Nightmares

Episode: 6.5 (Finalé)

October

I'm lying on the couch, writing something in my diary, with the crackling sound of a small fire in the brick chimney as background music, it does keep the house warm. Many white-colored sweet alyssum flowers are on the table spreading their fragrance around the hall, it's an autumn bloom. Joshua likes to collect them when they fall on the ground. There are many diverse flowers in the flower valley behind our house but he likes sweet alyssum the most. Did I mention the mountains? You can see them outside on the right side through the window.

I bought a new house, out of the town. Good thing is, my parents also live nearby, so I don't need to worry about Joshua when I'm out at work.

He comes inside with some more different kinds of flowers. It's his new interest nowadays, he collects them and then asks me their name and meaning, and as always I explain to him patiently. There's aster, chrysanthemum, night jasmine, freesia, gerbera, lily of the incus. You might be wondering how I know all of them. I've spent my childhood here.

He sets them on the table and lies snuggling with me. He smells of flowers, I look at him and sigh, "What were you doing..?" He's covered in petals. I remove them from his face, hair, and clothes, then engage myself in writing again. He takes it from me and puts it on the table. "What?" I say

"Kiss me," he said

"No," I said

"Kiss me," he whines

"No, you kiss me," I said. He smiles and gives a small peck on my lips.

"You call it a kiss?" I laugh. I drew him closer, touched his face gently, and kissed him. Kissing him always feels so good.

Now let's go back three months ago.

"It killed your mother, Joshua," I accidentally slipped out before I could realize the impact of these words on him. He looked at me confused but didn't say anything. I averted my gaze from him. It was a mistake, I shouldn't have brought that up. Silence captured us for a while. I closed my eyes and sighed, then looked at him and kneeled down on his level, "I'm sorry," I said and embraced him in my arms.

He pulled away from me, "What killed my mother?" he asked

"Your nightmares," I said. He stared at me blankly, not believing my words. He didn't react so I asked, "Why do you paint your dreams?"

"Did you go to my house only to burn my paintings?" he responded with another question.

"Answer me first," I said

"I don't know," he said softly, "I just love it. It gives me comfort,"

"Don't make them," I said mildly. "Please,"

He got sad. "Why?"

I accepted my defeat, I couldn't hide it from him anymore. The truth was the only thing that could stop him. "Because it killed your mother and can kill you too," I said. "I almost lost my life at your house just now,"

"I don't understand," he said

So, I told him everything, about his mother's death, why his father didn't like him to paint anything, why he left him alone, about his dreams and ghosts connection, what happened at his house, and why I burned his paintings. I even told him about the sleeping pills I gave him to stop it.