Chapter 54--DISASTER, NO DINNER 2

"Ariana! Ariana! Ariana! Somebody help!! Jack!!!!" I suddenly heard mom's voice. Her voice was so much resonating in my head that it jerked me back to life, and I slowly opened my eyes. Surrounding me was mom and Jack. There was a bowl of water near my head, with a piece of cloth soaked into it, and I was sprawled on the floor with my first button loose and my hair thoroughly wet. I looked around my surroundings. Yeah, I was in my room. My window was intact, my door was not displaced. My floor, firm and strong and neat, my bed neatly laid, and mom was with me and there was no beast anywhere.

I had been hallucinating. Hallucinating? That's what Dr Brown called it but honestly it felt so real. Mom said I fell off my bed and knocked my head on the floor. She said I fell unconscious after that time and she had to pour some water on my forehead and hair. She said the water woke me, but little did she know that it was her voice that woke me. I heard her voice before I felt the water on my skin. I thought she had come to save Jamie from the hands of the beast. Then Jack came and took me to the hospital. He was already around when that incident happened to me. Mom said the first thing I said or asked as soon as I regained consciousness was, "Where is Jamie?"

At the hospital, my head was bound and my feet where I had bruises from falling. I was discharged the same day and Jack had to return to his home because it was already dark. He couldn't have dinner with us. I could see mom was sad about it but she tried not to show it. She was so worried for me and wondered if I was going crazy. I was even skeptical about talking to her about it because when she had heard Dr Brown's statement about my hallucinations, she had been dejected, you know when you're so worried and confused that you just shake your head in disbelief. But I wanted to talk to her about it. That night, after Jack left after mom pleaded that he waited some more to at least have dinner and he refused (probably because he had some work to do), mom came to my room and watched me lay down. She sat there, not saying a word. When I was rushed to the hospital, Mom was carrying the two babies on her chest and held them with her arms. They could have fallen with the way she was running and panicking but thank God they didn't.

She watched me with my eyes shut, and she didn't say anything. My head was still heavily bound but it was better, I felt better. I knew she was in the room. Maybe she was trying to make sure I do not fall or hallucinate again, and trying not to wake me up at the same time. But I was not even sleeping. I wished mom could work more on divorcing Cameron. She was now really silent about it. Was she giving up already? I thought. Or was she waiting for the twins to get attached to their father first? I didn't know. What I did know was ever since we returned home, mom had not slept in her husband's room and they fought about it everyday but without hitting each other.

I was awake but pretended to be asleep, so I knew mom sat beside me for an hour. Without saying anything. I opened my eyes and looked at her. She stared painfully at me, and I tried to sit up.. She helped me sit up and she rubbed my shoulder and kissed my cheeks.

"Baby" she began. "What's going on with you?" She asked.

"Im fine, mom" i said.

"Did you see him again? For real? Dr Brown said you saw a beast. Did you?"

"Actually mom, I believe someone is after Jamie"

"What do you mean? Jamie's only a baby, how could anyone be after her?" She asked, looking bewildered. "What's wrong? You're seeing things that are not there. Why baby, why??" She cried.

"Mommy, I swear he is really there. I'm sure he wants Jamie; I saw it in my dream" I said, almost crying. I wished someone would believe me and help me. "He's always there" I said pointing towards my window.

"At your window?"

"No. In the woods, but I always see him from here" . She sighed, and moved closer to me. She looked towards where I was pointing and shook her head.

"Tell me, how does he look like?"

"I don't know. Today he came like a beast, he must be really tall and powerful is all i know" I replied. I was glad we were finally having a conversation about him. It felt lighter to talk about it with mom.

"Did you tell Dr Brown about this?" She asked.

"Yes, and he said I'm hallucinating. Remember he came here once to stay with me but he didn't see what I was seeing, just like you didn't, But I swear mom, I see him"

"Look there now, baby. Do you see him now?" She asked. I looked there but no, he was not there.

"No mom. He doesn't come when someone is with me" i explained

"Is it a ghost? Maybe Joe appearing to you or something?" She asked.

"No I don't think so. He wants Jamie" i replied with a tone of finality. She sighed, scratched her head for an answer, then said softly. "I'll move you to the guest room. That place is overlooking a body of water. I think it's better for you" she forced a smile. "What do you think?" She asked me, looking squarely into my eyeballs. I nodded slowly. What did she expect me to say?

So, that night, mom helped me move into the guest room, which was on the farther end of the house. She was only trying to help me and I was cooperating with her even though I was not sure it would work. I was dealing with supernatural, paranormal forces, not something physical. They could move anywhere. That night, I slept peacefully. Mom moved in with me and the babies. It felt so comfy to have her rock me to sleep. And while she thought I was deeply asleep, at midnight, I heard her talk to Jack on phone: "I'm scared she might end up seeing a psychiatrist, I think everything is getting into her head, I'm so scared, Jack. Please help me"

"Poor little child" Jack blurted over the phone.

I was not totally awake but I heard them. They talked into the night. He apologized for not having dinner with us, he promised to take her out on weekends, he talked about the divorce, then he talked about his happy childhood, making mom laugh after crying. I know mom was grateful for him, but I was even more grateful. When Cameron was unavailable, he was there for her. I wish I could hit his head one of these days.

Camp was in three days time and mom was preparing me for it. It was going to be an experience. It was my first summer camp ever since I joined Enchanting Promises High school. And i was going to make the best use of it. I was determined to have fun, and also not forget my sole aim of going there--Finding a way out for Jamie.

I could see mom was especially pleased to know I would be attending

"They say the camp will help you get better. I have a feeling it might"

I didn't understand what she meant, and I chose not to think about it.

The next two days were used in packing and unpacking and at last, I was ready for camp.

"Be a good girl" Mom told me. "Remember that no man gets to touch you anyhow. No touching, no fondling, okay?"

"Yes mom"

"Don't go into the woods alone. Okay? Walk in groups, and be very wary of your surroundings please. Hear me?"

"Yes mom, I can hear you"

"One more thing, I want you to call me if you need any help especially if you cannot talk to your counselor or Camp director. Okay? Don't hesitate to call me. I'll call you too, okay baby?"

"Yes mom I promise"

She touched my shoulders and rubbed them lightly. "I'll miss you. I'll miss you so much"

"It's just seven days mommy" i said, trying to smile. She pinched my cheeks and smiled too. We were so fond of each other

"I trust you'll do your school proud in the competition. I trust you so much, I don't have to tell you to do well, my smart child with an adult brain" she smiled. I laughed too. I indeed had an adult brain. I behaved like a fifteen year old adolescent or maybe even eighteen or twenty, even though I was only eight.

"Sure mom, I will do my school proud. I'll do you proud too" I said. She sighed and looked away. I knew she was worried about something and I knew what it was about.