Very Blue Eyes

The clock struck twelve, and she awoke screaming. Vera sat up, her fingers clawing the pink bedspread. At eight, she knew what a nightmare was, knew the seeping fear wasn’t real and that she shouldn’t be afraid, but Vera didn’t lie back down.

Nothing moved in her room as she gulped in air. Her Barbies remained lined on the shelves, the stuffed dolphin at her side provided fuzzy comfort.

But then the door moved. Vera yelped.

Mama stuck her head in, frizzy hair a halo around her head. “Vera?”

Vera flopped her head back to the pillow, too old for nightmares, or at least to admit to them. Mama turned on the light, and the heat in Vera’s cheeks banished even the memory of the creeping shadows. “Bad dreams sweetie?” The bed creaked a little as mama sat on its end. “The witch again? Or was it a bad school dream?”

She didn’t answer and mama waited. Vera tried to remember, furrowing her brow and picking through the dream’s hazy remnants. “A man said he knew you. He had very blue eyes,” Vera spoke into the edge of her blanket. “He was here.”

On the edge of the bed, her mother stopped, frozen in time. Just her mouth seemed to work. “Blue eyes?” Mama asked.

Vera nodded, feeling fear hollow her out again. They had been very blue, like the rings of fire summoned on the stove. Brilliant and bright as neon. Mama still didn’t move at the end of her bed, chest beating up and down with each breath, like a rabbit caught in the middle of a trail. “Mama?”

Very slowly mama got up. She pulled the pink covers back and drew Vera up too. Together they went to gather Vera’s brother from the other bedroom, and Mommy from the bed she shared with Mama. Her mothers exchanged very hushed words and then grim nods. They gathered no bags, or photos, or toothbrushes.

Together, Vera’s hand clasped so tightly it hurt in Mama’s, and her brother sagging over Mommy’s shoulder, they locked the front door and piled into their sedan. With her brother yawning in the car seat next to her, Vera twisted to watch their little house get littler and littler. From her shrinking vantage point, Vera imagined him, blue eyes bright in her pink bedroom, waving from the window.

Vera lifted her hand and waved before the car turned and the house went out of sight.