Chapter 24 Another World

ANOTHER WORLD

         He was a child alone on a dirty street. In the gathering dark, he was afraid, cold and hungry. The coat that had been warm enough earlier wasn't warm enough any more and he was shivering. The wind was picking up as night came on. It was going to be a lot colder pretty soon. He had to choose between walking near the buildings for some shelter from the wind and staying away from doorways that could be hiding danger.

         And then he heard them. He could see them coming toward him. He couldn't see any faces, but he knew they were after him.

         Terror! He tried to run but his legs were heavy and would not move. He fell and he could hear their feet, coming closer.

         He screamed.

         He was being lifted in strong arms. He struggled to get away but the arms held; he could not get free. He had to get away! He had to get away!

         He opened his eyes and looked up. He was in his own room and Trina was holding him. He clung to her, sobbing, as she rocked him. "Tim, it's all right, Love, you're safe. It was a dream. You're safe."

         It was a dream. He was safe. He could feel her beating heart. His own heart was still racing. He was gulping for breath as if he had really been running. He was still between the reality of the nightmare and the reality of his own room, his own bed and Trina's arms around him. When he could speak he said, "It was real ~~ it was so real ~~ "

         "No Love it wasn't real. It was a dream."

         "I was back there."

         "No, Honey, no! You weren't back there. You're never going back there! That part of your life is over. You're never going back there again."

         He was getting calmer. He lifted his head and looked around. He was in his own room in the glow of the nightlight. His desk, his dresser, his chair were all there, all real. The reality of the dream was fading. Jesse was there, sitting on the bed beside him.

         Trina said, "I'll get you some warm milk."

         Jesse reached over to the nightstand and got the box of tissues. Tim's body was still trembling a little as if he were shivering from cold. Tim took a tissue to wipe his face.

         Tim asked, "When is it going to stop happening?"

         Jesse couldn't answer that. For a while yet, maybe for a long while, the fear and hunger and danger of his old life would haunt his dreams.

         "Are you okay now? Do you want me to stay with you?"

         Tim nodded, yes to both questions. He didn't want to go back to sleep, not yet. That other world might be waiting for him just on the other side of falling asleep again.

         Trina brought the milk and he sat up to drink it, leaning against Jess. Drinking warm milk awakes a primal memory, comforting, soothing. Once, beyond conscious recollection, there had been warm arms that held him, a soft body to rest against, and warm milk. He handed back the cup and reached up and kissed Trina. "Thank you," he said. He gave a nervous laugh and said, "Waking up here, it was almost worth it."

         Sitting on the armchair beside the bed Jesse was thinking, no boy should know what this one knew; no child should have such memories! He wished he could find the eraser that would take all that away! In the world where Jesse had grown up, children were cherished and protected. Now through this boy he was learning about another world, one he didn't want to know about.

         Tim reached out a hand to him and he took it in his, a small thin hand. Mixed with his love for him was anger that anyone could have hurt him!