The Monsters Inside and Out (Scott Howl x Depressed Reader)

152. Advice from the Afterlife

You're in shock and disbelief for a moment. Just a moment ago, you saw the worst woman in your life trying to take advantage of you more. And now, you're standing before the best woman in your life. The one who has always treated you with kindness and respect. You can already feel the tears forming in your eyes as you walk over to her table. You pull out a chair and take a seat in it. It's the most comfortable seat you've ever sat in. Mawmaw sits and stares at you with a small smile on her face. You sniffle and feel a few tears fall down your face. You quickly wipe them away, not wanting to embarrass yourself. Mawmaw chuckles, "I'm so glad I'm able to see you again, honey." You reply, "I'm happy to see you again too... Where are we?" Mawmaw sighs, "We're on the other side." "The other... Side?" "Yes, the other side. When I passed away, I woke up surrounded by nothingness. It was dark all around. But I saw the light and walked towards it until I ended up here." You nod in understanding, "Ah... I see."

You think about it for another moment, until it dawns on you. "Wait! A-Are you saying that... I'm dead? That I... NO! No, I can't be dead! I can't leave Scott and Vicky and Polly and Vera and... And..." Mawmaw leans forward and puts a hand on your shoulder. She says, "(Y/N)! It's okay honey... It's okay. You haven't passed. Just look. She gestures to your body. You look down at yourself, and you're see-through. You grab yourself as if testing to see if you're real. You look back up at Mawmaw, confused. She explains, "You haven't passed away, but you're close. It's a near-death experience, it happens sometimes. This is the visiting area for the souls in between the realms. Here, people can meet their loved ones who have already passed. They can ask for advice, catch up, or just say hello. It lasts as long as the living person in question is on the brink of death."

You nod, taking a deep breath in and out to calm yourself down. You ask, "So... Do you have any advice for me?" She thinks for a moment. She says, "Keep doing what you're doing. I know you'll do great things." "But... I feel like everything in my life is falling apart. So many things are happening, and I've learned some... Really bad truths lately, and I'm just... Terrified." She smiles at you softly and says, "I know things are not... Perfect for you. Scott has told me plenty, and I've been keeping an eye on you since I've been here. All you can do is depend on your friends. You can go to them if you ever need to talk about whatever plagues your mind. You're allowed to rely on them if you ever have too much on your plate. That, and therapy. It may be scary, but I know you'll find it incredibly useful." You chuckle a little, finding her advice a little funny.

Another question comes to your mind, so you ask, "Am I taking good care of Scott? I mean, ever since you passed, I don't know if I'm being helpful or supportive enough. He's done so much for me, and I just want to do the same for him." She smiles sweetly. "Oh, honey. You're doing an amazing job. Scott is already a very happy one, but with you around, he's somehow gotten happier. Of course, life is pretty rough for him and his cousins, but as long as you're there for him, he'll be able to get through anything." You smile and nod, "That's good. I promise I'll keep taking good care of him." She nods her head, "You better. Because he would do anything for you." You chuckle, "Anything?" "Anything. See for yourself."

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a phone. She presses a few buttons on it and she stands up, walking over to sit next to you. She shows you the screen and presses a play button. On the screen, you can see yourself screaming at your mother. Blood drips from your arms, eyes, and mouth, all over you. The ground is shaking, but then you drop to the ground. Your mother tries walking over to you, but Scott stands in front of you. Your mother looks up at him angrily as she says something. Scott says nothing in return, but you can see the anger in his eyes. It's terrifying. Your mother clenches a fist and punches him in the jaw. He falls over to the side, catching himself on his arm. He growls and his arm grows bigger and hairier, and his claws extend. He swings his arm up to scratch your mom, but Vicky and Polly leap forward to hold him back. Your mom steps forward and punches him again in the eye. Brian and Amira run up and grab your mother, trying to restrain her. Your mother tries to escape by squirming and kicking, and she kicks Scott in the face again. More hospital staff are called into the room to assist in breaking up the fight, and everyone is escorted out of the room. Scott puts up a fight, but your friends seem to be able to convince him to go.

You watch the scene sadly. You're too exhausted to be angry right now. Mawmaw says, "That's what just happened. When you see him again, I want you to tell him how proud I am. I want you to tell him that he's a very good boy, and that I will continue to watch over him until we're reunited." You wipe your face free of tears and you nod, "Of course, Mawmaw. He'll be happy to hear that." She smiles and says, "Thank you, sweetie." You smile back at her and look back down at her phone, seeing your hospital room, empty except for you. You sigh, "Well... It was great to see you, Mawmaw. But I guess I should get back now, huh?" Mawmaw says, "Just a minute, dear. There is one more person who would like to speak to you." Mawmaw takes her phone away and texts someone. Then, the doors on the opposite side of the room open.