Excerpt
MAX AND FRIENDS, PROTECTORS OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 1
The house settled down to the normal night sounds, those eerie creaks, groans, and sighs. The clock was loud and annoying with its blue glow. That tick tock was as aggravating as a dripping faucet.
Max snuggled in the tight embrace of the captor of his heart. An ear-shattering scream sliced through the night air and filled the bedroom with terror. Max came fully awake in a state of panic, looking for an intruder. What had happened to Jake? Had someone hurt him? Was he sick? Was someone trying to whisk him away into the night?
Jake was sitting up in bed, the screams having subsided into soft whimpers. He had Max in a death grip.
Mr. and Mrs. Crooks rushed into the room fearing something terrible had happened to their young son. They folded him into their arms, but he wasn’t aware of them or their concern; he wasn’t awake. They laid him down, gave him a kiss, and after making sure he was sleeping peacefully, left the room.
Max was still shaking. It is hard on an elephant’s nervous system when jerked out of sleep that way. Voices from around the room whispered concerned questions. Was Jake all right? Is he sick, hurt?
That was the first of many nights they were jolted awake by screams. He seemed awake, but was asleep. He never remembered the event, although there were times he said he felt tired as if he had run or been chased. Night terrors are different from nightmares that way. Some nights Jake would just sit up in bed and cry softly, settle back down and continue with peaceful sleep. Some nights he would be restless, clammy, but quiet. Occasionally he would have a nightmare and tell his mother about weird creatures.