Camp camp short stories!

Dreams..(part 3)

(sorry this chapter may get a bit confusing but basically max's dream and whats going on elsewhere)

By the time they had gotten to the bungalow, it was dark. All they had really talked about while getting pizza was whether or not pineapple was an OK thing or not.

David gave in and got max Hawaiian pizza.

They had eaten it in the car and then ended up discussing whether or not tomatoes were fruits or not.

David gave in they aren't.

The bungalow was hardly visible in the night so David got out his touch and carefully navigated the two of them through a wasteland of a front garden to the door. David spent about 3 minutes fumbling with freezing fingers to unlock the door, in the end, max took the key muting every swearword in the dictionary and opened it first try.

"That's thanks to the pineapple, shit brains" he smirked pushing the door open.

The got in and eventually found the light switch with blindingly illuminated the ground floor. The wallpaper had been recently painted over a warm beige colour and the more they wandered around the emptier the house felt. There was a fairly nice but old tv in the living room and the only thing debatably edible in the kitchen was some mouldy substance max decided only Nikki would eat.

The spare room was completely empty bare some white suitcases that they presumed were Daniels. They decided not to snoop (max was literally dragged out the room) and explored the room upstairs. It was the master's bedroom and had a large bay window that looks out across the darkened abyss of a back garden and the night sky. David stood mesmerized and the pinpoint stars as max flopped down on the massive bed.

"This is mine! I claim it!" max declared snuggling under the covers his teddy bare pulled tight next to him.

"I guess you deserve it you had a busy day, I'll sleep on the sofa." David yawned, "sweet dreams max."

"Fuck off."

David clicked the light off and closed the door carefully. He got to the sofa and realized he didn't have a blanket and was far too tired to go back out to the car. He was just drifting off to sleep when he heard muffled footsteps and whispered swear words. He got up swaying from tiredness and went into the hall peering up the stairs to see max dragging a duvet quadruple his size down the stairs.

"Max?"

"Shut up and help." David smiled going and helping the two still struggled due to tiredness but eventually got to the sofa.

"I'll sleep on the flo.."

"No you sleep on ...sofa" he yawned," fuckass." max was practically falling asleep standing up so David did not bother arguing lazily laying down on the sofa sharing the blanket with max who curled up on the floor. Both fell fast asleep faster than a blink quicker than David could say 'sweet dreams'. David mumbled and muttered in his sleep whereas max twisted and turned frantically.

"MAX! Stop hiding this instant!" A mother yelled striking fear into the boy's blood.

"We are looking for whoever's in charge here."

Max shivered whispering away words of "it's just a dream. they won't find you here. You safe."

"I'm sorry, I'm just picking up my stuff camp was closed down."

"You can't hide from us forever!" steps marched around downstairs

"Listen here missy we are looking for our son. Max?"

"The longer you hide the more trouble you'll be in." the footsteps stopped cued by a crack of floorboard under him.

"Max? your ... max's parents?"

The footsteps storm towards him, "max last chance."

"and you are?"

The lid of the ottoman smashed open. "Think you could hide?" the sudden light blinded him as he was wrenched up by the collar of his nightshirt.

"Gwen... um... I'm not sure where he could be"

"P..p..lease le..let me g...go!" max's choked out tears his feet rattling in the air.

"So you lost our kid?"

"No matter where you try and hide, no matter how safe you feel..."

"No, I'm sure he's fine... I'll call David!"

"We'll find you."

Gwen took out her phone shooting worried glances at Max's parents. She found David number and rang it quickly

David shot awake at the loud noise that rung through the bungalow.

"Hello, David?" Gwen asked into the phone hearing a yawn from the other side of the conversation

"Max are you ok!" David realized the noise was a sudden scream followed by sobbing coming from the floor where max was rocked himself. He quickly got up and sat next to max hugging him quietly letting him crying David's shoulder...

"Gwen?" the sleepy voice asked.

"Nikki! Why do you have David's phone?"

"Shenanigans? Well, the one that got camp closed down... you know the one with..."

"Nikki I know what happened, ugh nevermind."

"Ok see you, Gwen..." Gwen hung up anxiety raising though her body.

"Ok, so this is going to sound bad" she turned to the impatient parents.

Max suddenly spoke in the silence. "David..." he wiped his tears on his jumper.

"yeah..." max looked up to David. The darkness may have hidden the redness of his eyes but it didn't hide the desperation.

"Don't let the baddies get me" the 10-year-old's voice wobbled, "promise?" David looked at him with conduction. What baddies? What was his nightmare about? Why did he look so terrified... max never looked scared and here he was terrified.

"I won't let the baddies get you, max"

"Promise"

"promise"