#sunggles

Defeating Dodge did not come without its consequences. 

Bode ended up taking down the mirror from his door. When his mom asked what was wrong with it he simply said he didn’t like it anymore. He missed the concerned glances Kinsey and Tyler exchanged with each other.

A week after everything had happened Bode found himself haunted by nightmares. Sometimes he gives Dodge all the keys willingly. Sometimes it’s revealed the person they shoved through the Door wasn’t Dodge, but Ellie, his best friend’s mother. Sometimes Kinsey drowns in those caves with the rest of her friends.

Tyler was sucked into the Omega Door with their enemy, his hand just out of Kinsey’s reach...

Waking in a cold sweat Bode threw his covers off and slid on his sneakers. Tyler, the youngest Locke thought as he silently crept down the hallway armed with his trusty light stick. 

When he passed the balcony Bode froze, remembering the shape of Dodge’s broken body lying on the floor beneath him. “Tyler!” Bode hissed, the door squeaked as he turned the doorknob, pushing it open. Bypassing the light switch Bode padded next to his brother’s bed. It wasn’t until he saw the soft rise and fall of Tyler’s chest when he let himself relax again. He poked Tyler, who in response drooled into his pillow. Bode winced then, avoiding the drool puddle, climbed in next to Tyler. Once he was snuggled against Tyler’s chest and able to hear his brother’s heartbeat, Bode did his best to relax as much as he could. Eventually Bode’s eyes fluttered shut as he dreamed of his father telling him the story of the sea monster.

The next morning he woke to the sound of Tyler tripping over something. Bode opened his eyes in time to see his brother fall flat on his face. “Damn it!” Tyler exclaimed scampering to his feet. “Bode!” He yelled out his door, Bode winced then said,

“Tyler you don’t have to scream.” Tyler turned back around to find Bode wrapped up in his bedding. “I didn’t mean for you to trip on the light stick... sorry...” Bode said looking down guiltily. Tyler sighed then handed the stick back to him,

“I’m not angry okay Bode?” Tyler seemed to take in the situation, “did you have a nightmare last night?” He asked, concern laced in his eyes. Bode shook his head quickly, not wanting to burden Tyler with his trauma.

“No nightmare. I must’ve...” He trailed off thinking of a lie, “I must’ve sleep walked into your room!” Bode said running past Tyler to avoid any further questions. “Sorry!” He yelled as he raced down the hallway to the safety of his bedroom. Locking the door behind him, Bode took a deep breath then began to get ready for the day. Despite the demon being stuck in the Omega Door, Dodge’s haunting melody never left his mind. Bode, where’s the Anywhere Key? Reflections of her would ask as he passed by mirrors in the house. Bode ignored Dodge’s voice the best he could, hood pulled up and tied tightly over his ears.

As the day continued Bode didn’t notice his siblings whispering conspiratorially together in the drawing room.

Once dinner was laid out Bode suddenly felt exhausted from a long day of hunting for remaining shadow monsters. Despite everything being over, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Bode stayed silent as his family filled the meal with talk about how their days from school went. He avoided or redirected any questions aimed at him, daydreaming of that night. “May I be excused?” Bode said the second he swallowed the last of his broccoli. His mom glanced at Tyler and Kinsey, who both shrugged unhelpfully. Luckily he got permission to go to bed early, so Bode cleared his plate and went straight to his room.

“I’m sorry mam,” the police officer said at Key House’s front door. “We believe Kinsey Locke to be among those who drowned in the caves.” Bode ran out from his hiding place shouting blasphemy at the officer. Tyler held him back, eyes squeezed shut in order to prevent tears from falling.

This time when he woke up a light shone from under his covers. Bode sighed as he took out his light stick, it’s a wonder he hasn’t needed to replace the batteries yet. Pulling on socks Bode opened his door then once again made his way to one of his sibling’s rooms. This time he opened Kinsey’s door. 

When he saw her awake and on her phone, Bode sighed thankfully. He tried to shut the door without being noticed. Unfortunately his sister spoke up, “if you’re going to come in you might as well stay the night.” Kinsey said with a smile, she patted the empty spot on her bed. Bode turned off his stick and leaned it against the wall, close to where the headboard was so he could grab it easier. Once he was safe within Kinsey’s mountain of quilts his eyelids felt heavy. “What’s gotten into you Bode?” She asked running a hand lightly through his hair. Bode hummed, but didn’t respond. Instead wrapping his arms tighter around his sister’s leaving, breathing body. 

He missed the text Kinsey sent Tyler telling him they needed to talk.

When he woke up Bode’s face was buried in Kinsey’s pink hair. “Ugh,” Bode said peeling strands of hair off his face. “Kinsey?” He asked, his sister groaned then blinked awake.

“What is it?” She asked peeling her eyes open. Bode hesitated, maybe he should tell his siblings about his nightmares. They would be the only ones who would understand…

“Nothing,” he lied through his teeth, “thanks for letting me sleep here last night.” Bode said climbing out of bed, light stick in tow.

The third night of his nightmares was the worst.

Dodge kept her promise and destroyed his family. Not by killing them, but by tearing them apart from the inside out. Tyler and Kinsey were always fighting, his mom turned to the bottle again, and his uncle Rufus would refuse to step a foot in Key House. Bode’s dad was still dead, that was the only constant throughout the hell of his nightmarish thoughts. “Bode wake up!” A voice called out, but wasn’t he already awake? Bode thought to himself as he watched Kinsey’s body lowering into the ground next to the other Lockes who died on the property.

“Bode!”

His eyes snapped open to Tyler and Kinsey shaking him awake. Bode blindly reached around his bedroom until he found his light stick then he turned it on, the light warming his room. “Bode, you’re not okay are you?” Tyler asked as Kinsey crawled dutifully into bed next to him. Bode sighed then shook his head, turning to listen to his sister’s heartbeat. “It’s okay to not be okay right now Bode.” Tyler said wrapping his arms around them both, “Dodge isn’t coming back anytime soon. We have all the keys locked in the music box, and the crown is hidden well enough no one will find it.” He comforted as Kinsey’s eyes fluttered close. Bode turned around to face his brother,

“Do you really think Dodge is gone?” He asked Tyler, who nodded.

“Maybe not forever, but for right now? Yes Bode, she’s gone. We’re alive, and we’re all safe.” Bode sighed, then curled into a tighter ball against his big brother’s chest.