Page 3 of The Attercop

He nodded.

“So, Colin, you said you’re afraid of things. What sorts of things?”

He wrung his hands before whispering, “Nightmares. I’ve been having nightmares. I had them as a kid, but they only lasted a night or two and then they went away, but now…” His eyes widened. “They’ve come back, and with a vengeance. I’m terrified to go to sleep.”

She gave him a reassuring smile. “Colin, I’m so sorry to hear that. That must be very difficult.”

“Yes.”

“So, Colin, do they occur every time you go to sleep?”

“No. But at least three or four nights a week.”

“I see,” she said. “And how long have you been having these dreams?”

He paused. “Months now. Two, maybe three.”

This is going to take some time, she thought.

“Colin, do you feel like you can tell me what your dreams are about?”

He started to breathe deeply, and his eyes began to water.

“I’m standing in my bedroom and I’m staring at my hands. I’m holding the world. And this world in my hands…I can see the clouds moving, and the world is shaking. And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, but I know that something bad is going to happen and only I can stop it.”

“What do you think is going to happen, Colin?”

“The world is going to…explode or something. I’m not sure. I just know it’s going to be really bad. And then…”

Colin started to shake. “And then the world starts to split open…like an egg that’s hatching. And from inside the glowing world, they come streaming out.”

He stood and began to pace around the room.

Michael kept her voice even and calm. “Colin, you’re all right. You’re safe here. I’m going to try and help you. So you saidtheycome streaming out. What arethey, Colin? Can you tell me?”

He stopped and turned to her with a look of terror in his eyes. “Spiders. Hundreds of spiders.”

Chapter Three

“I just don’t understand what you’re so afraid of,” Gwen said.

She sipped her coffee as she stared at her husband across the counter of her shop Les Trois Magots.

Sam took a deep breath. “We’ve talked about this before.” He glanced at his watch. “Look, it’s almost ten. I’ve gotta get back to the station.”

Gwen scowled. She stepped behind the display case and pulled out a muffin and a ham and cheese croissant sandwich and stuffed them into a bag. “Here. For later.”

“Thank you.”

As Sam leaned in for a kiss, Gwen pulled back. “You have to at leastinviteDeclan. It’s already Wednesday and the weekend is coming up fast. He’s grown-up enough to decide if he wants to come or not.”

Sam looked down at the floor.

She was not going to give up on this. “You honestly think that your son is afraid of being around a few ancient homophobic cops?”

“Be careful who you’re calling ancient. I’m the one who’s retiring,” Sam replied.

“You know what I mean.”