Sweet Dreams

My mom was right. She knew people were evil. I never should've talked to that boy across the street. Never should've snuck out of the house at night to see him. I should've listened to my mom. Should've followed her silly rules. Now they don't seem silly anymore. I should've stayed in my room. Never should've gone outside. Mom never let me go outside. It's best that way, she had said. Now I'm stuck between this guy and the ground. With a knife close to my throat. The edge barely grazing my neck. The guy's face is shrouded in darkness. Then I saw the familiar blue eyes of my attacker. I know those eyes! I call out the person's name, with hurt in my eyes. How could they have done this to me?

“I thought you loved me.” my voice trailed off.

“That’s where you're wrong, Lizzy,” I gasped.

Only two people have ever called me Lizzy.

“No.” I stammer.

“Yes. Lizzy.”

My eyes widened in shock as the attacker's face came into the light. 

. . .

“If x2+7=42 then what is x-3?”

“Mom?” I ask. “When can I go to real school?”

Mom looks at me and tilts her head to the side.

“What do you mean, Lizzy?”

“I mean, real school. Actual kids and teachers!”

She shook her head.

“We’ve already been through this, honey. The outside world is a dangerous place. Now do your work.”

“I know, but, what if it’s not like that anymore? Everything is probably different now!”

I motion to the window behind me.

“I see kids outside and they wave to me! Momma, they’re nice! Why can’t I go outside? If you just see…”

Mom got up quickly from the table. She slams her hand down, hard, and snaps back, “You cannot go outside, young lady!  Do you hear me?! Why did you peek through the window?! You disobeyed my rules!”

She grabs my arm and drags me towards the stairs. She drags me all the way up to my room.

“Do not come out of this room, young lady! You’re grounded!”

She slams the door shut as she leaves. I slumped onto my bed. Why doesn’t Mom let me go outside? Did something happen to her that caused her to fear the outside world? I looked over at my doll house. Mom has two rules:

1. DON’T GO OUTSIDE.

Mom said that if I go outside, something bad will happen to me.

2. DON’T TALK TO ANYBODY.

Mom said if I talk to people, they might take me away to a bad place.

I don’t like to disrespect her. I try to follow her rules but I always get curious. I get off my bed and walk over to my mirror. How long have I been in this house? Shut away from everybody? One time I asked Mom how old I was. She said it didn’t matter. She said that I’ll always be her baby. I’ve outgrown all of my clothes so I have to borrow Mom’s. I also outgrown all of my toys. I touch my thin face.

If I compared myself to the kids I saw walking outside, I’d say their 15. So that means I’m younger than them. I shrug. Mom will tell me eventually. I turn away from the mirror and face the window. Even though I’m not supposed to go outside, Mom still lets me see the tree. The tree is the only friend I have.

I touched the glass, the only thing separating me from this beautiful world.

“Hey, Maggie.” I call to the tree.

I would always daydream about climbing her magnificent branches. To smell the fresh scent of sap. Maybe see a squirrel or two. So caught up in my thoughts, I didn’t hear the soft knocking at my door. I quickly shut the curtains and jumped onto my bed. Mom cautiously walks through the doorway.

“It’s time for dinner, sweetie.” I nod.

She frowns.

“Aww, sweetie.” She comes up to me and embraces me in a hug. “You're still not mad at me, are you?”

I shook my head.

“I can’t stay mad at you.”

She pulls me off of her and looks me in the eye.

“C’mon before it gets cold.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Hand in hand, we walk down the stairs to the kitchen.

. . .

Even though Mom and I don’t go outside, surprisingly, we still get food. Mom made plates for us. Chicken, rice, and mac and cheese. We sat down at the table. Before we eat, Mom always stares at me. It makes me very uncomfortable. She always waits till I take the first bite. Like she’s waiting for something.

Right now, she stares at me. Blue, unblinking eyes. I pick up my spoon and scoop some mac and cheese. I put it in my mouth and swallow. Mom continues to stare at me. Satisfied, she takes a big spoonful, and shoves it into her mouth. I set my fork down and look at my Mom.

“Where do we get this food anyways? You don’t work and I can’t go-”

“Why does it matter?” she said, setting down her own silverware.

“Well, I’m just curious. It’s really delicious but I don’t see dirty dishes in the sink.”

“I already cleaned them.”

“Oh.” I stare down at my plate. Now that I think about it I’ve never seen Mom cook.

