The Grabber

Surprise Visit

The next morning, Al woke up on the couch. He didn't get much sleep. He stayed up most of the night trying to think of how he could hide the fact that the kid was still here. He didn't let him go like he promised Andrea. He couldn't.
As Al slowly sat up and rubbed his face. He listened to the quiet home. Andrea was still asleep. He looked up at the clock. It was only around eight in the morning. He expected Max to be up any minute so he could get the goods from his neighbor. He knew Max wouldn't last long without it. He finally stood and stretched a bit, letting out a good breath. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked outside. The sun was shining on the street. Several of his neighbors had gone to church this morning. Al never attended. They would try to invite him, but he politely declined each time. How could God love a killer like himself? The unholy things he has done. Killing the very ones that God himself supposedly created. Al didn't believe in God. He couldn't imagine how such a perfect being could exist, only to make those who do not believe in him suffer. How could he be all loving if he sends the ones he created to Hell? If it was even real. Al shook himself out of his thoughts as he heard a door open. He turned to see Max rounding the corner, almost on cue.
"You're up early," he smiled.
"I could say the same for you," Al shrugged. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Just a little jittery, but alright," he answered honestly. Al nodded as he figured as much.
"Well, if you're ready to get your stuff, you'll wanna ask Thomas. He's the fifth door down," he pointed out the window to direct him. "Just let him know you're my brother. He'll take care of it, no charge."
"Gotcha. You sure I don't need to pay him?"
"It'll be his way of paying me back. I helped him with some repairs not too long ago and he said he would pay me back for it. We exchange favors sometimes." Max nodded as this was great news to him. As someone who didn't have a lot of money, he needed to save as much as he could.
"That's great, actually," he sighed in relief. "You think he's up by now?" Al nodded.
"Oh, yeah. He's an early bird. He likes to talk, though, so don't be surprised if you're there a while."
"That makes two of us," Max chuckled. "Well, then, I'll see you in a bit." Al nodded as Max headed towards the door to leave.
"See ya." He waited until he saw Max walk past the window. When he was far enough, Al headed to his room quietly. He wanted to make sure Andrea was still asleep. He quietly opened the door to peek inside. Andrea was still fast asleep. He smiled a bit to see how peacefully she was sleeping. Much more peaceful than she looked when she slept in the basement. As he looked around the room, he decided she should change out of his pajamas. Being as silent as possible, he entered the room towards his closet. Khaki pants and a simple jacket would do. He looked over at Andrea again to make sure she stayed asleep. He didn't want to wake her. He knew this was probably worrisome enough without waking up to him being in the room, considering the past. Once he retrieved his clothes, he made one last look at her and exited just as silent as he came in. Once the door was closed, he headed to the bathroom to clean up.

...

