The Monster In The Closet

The Voice

   A young boy, by the name of Andrei, had been hiding in his room. His mother told him to always do that when the blue truck pulled into the driveway. He panicked, hearing the truck driver's heavy footsteps coming up the stairs, and he carefully made his way over to the closet. He clambered inside, and hid in it, underneath and behind his longer clothing.

   Closing the door to the closet was difficult from the inside, but he managed it. The driver got into his room, looked around it, then swore and left the room, going back downstairs.

   Andrei thought he'd heard a creak, or wind coming in through the window in his room. Then, it got clearer, a quiet voice.

   "Hello.. what are you doing in here so early? Children should be out, playing games, swimming, spending time with their family.. can you not do those? Do you just prefer to hide in this closet?"

   Andrei nervously, and quietly answered, "it.. the monster.. the one in the blue truck.. it came upstairs today.. mama told me to stay away from it.."

   The voice replied, almost as if in Andrei's ear, "I see... well, how do you know that I am not also a monster? The boogie men hide in the closets and under the beds of children, do they not?"

   Andrei went quiet, suddenly fearing that he was talking to a large, hairy monster, hiding away in the back of his closet, waiting for him to venture further in. He stayed perfectly still until he heard the blue truck's engine rev, and then speed off. He leaped out of his closet, and stumbled down the stairs.

   "Mama! Mama! There's a monster in the closet!" He cried out, running to the kitchen where his mother was, making dinner.

   She sighed, and turned to him. He noticed that her wrist was red and purple, a new bruise. He guessed it was from an accident while cooking, like she said the rest of the bruises were.

   "Andrei," she spoke kindly, but carefully to her son, "there is no such thing as monsters.. you're 8 now, hun, you should know that monsters aren't real."

   Andrei looked at his mother, and he wanted to argue, but she looked so tired, and so sad, that he just went back to he just agreed, and went back to his room.

   He heard the voice again, and went back over to the closet. He didn't dare go in, but he sat outside it, against his closet door.

   "Child, you can see me as a monster if you wish, but I mean you no harm. I only hope to help you." The voice said quietly. It was almost like his mother's, a kind, soft, feminine voice. He liked the sound of this voice, much more than even his own.

   "Okay.. if you want to help, then I should ask you some questions first." Andrei said, suddenly feeling very brave in the presence of the monster.

   "That is fair," the voice replied, "But I also wish to ask some questions in return. You can ask your questions first."

   "Mhm," he replied, now in thought. He wondered what to ask the voice. He decided to ask for it's- no, he decided to ask for her name first.

   "What's your name, miss monster?" He said to the closet, looking through the crack between the doors.

   "I do not have one yet, but I believe that is suitable for the time being. Feel free to call me Miss Monster for as long as you'd like."

   Andrei felt some pride in having named something. He smiled. He liked miss monster, she was kind, and she sounded like a grown up, so she must be good.

   "Okay! Well Miss Monster, what are you? Are you really a monster?"

   Miss Monster didn't answer for a moment, then, even quieter than before, "I do not see myself as a monster, but many do.. I just want to live as myself, but many see issues with who I am, and think that I want to hurt others."

   "What? What's so wrong with being you? Who would have a problem with you?" The boy asked curiously, staring intently at the door.

   "Well.. your father. He's still the same as ever, and he hates me for what I am. People see a problem with me because I was not born the way I should have been. Some could even say that I was born wrong, in the wrong way, with the wrong appearance, the wrong future, the wrong parents."

   "My dad? I don't have one of those. The only boy other than me is the monster from the truck.. he can't be my dad though, he's so mean. I hear him yell at mama at night, when they think I'm asleep. She's so sad all the time. I wish I could be grown and make the monster go away."

   "I see.. I'm very sorry for the misunderstanding, then. I hope you can help your mother once you're bigger. Are those all the questions you have?" Miss Monster quietly said. It sounded sad, just like mama.

   "Yeah. It's your turn to ask me, now."

   The boy was happy for a distraction. He hated crying, the monster told him only girls cried. He wished he was a girl, then he could cry and show any emotion he wanted to. His mother wouldn't told him to hide in his room, away from the monster, after that.

   "What is your name?"
   "Andrei. I like Rei better, though. It sounds like a Ray of light!" He smiled and giggled.

   "Alright, Rei it is. Rei, how old are you?" Miss Monster asked.
   "I'm 9, but I think mama forgot. She said that I'm 8, but I turned 9 two months ago."

   Just as Rei thought the voice would reply, his mother called him down the stairs for dinner. He said goodbye to Miss Monster, and went downstairs to eat the dinner his mother had made.