Nightmare, Chapter Sample.

Welcome to Short Story Studio and Book Recaps.

Book Title, “Nightmare.” Chapter Sample.

I hope you enjoy the reading!!

CHAPTER ONE

David’s nightmare started when he found out that his mother abandons him for his father, who comes from a wealthy family.  The rumor was his mother was dating his dad, and she got pregnant with him. No one knows the reason, but his dad didn’t want him in his life. So his dad told his mom to get rid of him, and David wished she had. But she didn’t listen and decided to keep him. David’s dad left her for that reason. At the time he got David’s mother pregnant, he was in college. David guess enjoying his college life made the baby unimportant to him, and he didn’t want any responsibilities. Maybe, he felt that David would be in his way. But what David doesn’t understand is, if he didn’t want any children, why did he not use protection? To this day, David is still trying to figure out why his father didn’t want him. Money wasn’t a problem for them. He never visited or even asked how his son was doing. His mother, after she had him, realized that she had made a mistake, left him with his Grandmother, and went back to his dad. She told his Grandmother she didn’t want him anymore. She didn’t want to throw him in the street, so she brought him to his Grandmother. His Grandmother felt terrible for him, so she took him and took care of him. His Grandmother was the only mother he ever knew. By the way, I’m not saying that she did a lousy job raising him because she tried hard. His Grandmother was fifty-five years old when she took him. He understands that it wasn’t her job to take care of him, but she made it hers because she didn’t want to give him up for someone else to adopt. Not that there’s something wrong with that. People who choose to take other people’s children into their homes are a blessing to those children sometimes. David didn’t think it was fair to him that he couldn’t spend time with his parents, especially during the holidays. They were never there for his birthdays or his graduations. All the Children he knew had their mother and father around except him. He felt like a reject who was unwanted by his parents. He figured that since he didn’t have his dad or mom around, he could become out of control. So at the age of nine, he became a man of his own. He wanted to prove to the other children that he didn’t need his parents to survive. At seven years old, even though he was a tough daredevil, he went through hell with some of the bullies in school. Those children were older and more prominent than he was. He didn’t have anyone to defend him. Sometimes they took his lunch, pushed him around, teased him, and called him names. At times they followed him home and beat him and pushed him around. He would go to his house crying but would never tell his Grandmother what the other Children did to him. One time a group of boys at school followed him to the bathroom, where one of them pulled his pants down in the bathroom, and the others made him kiss the boy’s butt. They took a picture of it with a phone, and they printed it and posted it all over the school and also e-mailed it to most of the other Children. After that, all the Children started calling him butt kisser. David was embarrassed and upset. One of the boys that were in his class was picking on him, and he got up and spat in the boy’s face. They started to fight, and the teacher separated them. They were both suspended. That day, on his way home, the boys followed him and were pushing him around. On the last push, he tripped and fell on his face, and just stayed on the ground. D-Dog showed up and said, “Is there a problem here?” The boys stopped for a minute, and one of them who had heard of him said, “Guys, let’s go.” And they said, “Why?” And the boy who had heard of D-Dog said to them, “His name is D-Dog, and he’s a criminal; he just got out of jail.” The boys took off running.

“Are you all right?” D-Dog said.

“No, but thank you for standing up for me. These boys are always teasing me and pushing me around.”

“Why don’t you fight back? If you don’t, they will keep on pushing you around.”

“How can I fight back when there are three of them, and they are bigger than me?”

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“My name is David, but they call me Dave.”

“Is your name D-Dog?”

“No, my name is Daniel.”

“So, where did you get D-Dog from?”

“From the children in school.”

“Is it true what they said?”

“Son, don’t believe everything you hear.”

“So why do they call you D-Dog?”

“You see, I used to be like you. Children used to push me around and beat me until one day when I got fed up. I was walking home just like you, and a group of them followed me home. One of them was pushing me around, and I got mad and jumped at him and bit his ear off. He was bleeding all over, and they had to pull me off of him. After that, they didn’t bother me anymore, and they started calling me D-Dog. But I’m not telling you to bite children because it’s dangerous.”

“Why is it dangerous?”

“Because you can catch a disease from their blood; that’s why you use your fist.”

“Oh.”

“Where’s your dad? Why don’t you tell him?”

“I live with my grandmother.”

“What happened to your dad?”

“I don’t know; I never met him or my mom.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Can I hang out with you?

“No!”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m a dangerous man; I’m not a good role model for you. Now go home to your Grandmother.”

“I don’t think you’re a bad man.”

“Child, I only helped you out; I don’t need a friend. If you hang around me, you will get hurt.”

“Well, I was getting hurt before I met you.”

“Listen; you’re a good kid. I don’t want your life to end up like mine. I have nothing to lose; I don’t have a family. I’m on my own, so go home, son.”

“My grandmother won’t get home until six.”

D-Dog started to walk away, and David began following him.

“Son, don’t follow me,” said D-Dog.

“I’m not following you. It is a street; where do you expect me to walk.”

D-Dog stopped walking, and so did David.

“Now, can I help you with something?”

“No, I don’t think so; I’m just resting.”

D-Dog started walking again, and David was right behind him. “Okay! If I teach you how to fight, you promise you’ll leave me alone?”

“I will, but there’s one more thing.”

“What is it now?”

“Would you adopt me as your brother?”

“Oh, hell, no! I don’t even know you, son.”

“Yes, you do.”

“And how is that?”

“Well, you just told me that you don’t have a family and that you’re a dangerous man who went to jail. You told me how you got your nickname. I just told you that I live with my Grandmother and that I don’t have a mother or father. I told you how the children are picking on me at school; can you feel the bond we already have, and..”

“Shut up already, do you always talk that much with other people?”

“No, only if I like them. So do we have a deal?”

“Let me think about it,” he replied, and David hugged him. “Thank you, brother; I love you. You know, it would be better if you were my dad.”

“Oh, hell, no! Don’t push it, son.

“Okay, but you call me, son; it was just a thought.”

“It’s a figure of speech. So, where are you going now?”

“I don’t know yet, maybe the park to do my homework. Or I can come with you and then go home before Grandma gets home.”

“You do that, kid!”

“But wait, I was hoping you would say, ‘No, I can come with you.'”

“For what?”

“So we can get to know each other better before you start teaching me how to fight, remember?”

“Okay, I can’t take you with me today.”

“But why?”

“I have to be somewhere, and you can’t come with me.”

David gave him a sad little face, and he said, “Don’t give me that face; I can’t take you with me. I’ll tell you what; tomorrow we can hang out. I’ll wait for you at the same spot, and I’ll go to the park with you or wherever.”

David smiled and said, “Okay, but wait! How do I know that you’re not trying to get rid of me!”

“I promise I’ll be waiting there tomorrow.”

As D-Dog said, he was waiting there for David the next day. When David saw him, he was thrilled to see him. D-Dog took David to McDonald’s and bought him a Happy Meal. They sat there, and he helped David with his homework after he was done eating.

“So, what do you want to be when you grow up?” D-Dog asked.

“I want to be like you, D-Dog.”

“Why do you want to be like me?”

“Because you’re nice, and you stood up for me.”

“Son, that’s not a career.”

“What’s a career?”

“A career is a trade that you learn and master with a title like a doctor, attorney, engineer, teacher, and so on.”

“So, what should I become when I grow up?”

“Son, I can’t tell you what to become; it’s up to you. It’s natural; do whatever you like doing the most. Right now, you’re kind of too young to choose.”

“Oh!”