THE NIGHTMARES • Max Mayfield

06

Ashlynn cried herself to sleep that night, and again the next night. She didnt leave her room for days afterwards, not until she felt strong enough again. She thought about that day every second until she gained her strength back again. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and sleeping. Steve tried to get her to eat, or get out of bed for a little but it was useless. Ashlynn didnt even speak.

When she had decided to get up, it was an early morning. She stared at her pink clock with tired eyes, the time read 5:28am. She stared at the little clock until it read 5:30, and watched it vibrate on her bedside table until she decided to turn it off. She pulled herself out of her bed, not too bothered by the cold air this time around. She sighed, rubbing her eyes. Ashlynn had finally gotten bored of laying in bed after a while, so she decided school would be a good way for her to get back to normal again.

Ashlynn left her bed unmade, brushed her teeth and hair and tied it up in a moderatly neat ponytail. Her outfit was unplanned, so she ended up in a pair of light blue mom jeans and a grey sweater with dark orange horizontal lines decorating it.

Ashlynn walked in to Steves room and sat on his bed, tapping him. Steves eyes opened quickly, alert.

"You okay?" Steve asked her, checking her body for injuries and her face for signs of panic. Ashlynn smiled gently, nodding.

"I think im ready to go back to school."

••

Ashlynn and Steve drove to school quietly that day. No arguments, no small talk, no nothing. Steve didnt even bother bringing up the random burst of energy Ashlynn had gained for school. Even when the pair drove past Nancys home, they sped past without a second glance from Steve, Ashlynns eyebrows furrowed. Had they argued?

Ashlynn was curious, but she didnt have the energy to ask. Plus, her brother already looked tense enough. She watched as Steve clicked his jaw every few seconds, gripping the wheel tightly. Ashlynn just stayed quiet, watching the trees fly past her in a mash of autumn colours.

Hawkins middle school came into view quicker than Ashlynn had wanted it to and quickly she felt regret seep into her skin. Why didnt she just stay in bed where she was warm and comfy?

"Welcome back." Steve sighed, pulling into a carparking spot and pulling the gearstick. The first words Ashlynn heard her brother say.

Ashlynn sighed heavily as the engine turned off. The siblings sat in the car for another few minutes, both debating whether or not to get out as teenagers passed them in groups.

"Hey, theres one of your little friends." Steve pointed to the usual bike rack the boys met at each morning, but the only one there was Dustin. Ashlynn did notice all the other boys bikes there, except of course Wills. Dustin looked around, presumably for the group.

"Ill meet you here later?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, see you later." Ashlynn smiled gently, opening the car door and hopping out. The girl began to walk over to the curly haired boy at the bike racks who had just started to walk away. She followed quite far behind him, around to the dumpster area.

"Hi Max." Ashlynn heard Dustin say. She listened as he spoke excitedly, turning the corner into their eyesight. Max and Dustin stood side by side, Lucas and Mike on opposing sides. The four of them held wooden sticks and in the centre of their little circle was a bin bag. It stunk.

"Hi?" Max said, almost like a question.

Ashlynn breathed a laugh at Maxs outward personality before stepping forward a few steps. She had missed her friends a little bit more than she expected. She just hoped they missed her just as much.

"Ashlynn! Hey." Lucas grinned at her, waving.

"Hi." Ashlynn smiled awkwardly at the group.

"You feeling better?" Max asked with a smile. Ashlynn just nodded. Mike smiled a little at her as a welcome back before he started poking through the trash bag.

"What are you doing?" Ashlynn asked, staying far away from the stench of the trash.

"Trying to find Dart." Lucas answered.

"He got away?"

"Yeah."

Ashlynn looked around carefully, a little anxious she might pull another upside down stunt. Then she realised Will wasnt there. The absence of Wills bike at the racks was understandable, even if he was at school, so why wasnt he here. Maybe that day affected Will a little more than it did her.

"Wheres Will?" Dustin asked. Ashlynns eyebrows raised, was he reading her thoughts.

"He'll be here." Mike answered confidently, resting his hands on top of his wooden pole.

"Are you just gonna stand there?" Lucas pointed out, grabbing a fourth wooden stick from beside the dumpster and throwing it over to Dustin who caught it with ease, "Or are you gonna help?"

Ashlynn stood awkwardly for a second wondering whether she should ask Lucas for a stick too, or stay away from the stench. Dustin paused as he moved forward to the trash,

"Well Ashlynn isnt doing anything either!" Dustin whined. Mike and Max continued to plow through the trash bag whilst Lucas paused again.

"Because she's literally been through hell." Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Just because you li-" Dustin grumbled, but Max cut him off by poking him in the foot with her pole, "Ow!"

"Sorry." Max muttered.

Ashlynn walked a rather large circle around Dustin before standing next to Max. The two girls exchanged small smiles, but Max continued poking through the trash bag. Ashlynn felt a little less awkward beside Max as she watched a beetle run out from under a piece of disturbed trash.

••

"All living things, from complex mammals to single celled organisms,
instinctively respond to danger."

Ashlynn liked science with Mr Clarke. She wasnt much like her brother with school, she liked the learning. She used pretty highlighters and perfected her handwriting to make her notes look pretty.

Mr Clarke made lessons interesting with the way he described things. Ashlynn thought he spoke about science like he actually wanted to be there, some of her teachers didnt.

"Expose a bacterium to a toxic chemical, and it will flee or destroy some other defense mechanism." Mr Clarke explained. Ashlynn let out a small sigh, tapping her foot.

"We're very much the same. When we encounter danger, our hearts start pounding."

Ashlynn gulped slightly, another thing Mr Clarke put into his teaching was very real emotion. Things like this made Ashlynn remember.

"Run, Lynn!"

so she did. Ashlynn ran faster than she ever could with her small legs. But she was never fast enough. Ashlynn had tried and tried again to get away from him, to escape from his clutches.

"Our palms start to sweat." Mr Clarkes voice was still strong.

"I cant run! It hurts!" Ashlynn looked down, watching as her bare feet pounded against the pavement. Tears fell slowly from her eyes, she was outside, she was so close to safety. But she could still hear his heavy breathing, his heavy shoes, nearly right behind her.

"These are the signs of the physical and emotional state we call fear."

Fear. Fear rushed through her like cold water as she felt his rough hand barely reach her back.

"Dad! Stop!"

Ashlynn felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, "The bell rang."

She looked slowly to the side, her breath still fast as she met blue eyes. Max.

"Oh. Sorry." Ashlynn whispered, still overwhelmed from the memory.

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WC: 1759
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