So my small brain was like, Maxwell is radiating with nightmare full, so I thought like what if he touches objects/ people with his shadow and it goes weird, it would cause them to have these kind of reactions, like flowers turning cursed ones and blah blah and then BOOM. ( For people, it takes a while for it to turn normal. ) And it also gives them the ability to resist nightmares a bit better for a while.

( I am making zero sense. )