Day 15 Ragged! Poor Tommy after all this time is still left in the fields being stuffed and put up….he seems extra filled now! #maleweightgain #fat #chubby #thick #gainer #gainerart #chubart #fatart #bigboy #bigbelly #tightclothes #rippedclothes
(Idk if it counts as being OOC for Tommy since he’s now back after being turned into a scarecrow and “dying”.)
I scratched and pulled at my skin, trying to get rid of the straw I found. It only kept growing and growing until I no longer had the strength to try and remove it. I kept running, the farmhouse was so close!
I could get help, I could get mama, mama could help me! She had to!
"Ma!" I shouted, I was out of the cornfield. A couple yards away was my house. "Ma!" I tried shouting again, but found my throat constricting. Before I could try anything I started gagging. I managed to make it another foot before collapsing on the ground. I kept gagging as I felt my face become rough, coarse burlap.
Finally I manage to cough up what got in my throat, but I immediately started barfing up what I coughed up:
Straw.
I felt myself loosing consciousness. I manage to turn my suddenly light head one last time. Behind me I saw Harold.
Harold just smiled.
I jolt awake, heart racing and covered in a layer of sweat. I look at myself, feeling the soft, smooth skin. Light, sun-kissed skin with no trace of straw or itchy burlap. I feel my face. No empty eye sockets, no straw from my ears, the same smooth skin on my arms. I raise my shirt and look at my stomach. No punctures, no straw, just the skin. Skin I was relieved to see. I hug myself to try and stop me from shaking.
"Just a damn dream. Only a dream," I whispered. My nerves were shot. I sat there for a few minutes before I had enough. I couldn't get myself to calm down. I throw the blanket off my feet and go downstairs, turning on every light I could on the way. I make it to the living room, mom's dolls creepily decorating one of the walls. As soon as my eyes laid on one of them I shuddered. I swallow and look away, instead focusing on the telephone. I walk over to it and reach out to grab it, but I hesitate.
"Should I really be calling her now? Like a fucking baby?"
A loud creak makes me snap my head to the left. Nothing there, it was just the house settling. As I turn back to face the phone I catch a glimpse of the dolls again. But something seemed off about what I saw, so I do a double take. Harold smiled at me, the same smile from my nightmare, and the same smile from that God damn night. I jump back, nearly knocking over an end table. I grab it before it falls, and quickly look back where he was. Nothing was there.
It was just my imagination.
"Fuck it," I mutter as I grab the phone and dial Ruth's number. The phone rings several times, but she doesn't answer. I try again and again, messing with the phone's cord as I wait. Every other ring I would look around me, making sure that I was alone; that nothing was in here with me. After a few more rings she finally answers.
"Hello? Who is this?" Ruth asked, sleep lacing her voice.
"Hey, Ruth, uh, its Tommy,"
"Tommy? What's wrong? You've been calling me for the past eight minutes. Did something happen?"
The concern in her words made me tear up. Fighting back the urge to break down I answer her.
"Well, no. I just...it- I had a nightmare. Again." My eyes darting from one thing to the next.
"Was it as bad as last time?"
"Y-yeah. Worse, actually." I answered, my voice cracking. I didn't realize a few tears escaped my eyes until I felt one drop on my hand. Instead of trying to wipe them away, I focus on Ruth's words.
"Oh Tommy, I'm so sorry. Do you want to meet up somewhere?" Hearing Ruth say those words with so much kindness and concern made me regret ever just seeing Ruth as an object. Something for me to have fun with, and then immediately discard as soon as I got bored of her. "Yeah. Please. How about at the corner of Windermere Road and Greenhill Lane?"
"Alright. I'll meet you there." Then Ruth hung up. I put the phone back and take a deep breath. I'm going to be fine. I'll just drive over there and talk to Ruth. She'll know what to say to help me.
