Tommy and the Monster

Chapter Five

 "Are you sure this is where you were?" Tommy asked again.

 "I think...it might have been," Roy replied uncertainly.

 Tommy sighed and tugged on Bella's reins. "Hold up, girl. Roy, you must be a little more sure than that. We could be in the wrong place."

 "Tommy, it was nighttime. I'd had no sleep and nothing to eat for hours. Of course I'm not certain. Why are so skeptical? Do you really not believe me?"

 "I never said I don't believe you, Roy."

 "You didn't have to," Roy said, getting down from the cart.

 "Where are you going?" Tommy asked.

 "Away from you. Isn't it bad enough it happened to me? It could have killed me, Tommy! And you don't even believe me. You probably think it was just-Tommy."

 Roy was looking at something up ahead. Tommy leaned a little to the side to see what he was looking at, and thought he saw a path.

 "Go that way," Roy said, getting back up on the cart.

 "Is that it?"

 "It could be."

 Tommy steered them down the path. It was just off the side of the road, and Tommy couldn't remember seeing it before.

 "You're sure you weren't further away from home than this?" he asked.

 "No," Roy answered. "Look up ahead."

 Just ahead of them, the forest cleared away to reveal a road lined with bushes of flowers. Roy had said he spotted rosebushes as he was leaving.

 "That's it," Roy said. "Tommy, this is the place. Look."

 At the end of the road stood a towering, magnificent castle, unlike anything Tommy had ever seen before. He didn't what to say, what to do. He could only stare in surprise and wonder.

 "Nasty shock, isn't it?" he heard Roy say. "And here you thought I was going mad."

 "I...don't even know what to say now," Tommy said. "Where will we find this monster of yours, then?"

 "It should be inside. Come on. Get your things."

 Roy pushed open the heavy door and called, "Hello? Are you here?" He turned back to Tommy. "Come inside. It will want to see if we're both here."

 Once they were both inside, the doors slammed shut behind them. When they both back, a voice in front of them said, "I see you did not come alone."

 Tommy turned around again, and was surprised to see what the monster really looked like. It looked to be a tall woman, about his own height, dressed in a gown and cloak with the hood drawn over her face. Under the hood, he could clearly see a mask.

 "I did," Roy replied. "This is my brother, Tommy. I told you I would bring him."

 "And has he willingly come along with you?"

 "He has."

 "Very well." The doors opened again. "Goodbye, Mr. Khan. I no longer have any use for you."

 "What, now?" Tommy asked. "And I'm staying here?"

 "Can't we have a moment to say goodbye?" Roy asked.

 "I said, goodbye, Mr. Khan."

 There was a sudden gust of wind, strong enough to pull Roy off his feet. He screamed, and the door slammed shut and locked behind.

 "Roy!" Tommy ran to the door and pulled at it, but it wouldn't open again. "Roy!"

 "He can't hear you," the monster said calmly. "Your brother will return home safely."

 "What do you want with me?" Tommy demanded. "Why am I here? Why would you threaten my brother and scare him into convincing me to come here, to you, whatever you are?"

 "You will address me as Lady Floor, and there are things you do not need to know just yet. It is only your first day here. But you should know that this is your home now. If you will allow me, I will show you to your room." She began to ascend the stairs, and stopped halfway up to look down at Tommy. "Well?"

 Not knowing what else to do, he followed her up two flights of stairs and down a long corridor until she opened a door and said, "This one is yours. Please, bring in your things and settle yourself. I shall come for you when it is time for supper."

 Tommy stepped in and looked around his new bedroom. It was much bigger than his room back at the farmhouse, space he didn't know what to do with.

 He put down his bag and sat down on the bed, and stared out the windows, into the forest beyond.

~~~~~~

 Tommy heard a knock on his door. "Tommy? Will you be joining me for supper? You must be hungry."

 "No," Tommy called, "I shouldn't. I...I don't feel well. I think I should just stay in bed."

 He waited to see what she would do. Finally, he heard, "Very well. But I expect to see you for supper tomorrow night. Goodnight, Tommy."

 Tommy couldn't bring himself to say goodnight. He was still sitting in the same spot. The woods did look more frightening at night, and it certainly would have been easy to get lost.

 He kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bed. He didn't close his eyes; he didn't know how to fall asleep.

 Roy was right. It wasn't just some nightmare. The woods at night hadn't messed with his mind and given him nightmares. Unless Tommy himself was in a nightmare, everything, all of it, was real.

 That was what scared him the most.