“Eat, Lizzy.”

I pick my spoon up again, and finish eating dinner. When I was done, I sat the dirty dishes in the sink.

“Hey, Mom?” She looks up from her plate. “Can I make something for you tomorrow?”

“Like what?” She asks.

“Well, you did say that tomorrow’s Mother’s day. I want to show you how much I care for you, by making breakfast in bed.”

She smiles. “Oh, you don’t have to. Only your mother does the cooking, alright?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Aww, don’t look so glum, my sugar plum. How about you make your lovely mother something pretty?”

My face lights up. I nod my head and run up the stairs. I burst into my room. I sit on top of my bed. What would Mother like? Right when I made up my mind, Mom walks into my room.

“Hey, sweetie.” I smile. “I made you your special tea.” She said, handing me a cup.

“Thank you.”

I take the delicate cup from her hands and take a sip. The liquid was bitter. It always tasted like that. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I took a big gulp, finishing the tea.

“It’s really good!”

She smiles. She walks closer to me, expecting. All of a sudden, the room was spinning. I groan. Mother continues to smile at me. The room was getting darker now. I try to stand up, but instead, I fall on to my back.

“Sweet dreams, Lizzy.”

My mom said from somewhere in the darkness. Everything turns black.

I woke up with a groan. And a bursting headache. I sat up in my bed, my legs dangling off the edge. I cradle my head. What happened? Tasting the bitter taste in my mouth, I remembered.

“Oh yeah. Mom’s tea.”

I stand up and start stretching. Whenever Mom gives me her ‘special tea’, it leaves me sore. Back aching, I walk out of my room and down the stairs. From the kitchen, I could hear Mom humming. She loves to sing. When I was a baby, she would sing me to sleep. Until she started giving me her ‘special tea’.

“Mamma, can you swing to me?”

Mom shook her head. “No, my precious Lizzy. Not tonight.”

“Pwease?” I begged.

Mom picked me up. “I have something better.”

She brought me into the kitchen and sat me down on a chair. She handed me a blue cup. I smelled it and recoiled.

“What is this? It smells gross!”

Mom shook her head, still smiling. “You don’t want to hurt your Mother’s feelings, do you?”

I shook my head.

“Then drink.”

I looked down at the dark liquid. I took a little sip and then spit it out. Mom frowns.

“It’s disgusting!”

Mom came so close to my face that I could smell her breath.

“Drink it. Or I’ll shove it down your throat!”

I gulped. Still close to me, I choked the rest down. I shuddered by the awful taste. She pulls her face away from mine and smiles.

“Good girl.” She said, patting my head.

“Mommy, I feel funny.”

Mom ignored me. She started humming a song I’ve never heard before.

“Mommy.”

The room started to spin. I tried to grab the chair for support but I fell backwards. I hit my head on the tile floor. Before the darkness overtook me, she said, “Sweet dreams, Lizzy.”

I shudder from the memory. I walk into the kitchen. Mom turns around and smiles. “Morning, sleepyhead.” “Morning.” Groggy, I sit down in my chair.

“So, I was thinking, Pumpkin.” Mom said, setting down my breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. “Since it’s Mother’s Day, I think that we could watch a movie together!”

I look over at her. She was smiling in pure delight.

“That sounds great, Mom.” I tell her.

She smiles. 

. . .

Mom and I spent the rest of the day watching movies. Soon, it was time for bed.

“I’ll be up there in a sec to give you my special tea. Okay, sweetie?”Mom called from the couch.

“Okay.”

I walked up the stairs. I paused. I crept down the stairs and stopped halfway. I knelt down and peeked through the railing. Mom was humming  the creepy song again. I shuddered, remembering. She opened a cabinet and took out a tea bag.

Suddenly there was a loud whistle which made me jump. Mom lifted an object off the stove and poured it into the blue tea cup. Steam came out. Mom stops humming. All of sudden, she started to sing it again, but this time with words.  

“Ucide a ei, muuraye iye, maak haar dood, mate ela, sie muss sterben!”

Suddenly, she leans her head back and lets out a laugh. She started speaking in a strange tongue. Laughing at every word. She leans forward and smells the tea. She giggles then reaches for the cabinet above her. She pulls out a small tin I’ve never seen before.

Hands trembling, I scoot my butt down the stairs for a better view. Mother scoops a little with a spoon and mixes it into the tea. She turns around and I bound up the stairs. I burst into my room and slowly close the door behind me.

