Ballsie listened to the crickets as she lied still and wide awake on the couch. She wanted to toss and turn on her makeshift bed, but the leather cushions would creak if she moved and wiggled around, so she opted to just lie motionless on her back. She clasped her hands together and stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Good thing Dylan's room was not completely dark because he left the small lamp beside his bed at the dimmest setting. She looked to her right and both Manang Susan and Dylan were already sound asleep in their beds. She pondered in silence as to why she cannot sleep. She was not sure if the strong coffee she had this morning or if it was what Dylan said in the Q&A game earlier caused her sudden insomnia.
"I love you?! Did he really mean to say that? Come on, Ballsie! You know, that was just a plain blunder, a slip of the tongue. Nothing to it. You need to get a grip and sleep. This has got to stop. You are here to work and nothing else!" Ballsie told herself as she waited in silence and wished for the sleep that never came.
"Ah, the sleep gods just have other plans for me tonight. I guess, I will just have to pay for this tomorrow. Manang Susan will just have to deal with a zombie at work." Ballsie silently thought as she let out a deep breath. She took her blanket and pulled it over her head and closed her eyes shut. She placed her hands on her chest and felt her heartbeat; as she felt her chest rise up and down, she hoped and prayed that this steady breathing would lull her to sleep. "Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out."
Ballsie repeated this over and over and like a child counting sheep in her head, she finally felt like she was about to doze off. Just as when her eyelids felt heavy, a sudden and alarming sound reverberated across Dylan's room.
Ballsie tossed her blanket aside and immediately sat up on the couch. She was trying hard to piece together where the sound was coming from because it literally sounded like a pig was getting slaughtered. She just realized what was going on when Manang Susan hurriedly stood up from her own bed and approached Dylan who was lying in a fetal position.
"Dylan! Dylan! Wake up!" Manang Susan yelled as she caressed Dylan's back. She motioned to Ballsie to come over and help her.
"Arrrrghhh! Eeeeeeek! Arrrghhh! Ggggggrrrrrr!"
Ballsie swiftly took a spot next to Manang Susan and was surprised when she saw Dylan's contorted face. He was mid-scream when she approached --- his face and neck were all red and veins were popping out of his forehead and neck as he screamed and wailed. Manang Susan just kept saying his name and she kept rubbing his back in hopes that he would wake up and snap out of his nightmare.
"Manang, what should we do?! Nothing is happening! He is not waking up!" Ballsie panicked. It was only then she realized that she was palpitating, and tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. A mixture of fear and worry suddenly enveloped her.
"Aaarrgggggh! Gggggrrrrrr! Aaaaarrrggggh! Eeeeeeek!"
"Dylan! Dylan! Wake up, baby boy!" Manang Susan's voice was louder now. Ballsie wondered if her own panic caused Manang Susan to worry more too. She noticed how Manang's voice was trembling a little as if trying to keep her emotions at bay.
"Sir Dylan! Wake up! Oh, Lord! What do we do?!" Ballsie screamed in her head. She shook her hands to her sides to help her relieve some of the tension that she had been quietly holding. Then, out of reflex, her hands reached for his. She grabbed his hand and held it tight as she said a silent prayer to God. Dylan's hand felt cold to the touch, so Ballsie made sure both her hands covered his to give him warmth.
"Sir Dylan, please wake up! Please, you have to wake up. " Ballsie knelt beside his bed, his hand still covered in hers. Tears were now free falling on her face.
As if on cue, Dylan suddenly opened his eyes; he was panting heavily like he just ran a marathon. Although the veins were no longer visible on his face and neck, he now had his own set of tears streaming down his cheeks. Beads of sweat were also dripping from his forehead to his nose bridge and the sides of his head. He awkwardly sat up on his bed and rested his head on his headboard.
"Water, please." Dylan managed to say hoarsely as he tried to wipe his face with the hem of his shirt.
"Here, Dylan. Use this to wipe your face. You are dripping with sweat." Manang Susan reached a face towel near her bed and gave it Dylan. "Ballsie, get a bottled water in the small fridge right there."
Ballsie looked at the area where Manang Susan was pointing, and she did not realize that the small "cabinet" where his small lamp sits atop was a small refrigerator. She stepped towards the refrigerator and quickly grabbed one bottled water. She handed it to Dylan to drink and as she presented it to him, she just realized that her hand was shaking uncontrollably. Dylan noticed it too and he looked at her intently.
"Ballsie, are you ok?"
"Sir Dylan, are you serious? I should be the one asking you that. Are YOU ok? You gave Manang and I a scare."
"Ballsie, this is just a regular night for me."
"Regular night? Oh my god, Sir Dylan! You get these nightmares every night?! Why? How do you even manage all of this? Are you doing anything to figure out why you are having these nightmares?" Ballsie asked in one breath.
"That's another story for another time, Ballsie. Nay, go on. I am ok. You need to rest. You too, Ballsie. I will go back to bed."
Ballsie was about to press and ask further, but Manang Susan stopped her by telling her to do what she was told. She gently took Ballsie by the shoulders and urged her to go back to the couch.
"I'll fill you in with what I can tomorrow, Ballsie. Let's call it a night, ok?" Manang Susan whispered to her in secret.
Ballsie felt like she did not have it in her to argue anymore. She strode towards the couch and laid on her makeshift bed. She looked at Dylan one last time, and he too had laid down to sleep just as how he said.
Ballsie pulled her blanket and closed her eyes. She knew she was not getting any sleep tonight. After watching and hearing Dylan scream, she did not want to sleep a wink. She felt it in her bones that all she wanted now was to watch over him and make sure he was ok. She remembered the words Manang Susan uttered to her when she was having second thoughts about the job.
"Ballsie, he needs you."
