Chapter 3: Living Nightmares

Nightmares are bad. Worse is when you wake up into one.

The night after I lost my Lucy I lay on a thin mattress in my friend Jim's living room. Alex slept on my chest and I held him as though he would slip from my grasp if I let go.

Jim would help. He'd lost his little sister when he was a child after she wandered into the forest where the Tree lives and never came out. He understood how I felt.

"Daddy will keep you safe Alex" I whispered as I slowly ran my hand through his hair. The Tree wanted me, but I knew it would happily kill anyone close to me in order to get to me. I would protect Alex. I had to.

"Don't be scared Alex, don't be scared like Daddy" it was the truth that showed in the way my fingers trembled. Daddy was not brave. Daddy was very scared of what lay ahead.

My eyes drifted shut against my will. I was tired from today. This morning I had woken up beside my beautiful wife and now I was alone. I had Alex though. If nothing else, I had my son.

My dreams were tinged with the bright red light that was the calling card of the Crimson Tree. Terrified screaming filled my ears and a distant echoing voice called.

"Daddy... Daddy!" I jolted awake with a gasp. Alex looked at me with big eyes. One of his little hands rested on my cheek. He'd woken me from my nightmares.

"Daddy sad" Alex said softly and the hand that was on my cheek moved so that Alex could give me a hug. He smelled like baby powder and warmth. Even if the hug was a little tight.

"It's ok buddy, Daddy's fine. Thank you" Alex leaned back sitting up on my chest and looked at me. Those eyes, the same blue as mine looked too serious for a toddler.

"Daddy not... fine" he said slowly and I sighed. From the mouth of babes, it was true. I wasn't fine but once I finished my business with the Tree.  Then I would be.

"When did you get so smart Alex?" he yawned and lay back down not bothering to answer me. I rubbed my face with my hand.

I wondered if the little boy whose spirit was inside the Tree. David ever missed his dad. If he was scared, confused. I doubted he was malicious. He was just four years old and probably didn't know how to leave.

Even if he was just a child though. I still had to destroy the Tree. I had a plan but I wasn't sure if I was going to free David by going through with it. Or whether he would die with the Tree.

I know if I wanted to keep Alex safe I had to do it. They don't sell Flamethrowers to one armed men like me. I had a lighter though. I was going to burn the Tree to the ground. I would light up the entire forest if I had to. The tree would not be able to escape.

I just had to hope that David wouldn't feel it. I had to. Alex and I needed to be safe from the Tree's vengeance. No more missing hikers. No more deaths.

It was about time for the Crimson Tree to burn.

Author's Note

A bold plan, but will it work?