What was Mom putting in my tea? Is that why I pass out and wake up with a pounding headache? Can Mom be trusted?

“I’m not drinking your poison, Mother.” I whisper.

Just then the door opens.

“Hello, sweetie! I just finished making your special tea!” she says.

Act normal. Pretend like nothing happened. I tell myself. Yeah, right. How can I pretend like my Mother didn’t put something dangerous in my drink? How is that okay?! My hands starts to tremble as I take the cup.

“Aww, Sweetie. You seem pale and you're shaking.” She puts her hand on my forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”

“I’m okay.” I assure her. It’s just that my mother might be crazy! 

Mom stares at me, her face just inches from mine.

“Are you okay, Lizzy? You look like you saw a ghost!” She laughs.

I wish. That would be so much better than my Mom being a psychopath.

“No, Mom. I’m okay. Trust me.”

She leans closer, her eyes looking back and forth at mine. She narrows her eyes.  I suppress a gulp. What if she knows I went downstairs and she saw me?

Suddenly, she straightened up and clapped her hands.

“It’s that special time again, my dear!”

She offers me the blue cup. I sigh, relieved. I nod and grab the cup from her. The liquid sloshed. How am I going to pretend to drink this? I could drop it and make it look like an accident. I look up at Mother. Hurry, do something! She’s expecting!

“Hey, Mom!”

I walk over to the window. Her eyes follow me.

“What, my dear?”

She was frowning. I start to feel bad. It doesn’t matter. She’s been poisoning you for I don’t know how long!

“There’s a bird’s nest on Maggie!” I said, trying to distract her.

She walks to the window, peering through the glass.

“I don’t see-”

“Oh, it must’ve blown off.” I pretend to look sad. “Poor little baby chicks.”

Her face was blank.

“Yes, poor chicks. Anyways, Lizzy, drink your tea and go to bed.”

She starts to stare at me again. I start to sweat. What am I going to do?!

"But...what if I don't want to?"

She grabs my wrists and looks me dead in the eye.

"Because. I. Said. So."

I gulp. I slowly bring the cup to my lips and drink it. Instead of swallowing, I keep my ‘special tea’ in my mouth. Trying not to gag, I pray that Mom won’t make me open my mouth. I try to make it seem like I drank it. I start to sway on my feet. Mom’s smile came back.

I fall onto my bed and cradle my head. Please. I pretend to pass out. My long hair fell over my face.

Mom leans closer and whispers, “Sweet dreams, Lizzy.”

She then lays a kiss on my forehead. She walks out of the room, taking one last look at me. Waiting for a few minutes, I sat up and and blew a breath of relief. That was close. I shuffle towards my door. Now time to see what Mom does while I’m asleep.

Remembering that my ‘special tea’ was still in my mouth, I open a drawer for my dresser and pull out a shirt. I examine the shirt. It was one of my favorites when I was younger. Baby blue with a sparkly unicorn dancing with a mermaid. I hug the shirt then spit the tea into it. I shove it back into the drawer and make my way to the door again. I slowly open the door.

I walk to my Mother’s room. She was fast asleep on her bed. I went down the stairs and into the kitchen. I look around the kitchen, my eyes falling on the cabinet with the strange tin inside. I put my hand on the handle. Time to see what things you're hiding, Mother. I open the cabinet. Inside were a few spices and tea bags. I rummage through the contents.

All the way in the back was the strange tin. I took it out. It was a metal tin and it was no bigger than the palm of my hand. I opened the lid and smelled the brown, sooty powder. Suddenly, my legs start to give out from under me. I grab the counter for support.

Note to self, don’t smell it! I slam the lid back on. What am I going to do? I can’t get rid of it. Then Mom will know I’m onto her.

“That’s it! I’ll run away!” I whisper.

I run to the living room and pull back the curtains. I freeze, the soft silk of the curtain in my grasp.

“No.”

The windows were boarded up! She must’ve done that when I passed out the other night! My hand balls up into a fist. How could she have done this?! Why is she doing this to me?! I ran up the stairs. Please, no. I slip into my room. I crossed my fingers as I peeled back the curtain. I let out a breath of relief.

“Thank, God.”

I slowly open the window. I sling one of my legs out of the window and then the other. I take a deep breath and jump out. The grass was cold and wet under my feet but I didn't care. Without looking back, I ran, nothing guiding me except the big bright moon.