Ever wonder why Colby is so protective?
Colby was fast asleep in the theater room next to Sam. Both of them had given their rooms to Colby's family when they came to visit the Traphouse. Now that COVID had finally settled down a bit and most people were vaccinated, travel restrictions weren't as tight. Still, they made sure to be safe about it. His parents were in his room and his brother Gage was in Sam's room. The Brock's didn't know when they would get another chance to come out and visit, so they took the opportunity when they saw it.
Colby had awakened to a ruckus coming from outside the door. He thought maybe his family was up, but when he looked at his phone, he saw that it was almost 4 am, they wouldn't be up at this hour. Colby then heard grunting and thought he heard his mother scream in terror. He got up quickly, careful not to wake Sam, and tiptoed to the door. He slowly opened it, only a crack and his eyes grew wide when he saw his Dad trying to fend off some robbers. He saw that they were in clown masks.
"WHY. DID. IT. ALWAYS. HAVE. TO. BE. CLOWNS!!??" Colby thought.
Colby watched in horror as the four robbers forced his dad to the ground, bound and gagging him. A fifth robber did the same with Colby's mom and his brother, after forcing them down the stairs. Colby was in shock, he wanted to help, but he couldn't go alone or unarmed. He jumped quickly as a hand clamped gently on his shoulder. Colby spun around and threw his hand over Sam's mouth, silencing him. Colby brought a finger to his lips, gesturing for Sam to be quiet.
When Colby returned back to the door, he fell back as his eye caught the eye of a clown, staring back at him through the crack. The door to the theater swung open and Sam and Colby were both forced out into the foyer by the clowns. They were bound as well, but the clowns neglected the gags. Then before Colby could even process what was happening, he watched as one of the robbers took out a gun. One by one, he shot Colby's family. Everyone screamed in horror as his father dropped dead, then his mom, then his brother, when finally the clown turned to Sam and Colby, pondering. Deciding which to kill first. He pointed his gun straight at Sam's head, Colby with tears streaming down his face, looked around at the dead bodies, then back towards Sam.
"Not him," pleaded Colby. "Please not him! He's all I have left."
The clown stared at Colby, his gun still pointed at Sam's head. For the first time, the clown spoke.
" I know," was all the clown said before looking back at Sam.
Colby looked at Sam as they locked eyes. He saw a look of anger and sadness that Sam gave Colby as he stared at him.
"Why didn't you protect us?" said Sam, as the clown pulled the trigger.
Colby screamed as Sam fell to the floor dead. He pulled his eyes away as the blood began to seep from Sam's head, staining the floor along with the other ones.
"Now, you're truly all alone," laughed the clown.
The last thing Colby remembered was looking into the barrel of a gun, before he blacked out.
Colby shot awake, his head was drenched in sweat and he was panting heavily. He looked around the room frantically, and his heart started racing when he saw he was surrounded by clowns, but they weren't doing anything. He looked to his right and saw Sam fast asleep in the bed next to him.That's when Colby remembered. They were at the Clown Motel, in Nevada, filming for the Sam and Colby channel. Colby looked at the digital clock on the small table beside him. It was 3:00 am.
Colby got up out of his bed, and grabbed his phone. He needed some air. He quietly slipped out of the room onto the balcony of the motel. He knew it was late and he knew it was a long shot, but he decided to try anyway. It was what he always did when this happened. He brought his phone to his ear and listened to it ring before she finally picked up.
"Colebaby?" she asked, tiredly.
"Hey mom," said Colby, smiling.
"What's wrong?" she asked. " Are you okay?"
" I just...needed to hear your voice," said Colby.
His mom hesitated. " Did you have the nightmare again?" she asked.
" Yeah," said Colby.
" Do you want to tell me about it?" she asked, calmly.
" It was the same as it always is," Colby started. "Except this time, Sam...he was there."
" Did he...?" she hesitated to finish her sentence.
" Yea," finished Colby. " God mom, this time, it felt so real."
" Do you think being in a clown motel triggered it somehow?" asked his mom.
" I don't know, maybe," said Colby. " He's like a brother to me. This time, I lost all of you, I couldn't protect you. I was alone."
"You'll never be alone," explained his mom. "You'll always have us."
" I know, it was just...scary!" answered Colby.
"It is scary," explained his mother. " Knowing there's a piece of yourself out there, and that anything can happen to them. I know the feeling."
Colby laughed. " Yea, sorry," he said.
" Don't be," said his mother. "Where's Sam?"
"He's asleep," said Colby.
" But he's okay?" she asked.
" Yea, he's fine," said Colby.
" I'm fine too," said his mom reassuringly. " So is your father and so is Gage."
" I know," said Colby. "Thanks."
"Do you wanna try that thing we did when you were little?" she asked. "It always seems to help."
"Sure," said Colby.
" Alright, close your eyes," she said. Colby did as she said. " Deep breath in....and out...and in...and out. Now just listen, what do you hear around you?"
" Not much," said Colby. "A few noises in the distance."
" Okay, just focus on that then," she replied. "Now one last time, deep breath in...." Colby followed her directions "and out."
Colby slowly opened his eyes.
"Feel better?" she asked.
"Yea, much better," said Colby.
"Ok honey, well you should probably get back to sleep, if you can," she said. " I love you."
" I love you too mom," said Colby. He listened to the beep as his mom hung up.
Colby slowly creeped back into the room and slid into his bed. He turned and looked over at Sam, soundly sleeping in the bed next to his. Colby just stared. That was the first time Sam had ever appeared in that nightmare. He had had it a thousand times before, but never like that. It was the first time the feeling had felt so real, that he really thought he had lost him, lost them all. That he was truly alone.