A Faltering self (Distorted Reality book 2)

Chapter 72- Monsters wander the halls

(Matt's POV)

I wander the hallway. I'm still trying to get used to my new home. It feels weird., andI miss Mama. I don't know why she left to be with Papa without me.

Was I too bad?

Papa said that he didn't know when we'd see each other again, so if Mama went too, then I don't know when I'll see her again.

Their friend said that he's supposed to watch me until they come back. His house is the one I'm staying in now. I'm trying to find his room. I heard something scary and I don't want to be by myself. I can't look around because there are scary people sometimes that keep watching me. The dark makes their faces look like monsters.

"I told you, while he's here, I can't let you take control again!"

"You don't get to decide that."

I hear people talking, one of them is yelling, and it's Mama's and Papa's friend. I don't know who he's yelling at, and I'm too scared to walk in, but also too scared to be alone. I inch to his room and peek in. He's looking into a mirror, and still yelling, but there's no one else. And there's that funny feeling in my tummy.

"I GET TO DECIDE ANYTHING THAT I WANT TO, AND I SAID NO!"

Then who was he yelling at?

"You gave that up when you invited me in."

I watch his reflection as he speaks with a voice that doesn't sound like his. It scares me, and I step back before his eyes in the mirror see me.

"Matthias? Wait!"

He turns to me and I run away, not sure what to think about what I saw. Just that It scared me. He was like one of the monsters.

I run, but don't pay attention to where. I go into the first room that's open after trying a few that weren't. It's dark, and though I can't see anyone in the dark, I hear whispers. I want to back out of the room, but I'm afraid he'll find me, so I go to a desk that's in the room and hide under, squeezing my eyes shut tight so that I can't see who is whispering in the dark. I feel someone kneel beside me from the opening of the desk, but I still just keep my eyes closed and pray to Jesus.

Please, please, please, please protect me, Jesus.

I hear the door open and footsteps come into the room before there is complete silence as a light turns on.

"Matthias? I know you're scared, but I promise that I won't hurt you. Please come out so we can talk. Are you in here?"

"He's here." Someone else tells him.

I open my eyes back up to see who, and even though it feels like someone is still kneeling beside me, I don't see anyone there, at least not until he comes there instead and sits beside me.

"I'm sorry you saw that. I promise that I won't hurt you. It's just, you know how you have thoughts in your head?"

I nod as I try to figure out what he's trying to tell me.

"And you know how you have a voice? It's just you in your head and talking when you do?"

I nod again, but he's confusing me more.

"Well, I don't. I have someone else that thinks inside my head and talks sometimes."

I don't know if I understand what he means.

"Okay, how about this, It's like there are two of me inside my body, does that make any more sense?"

I think I kind of know what he's talking about. I had a friend at Papa's work that said something like that. He said that sometimes he has a voice in his head that tells him what to do. So, I nod again, and stay quiet. Still scared.

"Do you believe that I won't hurt you?" He asks, and there is this bad feeling that begins to grow.

I want to believe him, but the feeling tells me that he's a bad guy. Mama told me that it's not okay to lie to her and Papa, but that sometimes I should to bad guys. So that's what I do.

"I believe you." I tell him and try hard to pretend like I do like Papa taught me. He said that if you need someone to believe you, then you need to believe what you say too.

He won't...

He won't hurt me...

He smiles and stands up before holding out his hand to me.

"Okay, then. Now what do you say we get some ice cream? I hear that Frank got some Rockie road just for you the last time he went to the alimentari."

Ice cream!

"Oooooo, really?!" I grin and let myself focus on the ice cream to help me not feel scared.

We head to the kitchen, and things feel okay.