The Little Town of Lillston

The Eyeless Clone

Bryson did as Callie said, and he was able to get some sleep. In fact, he fell asleep right after she left, and he didn't wake until the sun's ascent the following morning. The sun was just beginning its rise, the dark sky slowly turning to a deep orange. He was actually hungry, and he took that as a welcoming sign. He was beginning to hate feeling cold one minute, hot the next, clammy, nauseous, bored. He'd rather face Principal Kindell's wrath in full health.

Bryson wondered whether his parents were home. They weren't home when Callie had stopped by.

As if on cue, someone emerged from the hallway, rubbing at their eyes. It was Hunter. "What're you doing up so early?" Bryson asked, tilting his head.

Hunter lowered his hands. Where his eyes should've been, there was skin; bone and smooth skin covering his face.

The thing sniffed. Bryson was suddenly very still, his heart beating fast. The monster with no eyes took a small step forward, as if waiting for Bryson to make a noise, or to move. Bryson was beginning to think he was imagining things. It was all in his head. He stood quietly from the couch, his arms shaking slightly. The eyeless Hunter look-a-like whipped its head in Bryson's direction and bared sharp, canine-like teeth. Bryson took two quiet steps toward the monster. The monster closed the distance in two long strides, and its head inclined toward Bryson.

Bryson reacted before he allowed the monster to move anymore. He thrust his knee into the monster's chest, and it stumbled backward, letting out a croaky screech. Bryson had confirmed his suspicions. He could feel the monster, interact with it; Just like when the walking-legs had wrapped its cold fingers around Bryson's wrist. These weren't just mere hallucinations; they were real. They were too vivid. Bryson wasn't very creative. His mind couldn't make all this up.

The hallway light turned on, and the boy with no eyes disappeared down the hall, turned into Bryson's room, and was out of sight by the time Bryson's mother left her bedroom. She stifled a yawn and stopped at the base of the hall, noticing Bryson was awake and standing in the middle of the living room. "Bryson, are you alright?" she asked calmly.

Bryson sat down on the couch, deep in thought. The monsters couldn't be real, but if they weren't real and they weren't figments of his imagination, what were they? Maybe Callie drugged him somehow. Maybe the principal was in on the joke, too. Maybe Jack was trying to scare Bryson away.

His mother pressed a hand to Bryson's forehead. "Still warm," she frowned. "I went to the doctor's yesterday to pick up some medication. They were very generous and understanding... apparently, it's the middle of the season for sicknesses like these."

Bryson shook his head. "That's alright, I feel a little better."

His mother's face lifted. "Do you want me to make you some breakfast?"

"Sure," Bryson said.

While his mother began preparing breakfast in the kitchen, Bryson decided to take a shower. He hadn't used the one in the house yet and was curious to see if it met his standards.

The shower didn't quite meet his standards.

The water pressure was low and the room filled with steam in an instant. The drain was clogged, so the tub didn't drain, and it was loud, each drop echoing in the room. But nevertheless, the water was heated, and Bryson appreciated getting rid of the feeling of vomit and sweat on his skin. He dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and found his mother and father, Hunter and Sophia, in the kitchen. Sophia was more cheerful, and her face wasn't nearly as pale as it had been. She and Hunter were bickering with each other, and their mother and father were having a quiet conversation Bryson couldn't quite make out.