Mommy, Who's the Bogeyman?

Chapter 24

Veronica's P.O.V

"Shh. Alex, please stop crying!" My voice wavered as I tried to quite him. He squirmed around on his bed, kicking his covers off and throwing his fists in the air. I ran a hand through my messy hair, watching.

"No!" His screams erupted from nowhere and I pressed my lips into a straight line.

"Alex! We do not scream!"

He sat up, his eyes wide, brimming with fat tears. They cascaded down his puffy cheeks, falling into his lap.

"Yo, what the hell is going on?" Marty stumbled into the doorway and I turned to look at him.

"Language!" I raised my voice, fighting the volume of Alex's cries.

"Sorry," Marty rubbed his eyes and shifted his weight from one leg to the other. His glasses were crooked and his hair was wild.

"Alex won't stop screaming. Mom won't get up and check on him. Dad's out of town, on business. Marty I just want to sleep!" I placed my head in my hands, resting my elbows on my knees.

The floor creaked as he walked into the room, sitting on the bed, beside me. I could hear his soft whispers as he tried to quiet Alex.

His cries grew quieter and eventually stopped. Marty turned to me and I looked up at him.

"Why was he crying, V?" He squinted his eyes, adjusting his glasses. He looked exhausted.

"I don't know! He was crying about some monster. I thought he had a nightmare or was talking in his sleep but his eyes were following something around the room. Who sleeps with their eyes open?" My eyes fell on the clock on his wall. The hour hand was on three. "I have things to do in the morning, Marty. I can't just avoid sleep."

"Well he's asleep now. Everything's okay. You can go to bed." He placed his hand on my shoulder and stood up, moving it away. "Night, V."

"Night, dweeb." I watched him walk out of the room, not forgetting to flip me off on his way.

I turned back to Alex, finally asleep. His eyes were puffy and wet from crying but his chest fell and rose steadily. I stood up and kissed his forehead. His lamp turned off with a click and I shuffled out of the room and into the hallway.

I stumbled around in the darkness and stopped at Mom's doorway. I hesitated and then opened the door a crack. After a moment, it was all the way open and I was by her bedside.

I could see the silhouette of her under her covers. I held my breath. I turned my eyes to the nightstand and stopped when I saw a bottle, drained of it's bitter liquid.

"Oh mom," I groaned under my breath.

I looked around the room and shook my head. Clothes were strewn about, trash just out of reach of the waste bin. I leaned over and switched off her light, which in her drunken state, was forgotten. I turned and headed back for the door, nearly tripping over two more bottles of alcohol.

The door closed softly behind me and I headed back to my room, my bed waiting with open arms. I slid under the sheets and let out a deep breath. My body sank into the mattress and I closed my eyes, letting the darkness envelope me.

There was a knock at the door.

I shot up, half expecting to see light outside the window and hear mom yelling at me to wake up. I was greeted by darkness. My alarm clock read 3:08 a.m.

I stared at the door and listened intently. A few moments passed before I heard a thud at the foot of my bed. I flipped on my lamp and looked around. Nothing.

I turned off the light and pulled the covers up to my chin. Nothing else happened as I slowly drifted off to sleep, the sound of people talking, rocking me.

5 a.m.

Alex was crying again.

I sat up in bed and had to remind myself that I was too old to cry. His screams were muffled by my door, but I could tell he was wailing. Mom wouldn't be checking on him anytime soon. I threw my legs over the side of my bed and stood up, walking over to my door and throwing it open. I stormed down the hallway and stopped at Alex's door. His cries were growing louder by the minute and I opened it.

He was fast asleep.

"What the actual hell." I stepped into his room and looked around. He was perfectly fine.

I returned to my bed after scanning his room, brushing the incident off of my shoulder as me being paranoid.

There were no more disturbances for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Hey..uh, leave a...message?" The voice faded in an out and the irritating beep sounded. I held my breath for a few moments and ended the call. To be honest, I didn't even want to talk to him. I just needed to hear his voice.

I slid my phone into my back pocket and bit my bottom lip. "Dammit Matt." I whispered his name, playing with each letter. I grabbed the car keys and twirled them around my fingers.

Marty shuffled into the kitchen and looked up at me. "You're up early-"

"Yeah, I have adult things to do." I held the keys to his face and jingled them. He stuck out his tongue. I punched him in the shoulder.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot you're suppose to respect your elders." His lips curled into a smile and he  hobbled around the kitchen, using an invisible cane.

"I'm only 18!" I called as he disappeared into the living room. I rolled my eyes and unlocked the front door. "You're watching Alex!"

He poked his head into the room. "Isn't that Mom's job?"

I turned and looked at him, remembering the bottles. "I'll be home around five." I turned the handle to the front door and walked out to the car.

It started with a low rumble and I pulled out of the driveway, eyeing the house out of the rear view mirror as I drove away. I could've sworn I saw a tall figure pass by the front window.

The phone buzzed, yanking my attention from the house. I answered the call and pressed the speaker button, directing my gaze to the road.

"Hey Ver, you still up for coffee?"

I smiled to myself. "Hell yeah. I have a lot to get off my chest, babe."

"Alright I'll have a notepad and pen at the ready. See you in a bit." The call ended and I turned up the radio, the song fighting the low sound of static in the background.

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Hey guys! Sorry for the slow updates I have been super busy! Anyway hope you like this chapter :)