Sebastian

   It was here again. It was watching from the shadows, always there to see his every move. It was never seen by the other people only Sebastian could see it. A child's imagination they said, calling him an overimaginative kid when he was younger. Sebastian knew it was real; he didn't understand it though. That is, he didn’t know they were real until it hurt him. Ciel was hurt on his account, because he didn‘t believe in that thing. He was bad luck to those who couldn't see that monstrous thing. He shouldn't, no he couldn't be around others, and they would be hurt. Avoid people at all costs; only Sebastian could take its torment. He wouldn't allow it to happen again, not like last time. He was the only one who could save people from that creature. That thought alone was keeping him sane, well, that is for the time being. 

        Sebastian was awoken from his nap to see someone leaning over him crib. His small arms reached above him to reached out for the thing above him. 

        “Mama,” He said in a slurred and happy way that only a child could. The figure didn’t move. It stared or that was what you assume with the way it was positioned. Sebastian began to feel a chill the longer his arms were suspended above his head. Goosebumps traveled down his arms until they covered him from head to toe. He cried out for his parents, but there was no sound.  His toothless mouth hung open as he attempted to scream and yell. Then the lights flickered and the thing was gone. 

        That was a long time ago. As a matter of fact, almost twelve years ago. Even though it was an ancient memory it still haunted him, even if it was locked away in the back of his mind he knew it was there. At night he would awaken knowing he had dreamt of something, something horrid but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know what it was about. 

That was only the start of Sebastian’s torment. It won’t leave him alone but the first time he came to acknowledge that things presence was when he was about fourteen. When he was younger he would go to a park that was near his home.  He was usually there alone because his mother wasn’t around anymore due to some complications during Sebastian’s birth. His father was a busy man with a few different part time jobs. He was almost never home before he and his brother were asleep.

         Most of the time Ciel was over with the neighbor, Mrs. Phantomhive, she was a nice lady and usually made them dinner in place of their father. Her husband ran a toy company and always had prototypes at their house and Ciel enjoyed being there. Sebastian thought he was to old to play with toys so he went to the park.         

         The Willows Park was an old place that was close to falling apart. The slide had graffiti and the plastic was turning from a bright pink to a dull color. The swings were old and the chains were rusted over, waiting for just the right person to snap on. The main equipment was worn and had etching all over it. The equipment was made of wood that had splintered and would creak when you walked on it. Even though it was an old and abandoned place, Sebastian enjoyed being there.  

        He was there everyday, hiding away in one of those tunnels for children to climb to get through the other side. It was large enough to fit a grown man, let alone a fourteen year old. He would sit in there just drawing pictures or writing stories. It was a peaceful and quiet place, well until they began to appear again.

        He was on the swings and swore he saw someone standing at the end of the street. He simply ignored it. The next day he was in the tunnel and saw something in the forest just past the park, this time a bit closer. Yet he still dismissed it for when he looked at it a second time it was gone. A week later it was there again but this time it was on the very edge of the playground, staring right at him. Sebastian was on a bench that used to be used for mothers to watch their children and gossip but was now a place for spiders and cobwebs. When Sebastian saw it, he was frozen in fear. As soon as it disappeared he ran and ran until he was at home with the door locked behind him. He panted and brushed his black hair out of his eyes trying to catch his breath. He couldn’t explain what he had just seen. He didn’t know if he wanted to know what that thing was. He stayed crumpled up at the door that night until his father came home with Ciel. When his father opened the door to see his son in the corner rocking back and forth more then one red flag went off. Ciel was quickly sent to his room and their father quickly went to comfort Sebastian. 

        “ What happened?” The tone of his fathers voice was that of extreme worry. Sebastian looked like a wild animal that was about to be something’s prey. His blue eye had a look of insanity in them for a moment.

        “Dad…I saw this-this thing. It wasn’t human. It couldn’t have been human…it was watching me!” The words left his lips slowly as if he didn’t want to believe the reality of what he had just seen. His father furrowed his brow, he didn’t believe his son. That would cost him later on.

                  That night Sebastian lay awake in his bed, not able to sleep because of the nightmares he was having regarding that thing. Everytime he woke up in a cold sweat, shaking in fear. He sat there and watched the shadows trying not to fall asleep again. Then he heard a scream, more like a screech that made him tremble. It echoed in his head, repeating over and over. It was coming from somewhere, down stairs in his brother’s room. Sebastian threw off the blankets and ran to his brother. He opened his brother’s door, the room looked like a gamers heaven. There were all of the latest games and gaming devices in the room but Sebastian had his attention on the bed. There it stood, looming over Ciel, in the blackness of the room a wicked grin, of crocked and stained teeth was the only thing seen. Sebastian opened his mouth ready to scream but no words came out, it was happening again.  The thing moved over his brother, enveloping him in darkness as it made its way to Sebastian. He couldn’t move, paralyzed in fear.

        His father found Sebastian in his brother’s room early in the morning. Sebastian was sitting on his brother’s bed with tears streaming down his face but the look in his eye was no longer that of his but something more sinister. His brother was nowhere to be found in the house or anywhere else for that matter. His father asked where Ciel was but all Sebastian did was smile a very wicked grin. No words were said just smiling. 

In the next months, his father waited for the police to call, telling him they found his missing son. In that time, Sebastian became distant, not saying anything or even leaving his room for that fact. When his father confronted him, all Sebastian did was grin at him and stare. In the end, Sebastian was sent to a mental hospital. His father feared the worst. 

        They kept Sebastian alone in that room, watching him from a glass window. Sebastian had done what he knew he must. Others were safer now without that thing around. He was content to embrace an insanity that wasn’t his own. He realized people find comfort in ignoring that they which they do not understand…while realizing it is absolutely real.