Monster

Part 4

    Thomas

The first thing I heard when I came to school

Was a name

That seemed so suspicious

What was I to do?

Stone, they say

May be capable of doing it

No one says what he did

What he may have done

But that name floats around

And I only connect it to a face

Later when he walks down the hallways

A guy right next to him

He's pale, but not from fear

Like I always was

Rough looking but not guilty looking

Like he didn't care

I clenched my teeth

As the pair walk by

The friend staring at me as he walks by

HIM only staring ahead

They left and it was long before I could leave that spot

I knew right then

That he knew

Knew someone, something

And the friend was the confident

I kept my smile on

It was like that water freezing over

Like a tidal wave taking over

I keep my mask on

Nothing could mess this up

I was a perfect being

That had to stay the same

I'm driving home

After being silent the whole day

When my boss, the doctor's assistant that I am

Tells me to take a house call

I turn around

It was time to see a check up

The door was opened by a woman

Friendly, but somehow off

Her smile too forced

Her face a little too gaunt

I give her my smile

The one that fools everyone

She seems comforted

She starts to lead me to the room

She keeps wringing her hands

It's obvious she's nervous

About what, I don't know

I open the door cautiously

Depressed people were often a little off

Like the mother

It's stark black

The darkness surrounds everything

There's a body on the bed

Spread out

She stares out into space

Her name's Zoe, the mother says

She's been like this for the last week

I almost stiffen

The same date

Maybe she knew something

Don't worry, I have to reassure her

I will see what I can get out of her

She nods and turns away

Her footsteps echoing behind her

I flick on the lights

And Zoe flinches

It seems to hurt her eyes

Sit up, I can't see her face

She doesn't move until finally her arm falls off her face

She squints and slowly, very slowly, she leans upward

Her eyes are bloodshot and her face pale and skeleton like

It's obvious something's wrong

I don't try to get her to talk

I just watch her for the time

She seems uncomfortable

But I'm used to it

It's comforting

The silence and the familiarity of these sessions

She finally says something

Are you here to kill me?

I start at this

That's a little blunt

Most times they just try to avoid talking to anyone

So they don't get sent to the hospitals

If you're not, she keeps going

Then can you go?

I oblige her

Her session's over

I will see her later

As I'm exiting, I see someone walking down the hallway

It's HIM

My body seems frozen

I can't seem to move

He doesn't seem fazed

He doesn't know who I am

I try to move away

And he gives me a smile

That appears so very much like a predator's

Ready to snatch me in its clutches

I can only flee away

In terror of the monster behind me