When The Monster Comes | Completed

Chapter 20

Finally, Timmy's foot broke free, and he scrambled across the ground for the flashlight. His grasp found the handle, and he immediately turned it toward the roots that held Mr. Easybreeze. The roots vanished, freeing Mr. Easybreeze from the ground and allowing him to spring back to his feet. Timmy continued to swing his weapon left and right, forcing the branches to retreat. He then shone the light in the direction of The Monster, and though little light poked through the leaves, it had an effect – The Monster, it seemed, stumbled backwards and retreated out of sight.

"Let's go, this is our chance!" Timmy said, beckoning for Mr. Easybreeze to come along.

The two followed the path up the hill, where finally, unbelievably, they could see the exit to the trail. Mr. Easybreeze dropped to all fours, sprinting ahead to the finish line. Timmy, meanwhile, was more careful, moving the flashlight frontwards and backwards, checking for roots or the return of The Monster.

When Timmy did finally emerge from the forest, he was behind the houses of two of his neighbors, and Mr. Easybreeze was standing there waiting for him. He could see his house across the street. His mom's car was out front. And when he noticed that the front door was open, he saw his mother standing there, looking out into the night.

"MOM!" he cried out to her, waving both his arms, not breaking stride.

"TIMMY?" he heard her call. "TIMMY!" she yelled, and took off in full sprint toward him.

But Timmy froze when he saw that Mr. Easybreeze was not with him. He turned to see Mr. Easybreeze still looking out to the forest, and then realized why.

The Monster had grown. It now stood tall above the forest trees, red eyes still blazing like crimson stars in the night. Its fingers were long and claw-like, its body made up of distorted wood, moss, and dirt. It moaned in anger at the sight of its two foes, then slowly, almost laboring, it began to move toward them.

Timmy ran back to his friend and grabbed his paw, trying to pull him along. "Mr. Easybreeze, c'mon! It's coming for us! It's coming!"

But Mr. Easybreeze didn't budge. He turned to Timmy and pulled his paw loose, then shook his head, forlorn. Timmy's heart, already breaking, sunk.

"No," Timmy cried. "Mr. Easybreeze, c'mon! You have to come with! You have to!"

Mr. Easybreeze met Timmy's gaze. "You're never going to make it back to the house if I come with, Timmy. We took too long. We let it get too powerful."

Timmy was shaking now, desperate and searching for any answer he could give his only friend. "It's not too late! We can still make it if we hurry! I still have the flashlight! We can stop this! We can-"

"No," his friend interrupted him. "No, Timmy, just no. You can make it. But only if I go. Only if I try slow it down."

Timmy felt the tears flow freely now, staining his cheeks with sorrow. "You can't," he begged. "Please, Mr. Easybreeze. You'll die. You'll never be able to beat The Monster"

"I know, Timmy, I know," Mr. Easybreeze said, voice shaking hard. "But your mom needs you, okay? She needs you and you know it. I understand you're afraid to grow up too fast, I do, but you don't have a choice. You need to protect her, okay? She doesn't have anyone else."

Timmy let his voice crack as he spoke. "I'll never forget you, Mr. Easybreeze."

"Nor I you, Timmy," Mr. Easybreeze reassured him. "Now go on. Your mother's waiting for you."

Mr. Easybreeze, back down on all fours, ran quickly into the forest. Not wanting to watch, not having any interest at all, Timmy turned around and ran to his mother.

"Mom!" Timmy called again.

"Timmy!" Caroline cried as she crossed the street, her own cheeks red and damp.

The two met in between the houses and fell into each other's' arms. They squeezed each other and cried, each saying they were sorry, each saying "I love you", each relieved beyond all the words in the world.

"Mom," Timmy cried, "I'm so sorry I got lost."

"Don't ever apologize for that, Timmy," his mother sobbed. "I never should've taken my eyes off of you for one second. I'll do better next time. I promise, I promise I'll never lose you ever again."

Timmy felt all the weight, all the hardship, and all the worry of the night evaporate in his mother's arms. He thought of how a million of Leonard's parents would never come close to matching her. He wondered if his dad was up there, smiling down at the two of them reunited, and if it was him who kept him going when all seemed lost. He thought all of this while the flashlight, sitting in the grass beside them, flickered, withered, and then died.

Timmy froze up when he saw the flashlight die. The Monster! He had taken too long, at this point it had to be close! He pulled free from his surprised mother and started to turn back toward the forest. He stood with no helmet, no cape, and no flashlight by his side, ready to fight, ready to face his enemy down.

But when he turned around, The Monster was gone, and Timmy never saw it again.