Eight Boys and a Walker girl

8 | You're a girl

8 | You're a girl

I wake up at about eleven to the sound of someone screaming.

At first, I assume I'm still dreaming. What else could explain such a long, piercing, terrified scream echoing in my ears at eleven o'clock at night? I close my eyes again and try to settle back down under my duvet, but the sound continues, getting shriller and shakier, until the person who's making the noise is choking and sobbing through their screams- and now I recognise that this isn't a dream.

Still groggy from sleep, I sit up in bed and reach out to flick on my bedside lamp. I guess it could be Bailey- little kids are always having nightmares. I remember I always used to think there was a witch that lived in the cupboard on the landing outside my door, and she'd swoop into my dreams at night, cackling and waving her wand to make toads spew from my throat. I'd often wake up sweating and crying- but when I turn to Bailey, he's sat up just like me, confused and disorientated by sleep, rubbing his eyes.

"Mummy?" he mumbles sleepily, and then seems to remember himself, and where he is, and suddenly his eyes widen and he scrambles down from his mattress. "Evvie! Come quick!"

"Wha-what?" I say through a huge yawn, confused- but I allow the suddenly panicked five-year-old to drag me from my room and pull me along the landing to the room that I recognise as belonging to the twins. Judging from the shuffling noises and worried voices from inside, the Boys reached the screamer before me. I push open the door blearily and look around- and then freeze.

Caleb is sat bolt upright in his bed, rigid and shaking, clutching the blanket on either side of him, mouth and eyes wide as unearthly sounds come from within him; screams mixed with sobs. It's the most horrible and terrifying sound I've ever heard. All around him, his brothers are looking at one another in panic, trying to figure out what to do. Caleb's twin, Tyger, is shaking just as much as his brother, eyes wide with worry, and Harry is looking around the room wildly, as if looking for someone to help them out. He takes hold of Caleb by the shoulders and holds him, murmuring soothing words, but it makes no difference.

"What did Mum do last time?" Jodi asks, worry etched all over his face, "Didn't- he needs- oh shit-"

"This isn't working. He needs a girl," says Harry through gritted teeth, and his eyes swivel around the room, before landing on me.

"Evvie! You're a girl!"

"I hadn't noticed," Ty rolls his eyes, but Harry's eyes are still on me, more serious than I've ever seen him before.

"Take his hands. Talk to him. Do something, Evvie!"

Me? What- what do they expect I can do to help the situation? Besides from the fact that I have no experience medically at all, the problem isn't being helped by the fact that Caleb's guttural screams are bringing back memories of the day- breaking glass, car tyres screeching, and that awful screaming- I'm beginning to shake now, my breath hitching in my throat, heart hammering in my chest-

No, this is not a good time for a repeat of what happened in the lunch-hall today!

"Evvie?"

Harry steps forward, eyes still on me. "Please, Evvie."

I try to calm myself down, consciously slowing my breathing. I need to do this- if not for myself, for Caleb. I need to help him- though why the boys think having a girl deal with this will help is beyond me. I force myself to stop shaking, pinching my skin hard to get a grip, but my heartbeat still hums inside my chest and the screams still echo in my head, refusing to die down. I take a step towards Caleb's bed, taking a deep breath.