As the door to the basement shut, Al trudged up the stairs as he pulled off the smiling mask. It didn't matter to him whether the boy ate or not. The food was there, so Al wouldn't be the one to blame if he starved. As he reached the top of the stairs, he carefully peered out the door to make sure no one was around. The house was just as silent as it was when he first went down. He decided to leave the door open to trick the boy if he was to come upstairs. Al hid his mask before checking the home if Max had come back or if Andrea had woken up. Sure enough, Max was still gone and Andrea was still asleep. As he entered the kitchen again, Al pulled up a chair to face the basement. He grabbed his frowning mask and slipped off his jacket. It was easier to swing his arm this way. The time for charisma had ended. It was time to prepare for the second part of the game. All that was let to do was for the boy to play along.
Once he put the mask on, he grabbed the belt he hid in the box as well. He had used this one for years. It was special to him in a way. He sighed as he sat in the chair and stared at the opened basement door. He left the door unlocked, hoping the boy would play his game. How he enjoyed it so much. He would definitely miss it if he was to change his ways. He couldn't see himself changing from this. Perhaps he would never change his ways. Maybe it didn't matter. If he stopped, what would it change for him? Guilt? Shame? Self loathing? None of it mattered. Not now anyway. This was the way he numbed himself to feeling anything. A way to release his feelings he didn't want to feel. As he sat with his bare back against the cold chair, he found his mind empty. Not a thought behind the eyes that were visible through the mask. Everything around him faded to nothing as his focus only worried about the basement door. Finally, he heard it creak. After however long he had been waiting, it finally creaked open. He sat ready. He adjusted himself to prepare for the game. A devilish grin developed from behind the frown he wore.
Any second now, he thought. Come on up, naughty boy. Don't be shy. After what felt like hours, his adrenaline dissolved into disappointment as he heard the footsteps grow softer, leading to the creak of the door once again. He sighed in defeat. The boy had gone back to the basement. He didn't play.
After waiting a few minutes to see if the boy would change his mind, he finally stood up and closed the door he had left open. Why don't you wanna leave? He wondered. The other kids came up every time. What made this one so different? He placed the chair back in its original place and hid his mask and belt. As he heard another door open, he quickly put his jacket back on, buttoning it closed. Just as he was fixing his hair, a small yawn made Al turn to the doorframe leading to the living room. He smiled as he saw Andrea's tired face.
"Morning, sleepy head," he sang. Andrea smiled as she ran a hand through her hair, almost seeming to mimick Al. "You didn't wanna sleep in longer?"
"I tried, but something kept telling me not to."
"One of the.. visions?" He asked as he headed towards the fridge to grab a carton of orange juice. Andrea leaned against the door frame as she tried to wake up.
"No, it was more of a... feeling. Like a gut feeling that something wasn't right." Al poured some juice into a glass and placed the carton back into the fridge.
"Maybe it's the new setting. Or you're just hungry. You didn't eat much last night," he suggested. "On that note, what would you like for breakfast?" He sat the glass on the table as he motioned for her to sit. She did as another yawn escaped her lips.
"Anything is fine, honestly," she shrugged. Just as Al was about to suggest something, Max had come through the front door with a box in hand. Al couldn't believe how good he had timed it before everyone came around.
"That didn't take long," Al commented. Max sat the small box on the coffee table.
"Yeah, he seemed like he was in a hurry. I didn't wanna keep him." Al nodded as he reached for the bread box.
"Well, you're just in time. I was about to make some toast for Andrea. You want any?"
"That's alright, I'm good. I'm actually gonna head into town I think to see if any place is hiring. Figured I would get an early start." Al nodded as he placed two bread slices into the toaster.
"Alright. Good luck and be careful."
"Will do. I'll see you guys in a bit."
"Did he go to see someone?" Andrea asked as her voice was still a bit groggy. Al thought it was cute. He turned to face her as he waited for the toast.
"Remember when I said how he coped with.. everything?" Andrea slowly nodded as she knew where Al was going with this. "He just needed to get some. I figured he wouldn't last long without it. He doesn't get violent or anything, so you don't have to worry about that. He just gets even more energetic than he already is."
"He has more energy without it than I would have with a sugar rush. I wish I had that much energy," Andrea smiled a bit as she took another drink of her juice. Al chuckled a bit.
"I couldn't imagine what you would be like with that much energy." He went to retrieve butter from the fridge to prepare Andrea's toast that had just popped up.  Andrea took a look towards the basement door she sat beside.
"Did you do it?" She gently asked.
"Do what?" Al asked as he knew what she meant.
"Him." Al paused for a moment as he knew she would ask about it. He also knew he couldn't tell her the truth.
"It's all taken care of," he finally said.
"No one saw?"
"No one saw." Andrea smiled as she was proud of Al and happy that the boy was safe and sound.
"I know it wasn't easy, but I'm proud of you." Al slowly nodded as turned to place the plate of toast in front of Andrea. He thought about how he not only was feeding her toast, but feeding her lies. He knew lying to her wasn't easy.
"It definitely wasn't easy."