The Nightmare

The Nightmare

"I don't want to go to sleep tonight,"  Ponder admitted finally as Mama sat down next to him to tucked him in.  He had been dreading his bedtime all day. As night got closer he got more and more worried about it.  Now that it was here he could not hide his fear any longer.

"Why is that, Pond?"  Mama's eyes searched his.  "Are you sick?"

"No.  It's just that...well...last night I had a bad dream."

"Oh.  I see.  And are you afraid that you will have another one tonight?" 

"Yes.  Oh Mama, it was such a scary dream!"

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"It was about a bear and it was chasing me!  I woke up before it caught me." Ponder felt a rush of panic just remembering the bear.

"Oh.  I see.  That does sound scary.  Bears are terrifying. Have you dreamed this dream before?"

"No."

"Well then you are not likely to dream it again."

"Hmmm."  Ponder felt unconvinced.

"But let's do something to get you ready in case you do."

Ponder's eyes sparkled, "Really?  You can do that?"

"Sure!  It always helps to be prepared.  Now scoot over." Ponder inched over and Mama laid down next to him.  They both stared up into the darkness. "Now in real life it is very difficult to fight a bear.  But in a dream anything can happen. So if a bear should chase you in a dream, instead of running away from it, why not turn around and give it a big smack?" 

"Really?  I can do that?"

"Oh yes.  Let's practice."  Mama made a fist and swung it into the darkness over her head.  "Now you try it." 

Ponder did the same.  It felt so good.

Mama snuggled him close. He closed his eyes. He was not afraid. He felt powerful.