GREG: The Monster Inside

PART ONE: THE MONSTER INSIDE

Chapter One:

I came home from school that day hearing Jim and Amanda fighting inside the house, I stood outside the bright red door just listening. I opened the door loudly and they grew silent, I was almost at the stairs leading to my room when Jim asked me what I was holding. I looked down at my hands.

"It was lying in the road I thought I'd better throw it away." I said staring at the piece of glass.

I looked at Amanda as she wiped away her tears; I tried to smile but left for my room instead, small, with one window and a few posters of people I don't know. This is the room they gave me, I spend most of my time just looking out of my window at the stars above the empty house across the street, I turned on my old radio next to my bed to block out the sound of them fighting.

That night dinner went by quietly; I didn't really like the steaks so I didn't eat much. Jim asked me a few questions about school while Amanda seemed to enjoy her steamed peas. When he asked me if I had made any friends yet Amanda gave him a glare as if he had said something horrible to me, "No." I replied flatly.

I excused myself and went to bed; I could hear them fighting again, over me this time. Jim was screaming that it's been four months and I haven't made any friends yet, Amanda was defending me as a mother would, Jim finally yelled that they never should have taken me, that it was a mistake. That I was a mistake.

The next few days went by quite fast, across the road the new neighbors were moving in, apparently they were old friends of Jim and Amanda that lived here a few years ago and decided to move back. Jim told me I should try and make friends with their son, Mike. He looks friendly, he's a year younger than me, his sister is my age.

I don't remember much of my real parents, they died in a house fire when I was seven years old, leaving me in foster care. The police said they still haven't found the cause of the fire yet, maybe that's because they stopped looking too soon. They just told everyone it was an accident, most likely caused by bad wiring inside the house. Since then my life hasn't been too great, sometimes I don't know what I'm doing, it's like something inside me just takes complete control over me. I just wake up the next day in my bed not knowing what I did the previous night.

I was lying in my bed staring at the ceiling fan when Jim called my name from downstairs, I got up slowly and went down, I always skip the third step from the top because of its squeaking. Jim introduced me to Mike, said he was our new neighbor. Mike smiled and put out his hand, I shook it firmly as he gave a nod.

"Nice to meet you." he said softly.

"You too." I replied.

Jim told me that Mike had asked if I would like to come over, I agreed. We walked out the door, crossed the street, and went into a house than seems strangely familiar even though I've never been in there. Once inside he introduced me to his sister Valerie, she was watching television when I first saw her.

"He lives across the street." he told his sister.

She looked over at me and smiled. Mike took me down the hall to show me his room; I admired his collection of games and action figures. He took a ball and asked me if I wanted to play catch, one of my most treasured memories is playing catch with my father, I miss that. When we passed the living room, Valerie wasn't there, Mike opened the sliding door and I followed him outside. I smelled tobacco in the air and turned to see Valerie, standing against the wall smoking a cigarette. She looked startled; I told her I wouldn't tell anyone.