluded.

Thiana missed her husband so much, he had passed when Jack was about five years old in an accident. She knows Jack misses him too, she often finds him looking at the photo of his father in his military uniform. The photo is housed on a table near the front door, and Jack looks at it right before he leaves for school. Thiana caught him more than once doing this act as if it were a permanent part of his routine. She always saw Jack missing his father, but Jack never saw himself through his mother's eyes during these moments.

Back upstairs Jack was still asleep the sand working its magic and creating a memorable dream for Jack. A sweet pleasant dream to keep his mind busy while his body received the rest it craved. From the shadows there stood a figure watching the boy sleep, focused on Jack's unmoving form.

Silver Golden eyes just watched the boy, having the first pleasant dream the boy experienced in about four months. The shadowy figure cursed the golden sand, but then let it go. Let the boy have his respite, it wouldn't be long until he experienced his next nightmare. 'What a nightmare it will be,' thought the presence.