The moment he saw the "heroes" who'd saved the world, the young boy felt something in his chest A strange feelingâhe didn't understand it, but he knew his heart had changed.
I'm different.
He wasn't sure why, but the young boy was certain. He felt the world had shifted beneath him. Having weird dreams and visions wasn't new to him. The world would suddenly freeze and grow hazy, as if it were all made of glass, and people would stand there, their bodies glowing with light. They were all so beautiful, and he felt they were different from him, that he didn't deserve to a malevolent being from the Upside Down that haunts his victims with horrifying visions of their past traumas before killing them in a sadistic, brutal manner.
It was hard to tell what was real and what was an illusion, but he was never really sure if that mattered anyway.
He was always different. He was always the odd one out. The others never seemed to have any problems with each other. But with only him, there were always arguments and disagreements. He was always the one at fault. The other children would never play with him. It didn't matter, though. He preferred being alone.
And when they left, he didn't care. He was only 14 but had crazy thoughts, like he would have to find them. They were important. And if he didn't, there was going to be hell to pay.
The boy was an orphan, but that's not where he was. No, he was in the foster system. And the family was awful. They had three kids already, two of which were teenagers and the other was a little girl who was four.
The father was an alcoholic and the mother was a drug addict. They were the worst people, and he was forced to take care of the younger ones because their parents were too lazy or high or drunk.
It was a constant battle. The children were constantly abused. It was a daily occurrence. If they weren't being beaten, they were being neglected. If they were being beaten, then they weren't being fed.
And that's where the young boy comes in. He was the eldest, and therefore the most responsible. His siblings were his entire life. He took care of them, fed them, clothed them, bathed them, and did everything in between. He all always spent his free time in the attic draw strange beings or play with spiders. He had no friends, so he kept to himself.
That's when the nightmares started. The boy had a recurring dream. It was always the same thing. He would be running down a hallway, the walls dripping with blood. Then, he would reach the end, where he would find a door. He would open the door, only to find a creature. It would be a monster that had eight arms and legs, its body covered in long, white hair. It would have a human head, but with no eyes and no mouth. The boy would scream and try to run, but the monster would grab him and hold him tight. The monster would start to pull him apart, limb by limb. Every limb that its being pulled reveals all the pain in his life.
Then, the nightmare would end, and the boy would wake up. He was terrified. The dream was so real that he couldn't believe it. He couldn't help but feel like the nightmare was more than a dream. He was beginning to believe that the monster was real.
He knew he couldn't tell anyone. Who would believe him? No one. He couldn't even explain it to himself. He would go to bed, and the next morning, the nightmare would come back.
One night, after the nightmare had ended, the boy decided to go down the hall and check on his younger siblings. They were asleep, so he crept quietly down the stairs. He made his way to the front door and opened it. The monster was standing outside, staring at him.
"You're not real," the boy whispered.
The monster didn't say anything. The boy looked away, ashamed. He didn't want the monster to see how afraid he was. He didn't want the monster to see that his dream was affecting him.
"You're just a dream. I can't let you scare me."
The monster laughed. It was a horrible, mocking laugh. The boy shuddered.
"You're afraid," the monster said. "You're afraid because you know the truth."
"What truth?"
"That you're not human."
The boy shook his head. What? He was human. He knew that.
"But you're not."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're a demon, a being that's been sent from Hell to wreak havoc on the world. Shut up that's a lie, I'm human."
"You're not human."
"Shut up, leave me alone!"
The boy turned and ran back upstairs. He slammed the door and locked it. The monster laughed again. The boy lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
"Just a dream, just a dream..."
"What did you say, boy?"
The boy's eyes snapped open. He was still lying on the bed, but the room had changed. It was no longer his bedroom, but a dungeon. The boy was chained to the wall. He tried to break free, but the chains were too strong.
"What is this?"
"You're in my domain now," the monster said. A forgotten realm known to only my kind, a place where I can make you do anything I want. "I have you where I want you."
"No...no, I'm not going to let you."
The boy struggled against his chains. The monster said you have special abilities. That's why I chose you. You have the ability to create things. You can bring things to life. And I want you to use that power to help me.
"Why would I help you?" You don't want to know. I have no reason to tell you.
"I can't do that. I can't control the powers."
"Of course, you can. I'll show you."
The monster took a step toward the boy.
"No!"
The monster lunged at the boy. The boy tried to fight back, but the chains held him. The monster grabbed the boy's head.
"Stop, please!"
The monster squeezed the boy's head.
"No, please stop."
"You're a fool, boy," the monster said.
"Stop!"
"I'll make you suffer."
"No! Please! Please, no!"
The boy's head began to glow. The monster let go. The boy collapsed.
"That was too easy," the monster said.
"I...I'm sorry," the boy whispered.
"Good. Now, get up. We have work to do."
"Yes, sir."
"I have big plans for you."
"Yes, sir."
"We will be unstoppable." Is this wrong? To feel the way I feel? It feels so right, so good. It's like nothing I've ever experienced. I feel powerful, strong. I feel like I could do anything.
The boy smiled. Anything I want.
"I can't wait."
"I'm glad. Because it's going to be a wild ride."
The boy smiled again.
"You have no idea."
"Well, let's get started, then."
The boy and the monster disappeared into the darkness.