Chasing the Monsters: 25

"Sam, are you still awake in here?"  Cord said, from the doorway.  He could see the makeshift tent that Sam had fashioned out of blankets, and the light glow coming from within it.

"Yeah, I'm up," Sam answered, and peeked out of the blankets.

"It's probably time to rest now, and get some sleep.  Tomorrow you have school."  Cord said, stepping into the room, quietly.

"I know.  I'm sleeping in here, though."

"You are?"

"Yep.  It's kind of like the last night at home, when Dad set up the tent in his and Mommy's room, and we all slept in there.  It was fun."  Sam crawled out.  He sat on the edge of the bed, in a room that was for guests.

Cord walked in, turned on the light, and sat next to him.  "You okay, Sam?"

"I guess."

"Sam, sometimes people have bad things happen to them, and they're not sure how to talk about it."

"I know how.  You just open your mouth, and out it comes."

Cord laughed lightly.  "Hmf.  That sounds logical."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Or maybe they can talk about it, but they can't get rid of it, no matter how they try."

"Did that ever happen to you?"  Sam asked, and his eyes were wide.

"Sure.  Happens to everyone."

"Happened to me, too."

"Okay," Cord said, nodding in agreement.

"I can't get rid of it either.  I can't make it go away.  We even tried Ray."

"Your little brother?"

"No, the doctor Ray.  He's Dad's therapist, and Jack's and Grandma Bitsy's and mine."

"Oh, the whole family."

"Yep, even Mom, I think.  Sometimes."

"You mean she goes and talks to him."

"Yeah."

"So, how is he?  Do you like him?"

"Yeah."

"And it's not helping you get rid of this thing in your head?"

"No, not really."

"Well, you know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think it's just going to be there, for a while.  You might not be ready for it to be gone." Sam looked up directly into Cord's face, and the man continued, "And that's all right.  Everyone gets rid of things in their own time.  This might not be the time for you to move on yet."

"Why?" Sam asked, and his innocence landed in the center of Cord's chest.  

He took a breath and said, "Maybe just because."

"Just because?"

"Yep."

Sam thought about it for a few moments, and then he said, "Just because what?"

"Just because you haven't found the right way to let it go yet.  But it will happen.  It won't always be this way."

"Thanks, Uncle Cord."

He was slightly surprised.  Tina.  "Uncle Cord, huh?  Okay, Sam, you're welcome."

"Can I sleep in there?"  Sam pointed to the "tent."

"I don't see why not.  Just get some rest.  I'll leave the door cracked open, so light comes in, but you have to shut your flashlight, Sam, so you can rest."

"Okay, it's a deal," the little boy said, and went into the tent.  

Cord peeped his head in.  "Need anything?"

"No," Sam said, shutting the flashlight.

"Okay, I'm right down the hallway if you need anything, okay?"

"Yep."

"Goodnight, Pardner."

"Night, Pardner," Sam repeated.  As Cord went out the door, carefully leaving it ajar, Sam turned over and closed his eyes, and then popped them open, and turned the flashlight back on, leaving his laptop on, before drifting off to sleep.

***

"Jack, are you still down here?"  Clint said, returning to the lower level of Llanfair and the special area he and Viki had made up for Banner research.

"Yeah, I'm here, Uncle Clint."

"Well, you know, it's getting late.  Maybe you could call it a night soon?"

"I will."

"What are you reading, there?"

"I was looking at headlines from when I was born, and then, I got interested in going back further.  My parents, they were both, well, interesting people."

"Oh, I didn't even think about that.  You researched them?"

"No, just local headlines from the nineties.  Before I was born.  Mom was nutty, Dad was worse.  Dad was . . . no wonder he has so much guilt about everything."

Clint said, "Well, your father has come a long way.  He wasn't of stellar character his whole life."

"No, but I don't blame him anymore.  After everything I know.  He did some bad shit, though."

Clint raised an eyebrow.  "You have a way of getting to the punch."

"In some ways, I'm my father's son."

"And in other ways?"

Jack shut the machine at last.  "I'm not.  As much as I complained about him, what he did to me when I was born, he tried to do whatever he could to fix it.  And with what he had to deal with, inside him, it's not surprising."

"This is a pretty mature take on the man, Jack.  I'm impressed."

"I'm not a kid anymore.  I'm 18.  I'm going to graduate in a few months.  I've been through more than most people my age.  And I'm not stupid.  Peter Manning fucked my father up.  Bad."

"I'm only ignoring your language because we're alone, and your two aunts are not here to hear you."

"Sorry, but it's true.  It's the story of his life."

"I suppose it is."

"What about my mom?  Headlines say she made someone crippled in a car accident.  It was around the time my parents met."

"It was an accident, as you said.  Luna Moody was put into a wheelchair because of it.  You know what's amazing?  Luna and your mother were at total peace with each other before Luna passed.  According to Cord, Luna's words helped bring your parents back together during a rough patch.  Well, one of their rough patches."

"He was . . . nothing.  Really.  She was obviously not too popular either.  Why did she go to him?  Why did they go to each other?  Why did she accept him, and why did he do the same with her?  That's one thing I wonder about, all the time."

"Well, why are they together now?"  Clint asked.

"That's easy, they love each other.  Like, more than air."  Clint just looked at Jack, and the teen said, "So, I guess that's why the rest of it is what it is.  I guess answered my own question."

"I guess you did.  You're a fine young man, Jack, to deal with all you've had to deal with, and still come out with the ability to forgive and understand.  It took your father years to be able to do that, because of what was left and done to him.  And those are the wise words of your Aunt Viki speaking."

"She's been through a lot too," he said, hinting that he had read the articles on her DID revelations. 

Clint interrupted, to give Jack relief from having to explain what he read.  "Yep, she has.  But she came through it all.  Which means, you can do the same.  Adversity does not make Buchanans shy away, or Lords . . . or Mannings.  Let's go.  Getting late."

"It just makes me think that . . . that I can . . ." he got stuck with emotion in his throat.

"Yep, that's what it means.  You can look at all this as the terrible things your family has gone through and sometimes caused, and leave yourself open to doubt.  Or, you can see it as what it is:  lessons to show you the way and to give you the sense that you can make it, no matter what."  He paused a moment, and then said, "So, what do you say we head upstairs."

The two walked up the staircase leading out of the research room.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Your comments are 'payment' for the work of the authors. Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.