I go back to my room,leaving all the lights on as I head back. Once inside my room I throw some clothes on, including a jacket. When I'm about to leave my room, I stop and contemplate whether I should turn off the light or not. Dad probably wouldn't be too happy about me leaving all the lights on when I'm not even here, and mom probably would scold me and take away the car from me again. So I decided to turn off the lights as I went. I walked into the kitchen, grabbed the car keys, and left out the front door.
The crisp, chilly winter air makes me shiver while I'm walking. Glad I wore a heavy jacket. I look up to the sky and see a few clouds, but none of them are blocking the bright, full moon. It casts the dirt road I'm walking on in a soft light. I unlock the Pontiac Catalina and get in. Once I'm seated I remember that one Halloween night. The smell of the burning paper bag, and the shit from inside of it. My stomach churns at the smell even though there's none here. I think of the eggs that were thrown at the car and I gag, the combined nonexistent-odors nauseating me.
I think of Ruth, and her pretty blonde hair and the way it felt so soft, almost like silk, her sparkling deep brown eyes that light up when she laughs and become so warm and welcoming when she was happy. Her laughter was like a nice bell that I'm actually happy to hear.
My stomach settled and I was able to drive. While I was driving my mind couldn't help but wander. Unsurprisingly it went back to my nightmare. I couldn't help but start scratching with one of my hands, the other still on the wheel. I soon stopped and swerved back on to the road. I nearly ran into another fence. To calm myself down, as well as distract myself, I took several deep breaths.
As I got closer to the corner I was able to see someone standing there, presumably Ruth. it wasn't that far from Ruth's house so it made sense that she walked. I pulled up right next to here and parked. Immediately I unbuckled my seat belt and almost got tangled in it while trying to leave the car.
Ruth and I hugged in front of my car. Her hug was so comforting and warm, especially in the cold night air, that I started to tear up. I tried to stop myself (I was a grown man, for fuck's sake!) but the tears soon started to fall. Ruth rubbed my back and told me that it was okay, that it was only a dream, how everything was going to be fine.
"I don't think it will Ruth," I managed to cry out between sobs. Ruth hugged me tighter, before pulling back to look at my face. I looked away. I was a man sobbing in the middle of the night to my girlfriend about some nightmare. Right now I don't feel like a man; here I felt like a child again, crying to my "mommy" about a bad dream.
Gently Ruth placed her hands on both sides of my face and made me look at her. Her eyes were filled with determination. "Tommy Milner," she started, pulling me closer, "I know it may feel like you'll never get better, but you will. I promise. We'll all help you through this. It'll take time, but I know you'll be able get through this." Ruth gave me a peck on the lips. I wrapped my arms around her. Her words did help me a little, but I still felt like I was helpless. Ever since November, when Stacey - no, Stella, her name is Stella, and her dad, Ruth, and that other girl Sarah brought me and the others back I've been having nightmares.
I also often saw myself turning into a scarecrow even when I'm not sleeping. At first it almost always happened when I looked in the mirror, but it gradually become less and less frequent. The nightmares, however, still happened as frequently as before.
I cried some more and Ruth soothed me. After crying for a couple of minutes I felt better. I did feel guilty for dragging Ruth out in the middle of the night. "I'm so sorry," I croaked out, looking at Ruth. "It's alright Tommy. I don't mind helping you." I gave her a smile smile. Being with Ruth made me feel so wonderful that it made me want to stay with her longer. I especially didn't want to drive by the cornfield again. Once tonight was enough.
"Um...Ruth? I don't want to be alone, so can I... come to your place?" I asked shyly. Ruth nodded. "Of course! Let's go." I opened the door for Ruth before getting inside the car too. I drove us to the Steinburg residence. We got out the car and Ruth unlocked the front door. Ruth led me upstairs to her room, where we laid down and snuggled until both of us finally fell asleep. Before I fell asleep, I remember Ruth petting my hair and once again whispering comforting words.
( I feel good about the beginning, okay about the middle, and barely even mediocre about the ending.)
