Dear Mister Sandman

Chapter 44

Twenty years ago...

It was the day after six year old Nathaniel and his mother arrived at Hypnos' mansion.

The young boy sat up in his bed and stretched his little arms, a lazy smile on his face. His disheveled hair was the least of his concerns as Nathaniel called out for his mother.

When silence responded, he jumped down from the bed, careful not to fall, and made his way out of his room. At that moment, it occurred to the little boy that he had yet to discover that huge house he was in. Every single room and every single corner of it. But first, he would find his mother and tell her about his dreams again. Like he did every morning.

"Mummy, I dreamed again!" He yelled into an empty hallway. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. To his left was the stairwell he walked up last night. On the other side was a hallway with a closed door at the very end. That was weird, because every other door in that hallway was opened, except for that one.

Making up his mind, Nathaniel walked up to the end of the hallway, careful not to make too much noise and get in trouble for snooping around. His tiny hand reached the golden doorknob and with a twist, the heavy wooden door sprang open. It creaked slightly, making Nathaniel shake off the shiver that just ran down his spine.

"Hello?" He whispered upon seeing a bed, as tall as his own. He couldn't see if it was occupied from his current position so he crept up to the side of the bed. A smile overcame his features as his mother's face was turned to that exact side.
"Mum!" He yelled, touching her face.

"What are you doing in here?" He heard the moment his hand turned very cold. He turned around and saw his father glare down at him, standing under the doorframe.
"It's mummy. She's very cold." He retrieved his hand.
"The door was closed, Nathaniel. You ought not to go through closed doors in this house." Hypnos walked towards the boy, who looked back at his mother in panic.

"Mummy!" He grabbed her cold cheek and tried to climb up to her side.
"Mummy, wake up!" He yelled as Hypnos grabbed him under his armpits and lifted him up.
"Listen, son-"
"No! Let me go!" Nathaniel kicked and thrashed against the tall man, eventually making him place him down onto to ground again.

"Mummy!" Nathaniel tried again, tears streaming down his face.
"What happened?" He looked at Hypnos with a red face.
"I'm sorry, son. I-" Hypnos didn't know how to tell a child that their mother just died. How could she not have told him about her sickness herself? Hypnos knew this would harm his relationship with Nathaniel.

"Come here, we can-"
"No! I hate you! I want mummy back now!" The boy yelled, walking backwards. He looked at the bed and then back at his father.
"Don't say that. I am your father, Nathaniel. I know this is hard for you, but people die. That's just how it works." Hypnos lost his patience and immediately regretted it.

Nathaniel went to the other side of the bed and climbed up in a miraculous speed. His vision was blurry, but he knew exactly what was happening. His mother was dead. She just died. But why? Nathaniel cried out when his father took a hold of him again.
"A boy shouldn't be confronted with such an image. We will have a proper funeral tomorrow." Hypnos said, carrying Nathaniel out of the room.

He started to kick again and punch his father's arms. And then he bit, making Hypnos let go in shock and pain. The young boy fell down onto the ground hard. But he stood up again, turning around to run. Hypnos caught his arm, holding him back. Nathaniel tried with all his power to slip out of his father's grasp.

And somehow, he managed. Falling head first against a drawer that unluckily sat against the wall, his eyes shut closed. Everything turned black.

The next day this young child would wake up and start a new life. He would not be Nathaniel Bennett anymore. For that sweet boy died a day after his mother.

The next time he would open his eyes, he would do so as Morpheus Oneiroi.