Room

Outer Space

There's Room, then Outer Space with all the TV panets. Then Heaven. Plant is real but not trees. Spider is real, I've seen her twice. And one time the mosquito that was sucking my blood, like a vampire. Ma gave me a really big pill. That was the only time my blood got out of me. But squirrels and dogs are just TV. Except Lucky. He's my dog that will come someday.

Monsters are too big to be real, and the sea. And the TV persons are flat and made of colors. But me and you are real. Old Nick.. I don't know if he's real. Maybe half.

Ma turned on the tub and waited as it filled. Jack was playing with Labyrinth quietly as he waited as well.

Jack and his Ma had built Labyrinth when the boy was 2. It was made of toilet paper rolls and tape. They made it so it took a lot of turns.

Jack loved playing with Bouncy Ball in Labyrinth. He would put the ball inside and try to make it find all the other way out.

"Ma, how old are you turning on your birthday?"

"Twenty-eight."

"Wow!" Jack said. "Is Old Nick gonna bring candles for Sunday Treat?"

Ma didn't seem so happy about that, but she didn't answer. Instead, she offered her son a small smile.

"Tub is full, Jack the Giant." she said.

Jack jumped up and down as Ma helped him get his clothes off.

"After our bath, we're gonna eat lunch." Ma announced.

Ma lets us have cereal for breakfast and for lunch and for dinner. When I was zero and one year old, Ma would crunch and chew my food for me. But now I have all my twenty teeth and I can chew everything.

"Ma, do we still have birthday cake?" Jack asked hopeful.

"I don't know, I think Old Nick ate the last bite." Ma said.

Jack sighed and looked down.

"Can I have a sandwich, please?" Jack asked.

The brunette woman smiled and nodded before she walked over to the mini fridge to grab the ingredients for their sandwiches.

After lunch, Jack read more of his book, Alice In Wonderland, his favorite. His Ma had taught him how to read when he was younger so now he read a lot easier. He'd read the book many times before but he loved reading it over and over.

When night came, Jack went to Wardrobe but, like always, he was wide awake. He just looked around and played in there while he waited to fall asleep. He tried to listen and noticed that his Ma and Old Nick seemed to have fallen asleep, so the little boy slowly slowly opened the door and peeked outside. Room was dark, Lamp was off so Ma and Old Nick were sleeping.

Jack carefully stepped out of Wardrobe and saw Old Nick's jacket hanging from Chair Number 1. He made his way over and gently touched the jacket, he didn't know what he was looking for, maybe a proof of what kind of magic the man used to get their food.

Jack jumped when he heard Old Nick cough, so he quietly walked closer to him and looked at his face, studying it quietly.

Old Nick slowly opened his eyes and blinked, sleepily.

So he is real!, Jack thought.

"Hey sonny." He said in a whisper.

Ma jumped over Old Nick, trying to reach Jack, which made the boy jump.

"Don't touch him!" She screamed.

Old Nick quickly sat up, angrily. Jack screamed and went back into Wardrobe, covering his eyes, going into a fetal position.

"Quit the fucking noise! Quit the noise!" Old Nick stood over Ma, putting almost all his weight on her neck, so he knew she couldn't breathe.

The noises Ma was making were terrifying, and Jack knew Old Nick was making her dead and it was because of him.

"Do you wanna breathe?" Old Nick asked. Ma made a noise. "Then quit the fucking noise."

Old Nick finally let go of her and sat on the edge, grabbing his boots.

"Don't touch him." Ma held her neck, her voice was hoarse and thick.

"You're pretty hysterical, did you know that?" he asked with a bitter tone.

"I can be quiet." Ma said, still holding her neck. "As long as you don't touch him. That's all I've ever asked you."

"Yeah well don't you forget where you got him." Old Nick said as he walked over to the door.

As Old Nick walked out, Ma turned Lamp back on and put it back on the table.

"Jack? Jack!" She called.

Jack came out crying hard, straight into his Ma's arms.

"I'm sorry I came out of Wardrobe! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He cried as Ma rocked him back and forth. "I won't do it again, I promise!"

oO0Oo

Unsurprisingly, Beca went to bed crying that night. Old Nick almost took two things from her today; her life and her son, which were worth about the same.

Jack fell asleep crying too, but after that he was okay. Beca's neck hurt a lot and she knew it'd form a bruise.

Damn.

It was nights like these that she thought about everyone else outside.

Her family, her friends... Oh her friends. One in particular. One she missed more than the others. One that been with her when Old Nick abducted her. One she often thought she'd never see again.

oO0Oo

Jack woke up the next morning before his Ma, which wasn't rare. He took a deep breath but saw an unfamiliar smoke coming from his nose. He frowned and blew air with his mouth, seeing the same smoke coming out. Which only meant one thing.

"Ma! I'm a dragon!" He said excitedly as he turned to look at his Ma. "I'm a dragon!"

Beca frowned when she saw the white smoke coming out when Jack blew hot air. She checked the heat and it was off. The lamp was off, the kitchen light was off too.

"He cut the power." She said and immediately got out of bed. She tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge. There wasn't any space between the door and the frame so she couldn't open it. Her nail went the wrong way one moment and she screamed in frustration and pain, sitting on the floor by the door, holding her finger close.

"Ma! Ma!" Jack said, hurrying to his Ma's side.

"Door is still closed." She said, wiping her tears.

"That's because the aliens are pushing it." Jack said.

"Will we ever win, Jack?" Beca asked.

"Yeah!" Jack said. "Once I'm Jack the Giant! Then the aliens won't stand a chance!"

Beca chuckled. She grabbed her son from the bed and hugged him tight. He was her light at the end of the tunnel, the reason she was still living. She had to get him out, she would go crazy if she didn't.