The Strangest Dream (part 5)

"Mama?" "Yes, my darling."

"I had the strangest dream"...

All-day long, she and her mother did her favorite things, and she couldn't help but give her so many hugs. When Autumn asked her why she was so much more loving than usual, Evelyn told her that she was giving her a thousand hugs for a thousand times, she missed her in her dreams.

In which her mother replied, "You can't miss someone who is right here, silly girl."

After Clyde came home at dinner, Autumn shared her concerns about Evelyn's bad dreams, and maybe there might be something in the house. The mood in the room changed. "NONSENSE!" he said, slamming his cup on the table "Do you know what her problem is? Huh? Do ya? It's you filling her head up with crap like that!" Autumn looked shocked at his response. It wasn't like him to talk to her that way. Evelyn was then told to go to her room, and the yelling continued, and even though she tried to cover her ears, but she could still hear them fighting, then she listened to the front door slam, and her daddy's truck drives off, and once again her mom came in a while later with tears in her eyes.

"Why don't we get you ready for bed, dear."

She could see her mother in the reflection of the mirror, and her eyes welled up with tears, she looked sad... She looked sad... She looked sad again! Evelyn felt like she had said that very thing a thousand times before, and she knew something wasn't right. She thought none of this feels right. "I'm sorry mama" "It's not your fault dear, daddy and mommy just need to work things out," and with that, she tucked her in tight and said "no more bad dreams, I am always right here" she kissed her on the forehead and whispered "I love you" in her ear.

She laid there not wanting to, but eventually, the night overtook her, and she fell asleep.

Evelyn woke up.

She was sitting in her rocking chair, and her bed was all messed up. She thought to herself, "This is only a dream; this is only a dream." She looked around the room she saw so many pretty things, lacey bed covers, glass figurines, and sitting on the nightstand was a music box. She couldn't help but to open it and see what was inside. It was a ballerina turning around and around to the most haunting melody. Her enchantment was soon broken by the sound of heavy footsteps coming towards her room from the hall.

Evelyn ran to the closet leaving only a crack for her to look out, the bedroom door opened, and heavy footsteps entered the room, and the music box shut on its own. A chill surrounding her and her little body started to shake. The sound of someone unseen slowly walking around the room was deafened by the sound of her own heart pounding then she heard the heavy footsteps stop in front of the closet then walk out of the room closing the door.

She had a feeling whatever that was, is standing outside her bedroom waiting for her, so she didn't move. She tried to control her breathing so she wouldn't be heard, and it felt like an eternity sitting in the darkness behind those clothes. Just then, she heard her name being called as if a faraway whisper. She mustered up the courage to open the door and go out into the hall hearing her name even still, with every soft step she took it seemed to get louder.

It was coming from her parents' bedroom.

When she approached the room, she put her little hand on their door, it was cold to the touch, and the hair on her arm raised as she gently pushed it open. "Mama?" "Daddy?"

All of a sudden, she was slapped hard across her face knocking her to the ground, and she blacked out.