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Silco jolted awake. A terrified, haunting scream bounced off of the walls. Usually, he’d enjoy screams like that. He’d soak them in while trying to get his victim to make more. He didn’t find himself like that now. Abnormal behaviour being his new normal as he found himself sprinting down the corridor in an old pair of pyjama trousers and a dressing gown. He didn’t want to hurt himself in the dark but the screaming wouldn’t stop. It whirled around his head, blocking out any 3am thoughts. He was an uncle ─ a bad uncle. Quite frankly, he’d been an awful uncle. Trouble is, he couldn’t remember when he became a father.
The door to Powder’s room was decorated with shabby monkey graffiti in glow-in-the-dark paint. This made it easy to find on nights like this. Silco opened the door softly. Her bed was against the right wall, a nightlight placed on her bedside table. It wasn’t bright, but it managed to illuminate her terrified features as she sat up in bed, her back against the wall. “Powder…?” Silco asked, calling her name softly.
No response, she gripped her head in her hands, occasionally slamming her fist against it as she screamed. “Violet…” she whispered. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” her voice cracked under the weight of her words.
Silco’s features softened. He stood over her bed, running his hand through her hair. He could barely console himself when he had flashbacks like these ─ though very sparse now. He was in over his head. Way over his head. She looked up at him, her wails pausing. She gave herself time to breathe, her pants filling the room. She studied him, it looked like. Silco patted her legs, silently asking her to move them. She obliged, letting him sit himself down next to her. She shuffled and laid her head on his lap, crying into his dressing gown. “I didn’t mean to… I’m a jinx, I’m a jinx!”
He tucked hair behind her ear, holding her close to him. “Powder,” he started. He paused as she flinched. Okay, less usage of her name helped. “I’ve got you.” He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. How did this happen? How had he suddenly become a father? The good thing about being an objectively terrible uncle was that he didn’t have to interact with children much, if at all. He held her like that for a while, instinctively rocking back and forth. “I’ll always be here, I’ll always protect you. It doesn’t matter what you think of yourself, I’ll be here to pick up the pieces.”
Silco couldn’t shake the guilt he felt for putting this child through so much by trying to kill Vander. Of course, he didn’t regret his actions towards his brother, but looking back it shouldn’t have affected the child. He felt less bad about the other children. Vi was strong, she knew how to handle herself ─ even in prison. Mylo and Claggor… well, that was unavoidable. Powder had no way of knowing they were in danger.
As nightmares go, this was a whopper.
Gentle snoring invaded Silco’s ears. He opened his eyes again and looked down. She’d tired herself out. He ran a hand through her hair again before shifting her so that her head was back on her pillow. He pulled the duvet back over her after placing a teddy next to her, tucking her into bed. He grabbed a spare blanket and pillow and made a bed for himself on the floor. How did Vander cope? It wasn’t the comfiest of sleeping places, but he’d roughed it worse.
As nightmares go, this was a whopper.