THE NIGHTMARE WITHIN: Chapter 1

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Agnes woke early like she always did (six hours of sleep was a blessing these days), and listened to classical music on the radio while waiting for her coffee to brew.  The house was chilly and she rubbed her hands together for warmth.  The summer's heat was leaving quite abruptly, and it was most noticeable during the mornings when the house was quiet.  She prepped her coffee, a small dose of half and half and a squeeze of honey from the plastic bear bottle, and took a sip.  Feeling more awake, she went to see if Kevin would help her make breakfast.  Agnes had always wanted a helper in the kitchen, and growing up, Carin had proven both disinterested and without skill.  She was delighted to learn that Kevin was usually happy to lend a hand.

She would be able to tell how deeply he was sleeping by the way the room felt.  If he was close to waking, she would nudge him along, maybe tickle his feet some.  If she sensed a deep slumber, she would leave him be.  He was finally getting the sleep he needed since Carin took him to that doctor.  Even if that Dr. Bennett wasn't her own Dr. Edwardson, whatever he did for Kevin's nightmares was obviously working if he was getting his rest. 

When she eased open Kevin's bedroom door the room had no feeling to it at all.  It felt as empty as before he moved in.  She was suddenly reminded of the haunting moments when she discovered her husband of thirty-seven years dead of a massive stroke.  Howard had fallen over in the garage, obviously in some pain.  When she had gone out to tear him away from his wood working long enough to grab a sandwich, she first thought the garage was empty.  Howard had probably gone off to talk to a neighbor, or shoo away a squirrel from one of his bird feeders.  Trusting her instincts that Howard was not in the garage, she slyly went in to run her fingers over his latest creation.  While thinking she was getting away with finding out what he was making her for Christmas, she nearly tripped over his legs.  She would never forget how cold his cheek felt when she touched it with her trembling fingers.

Kevin's room felt that empty.

"Kevin, honey, are you awake?"  Agnes walked over to the bed.  She didn't want to find him dead, didn't want to reach out to touch his cold corpse tucked under the blankets.  Expecting the worst, she ran her hands across the comforter.  The bed was empty and wasn't even warm.  She sighed with relief that he wasn't there.  But then a chill swept over her, and Agnes pulled her terry cotton robe tighter.

"Carin!"  She was hoping she was simply overreacting, hoping that Kevin had slept in Carin's room last night.  "Carin, wake up.  Come here, dear."

"What is it?  What's going on?"  Carin immediately noticed the empty bed.  "Where's Kevin?"

"I don't know.  I thought he was with you."

Carin became instantly alert and rushed from the bedroom.  She yelled for Kevin, searching every nook of the house, but he didn't call back.  She ducked her head out the back door and the sky was still predawn purple.  She ran to the garage, but that too was empty.  She hurried back inside.

"Call the police," Carin said while switching out of her nightgown and into yesterday's clothes.

"Okay."  Agnes picked up the phone on the kitchen counter.  "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know what I'm doing.  I never know what I'm doing," Carin snapped.  "That's why my son is missing."

Agnes was not used to her daughter raising her voice at her, but it was forgivable under the circumstances.

Carin grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.  "I'm going to drive around, see if I can figure out where he might be.  I have my cell with me.  Let me know whatever you find out."