Where The Monster Dwells

Chapter 1

I have come to the conclusion that I will never go to Disneyland. As I sit on the passenger seat of my mom's old, ratty car, I contemplate as to how my life has been. I have always found life difficult. From the time that I was little, I had realized something about my mother. She is the type of person that once she finds something she becomes instantly attached to it. Unfortunately, this one particular thing that she has excessively attached herself to is drugs. She thinks that I don't notice. But, I do. Now, one of the things she's gotten inside her mind is the idea that I need more friends. Seeing how she doesn't even take me to school, I see her reasoning. The only reason the courts haven't taken it upon themselves to hunt me down is because I have successfully manage to obtain my GED. It was one formidable battle, but I knew it was something that was necessary. Otherwise, they could take me away from my mom. That is something that could not happen. She may be troubled, but she's all I have in this life. As much as I'd want for my life to be normal is simply isn't possible for people like my mom and me.

I guess I should begin to talk about the matter at hand: making friends. My mom had decided to become good friends with the social butterfly of our suburban town. Unfortunately for me, this social butterfly happens to be the mother of the most egotistical kid in town, Trevor. I never had met the kid, but I heard he was horrible. Trevor's family was hosting a party for the teens of the town (or at least the socially accepted teens of the town). Here I am, riding shotgun in my mom's car being driven to Trevor's party. It was at this point that I wished with all my heart that a semi would simply ram into us. I wasn't prepared to be thrown into the social world. I was the type of guy who sat in the corner-a wallflower. As my mom slowed to a complete stop, I shrank in my seat wishing that perhaps this would be the moment where I would shine. This would be the day that I, Carver Langston, would shed my chrysalis and become one colorful, social fiend. However, the instant that my mom turned the key to the ignition off my hands began to sweat. Let me just say that social anxiety is not a fun thing for a seventeen-year-old teen in the twenty-first century to have.

"Well," Mom said in her raspy voice, proving the damage of smoking weed to be true, "Here we are. I just want you to know Carver that I want to see my boy live his life. You can't just spend your days cooped up in those four walls we call home."

"Mom, you don't understand. It's not that I don't want to go to this party. It's the fact that it's a party that troubles me. And you know that Trevor's parents are out of town. You know that all this place will be is one large weekend hangout that gives all the 'cool' kids in town a hangover come tomorrow at church."

"Trevor is a good boy, Carver. He just-"

"Have you met him?" I interrupted.

"Have you?" She replied, ignoring my question. "You just need to get over whatever sickness you think you have and get out of the car. I promise I'll come pick you up at midnight."

"Midnight! It's barely eight o' clock! What do you expect me to do in there for four hours? Get high, get drunk, and make 'long-lasting friendships' with people who could care less if the town freak was there!"

"Carver, you're the one that doesn't understand. I brought you here for you. I want you to live the life I never could."

"You didn't deny it." I mumbled.

"What?"

"You heard me. You didn't deny that I was a freak."

"Carver, quit changing the subject. If you want to be a freak that's your choice. You're the one that is always going on and on about your sickness. How you feel like you're gonna die when you're around strangers and large crowds. No one believes you because you just make it up. It was different when you were a little boy, but now it's time to grow up."