Bloody Skeleton Series #1 The Monster in the neighborhood

9-Awake

'What's wrong with you?' Marie asked, frowning at Mikey from across the table.

Mikey blinked and looked around. Marie could see her question reach him slowly, it was as if his mind was loading. He wasn't sure he was awake.

Maybe he'd been sleeping since last night and hadn't woken up yet. 'What?'

'You're behaving weirder than usual.' She was glaring at him, like she always did.

It was not a dream. He'd never dream of Marie, and even if he did, it wouldn't be of her glaring at him over a plate of sausages and French toast.

He looked around again.

'Where's Mom and Dad?'

'Where else, dweeb? Dad's at work and Mom's in her office, like always.' He was still confused. 'It's Monday for crying out loud.'

'Oh,' he forked his sausage, 'right.'

Marie's eyes bored into him for a moment longer before she pushed herself off the table and muttered "whatever" as she walked away.

Mikey ate very slowly, for some reason, he wasn't looking forward to the day. He wanted to just stay in bed, under the blanket even though it got really warm at noon.

But his room was where he'd seen...that. He might see it again, this time under the sunlight, if he went there.

He wasn't looking forward to nightfall.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, the guys were up now, chatting in the group chat. It kept buzzing while he forced himself to eat, his mom was very clear that nobody should put more food than they could finish on their plate. Somehow, he'd ended up with a plate full of sausages and bread even though he wasn't hungry.

Ned was saying everybody needed to come to his house. His cousin was coming for a visit, the cousin that always brought cool games with him. They wouldn't be staying long though, just for the afternoon and then they'd leave in the evening. Jake was already talking about going to Pete's again, probably because Mikey had let it slip yesterday that Marie was going to be there all day.

Mikey felt shook himself, visibly throwing off that feeling that'd hung around him since he'd opened his eyes at sunrise.

Ned's place was just what he needed. They'd play new games, eat ice cream, and everything would be normal again.

'Mom, I'm going to Ned's!'

He pushed his way through the living room and went outside.

Jerry was outside, holding a hose of running water behind his car, his head raised to Mikey's house.

Mikey froze for a minute. It was just a weird dream...keep walking. Slowly, he forced his head towards the garage to get his bike.

Just part of your imagination...

His and Marie's bikes were chained to a metal hook off the side of the garage wall, close to the fence. The lock had a code.

Three, four, six, nine. He counted off, keeping his mind busy.

'What are you doing, Mikey?'

Mikey jumped. That was Jerry's deep, rumbling voice. He was standing right on the curb in front of Mikey's house, the hose leaking water across his lawn.

Mikey swallowed, and stared at his dark eyes. They were too brown, too piercing. It was very uncomfortable. He pulled his bike off and locked the chain around Marie's bike. '...nothing.'

'Doesn't seem like nothing to me. Where are you off to?'

He hopped on his bike, not looking up at Jerry again. 'Nowhere.'

He started to pedal, to the curb and started to go off it. out of nowhere, Jerry gripped his arm. The grip was firm, strong, and painful, and it held Mikey firmly in place on top of his bike, one wheel already on the road.

'Doesn't seem like nowhere. Are you going to meet your friends again? Did you find some fun story to tell?'

Jerry's voice got deeper as he lowered it, menacing. He leaned close to Mikey, forcing him to stare at his eyes, at the expanse of his face.

The face.

Oh no.

Small, angry eyes, nostrils flared. He looked menacing, and a bit psychotic, Mikey didn't know what to do

'Tell me what you saw, Mikey?' Jerry, with his face snarled. 'I know you saw—'

The front door opened; Jerry paused.

'Mr Blueweather,' Marie called from the door. 'My dad's not home yet.'

As if Mikey had imagined it, Jerry's face was properly a face again. The eyes and mouth and nose seemed just normal again. Jerry pulled back a bit. 'I know, Marie. I was just chatting with Mikey. He almost fell just now, isn't that right?'

Mikey's face was colourless. fear thundered in his veins, and the moment Jerry let him go, he pedalled for his life.

He didn't stick around to see what would happen when Marie went back in. He didn't see her shake her head at him or hear her call him weird.

He'd known since the first day that Jerry was bad.