The Thunderstorm, Whumptober Day 1, 2019
No matter how old he gets, the storms always terrify him. It isnât just the thunder, itâs the lightning when it lights up the sky. Itâs the sounds that accompany it that drown out his sense of the world. It doesnât matter what he does, heâll still hear the thunder crack, heâll still see the flash. He hates storms, he fucking hates them. He canât think when they happen, and they make him feel so... Helpless.Â
When he hears the first rumble, he freezes and watches as the lights flicker in horror. His eyes widen as he searches the room, looking for somewhere to hide. When thunder strikes again he can feel his body begin to shut down. Without a plan, he takes off to his room, running as fast as he can.Â
He canât get there fast enough, a feeling of dread urging him to go faster, nearly colliding with the door when he finally reaches it. Max darts into his room, nearly tripping over nothing and flinging himself under his blanket, hoping, praying that it will bring some sort of relief.Â
He can hear voices traveling down the hallway towards his room. Theyâre angry, theyâre shouting, and theyâre mingling with the sounds of the storm. Outside, he can hear scratches on his window, long, deep scratches. He thinks it might just be the storm, or he hopes it is.Â
When the voices reach his door they stop, and whispers start, emerging from the window almost like itâs slithering through.Â
âMax, we wonât hurt you, we promise.âÂ
âMaaaax, let us innn.âÂ
The whispers promise so much, that if heâll just open the window, itâll all stop.Â
âItâll be over soon.âÂ
Itâs like a nail on a chalkboard, and itâs slow, constant. The voice is high pitched and broken.
The yelling from the door continues once more. All the people he canât make himself call friends or family.Â
âGROW UP YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!â
Max canât breathe, he canât hear it again.Â
He opens his eyes from under the blanket, and he canât see anything until lightning fills the room, and then all he can see is a shadow at the window.Â
âIâm going to fucking kill you.â Itâs from his door, itâs not yelling, but itâs harsh. He has definitely heard it before, and many times.Â
âWhat have you done, Max?â Itâs his mother. Sheâs sad, crying. She hates him.Â
âYou donât deserve-â
The window shatters, and he canât hear what was being said anymore. His body is flung against the wall and he can feel the glass pierce his skin. The blanket is gone, so he can nearly see the creature when he lifts his head.Â
He looks, and he canât move, as it lowers its scarred face, and reaches out with a branch for an armďźÂÂ
He canât fucking breathe, his limbs are tangled, heâs sobbing, and he canât make himself stop. He can feel his chest heaving, and heâs drenched in sweat. He can hear the rain outside his tent. He can feel, but he canât think, he canât stop. It doesnât matter that it isnât the first time he has had that dream, that nightmare.Â
He wants David, or some other camp counselor, but he knows that if he bothered them that they wouldnât care. They wouldnât do it for him. He knows that it would be so nice to hear them, to see another person, but it doesnât matter. Heâs Max, the troublemaker, and he doesnât deserve it anyway. When he hears the thunder, this time itâs real, and he knows heâll never get back to sleep.Â
He grabs his bear and buries his face into its fur, just like every other time. Itâll be over eventually, he tells himself, as more tears stream down his face. Heâs scared, heâs so fucking scared.Â
(This is trash but I tried)