A Little Insane: Building A Monster

Chapter Nine - Final Warning

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   Rain had been consistent that week. It poured non-stop and it didn't seem like it was going to stop. There could be a storm coming, or maybe he was already in the middle of it. Hart wasn't sure since he didn't watch television or read the newspaper unless it had something important; like huge celebrations or someone having information about the mysterious disappearances in Bellumstone.

He stood on the wet grass in front of his house, a large towel in one hand and a mug of water in the other. He had been waiting patiently for hours, watching the gray clouds get stronger and pour cold rain on him. He was soaking from head to toe, but not the towel; the towel was warm and dry – it had been taken from the house just a minute ago, when he heard the heart beat.

Now the man concentrated on the ground in front of him, his eyes scanning every inch as he heard the beating of a human heart grow louder. Not far from where he stood, he saw the ground rise, and he knew that it was time. He ran towards the little moving bump and got there just in time to see a hand burst out of the ground. Followed by the hand was a shoulder, then a head popped out and Riley screamed, his hand clawing the ground as he fought to free himself. Pieces of mud and dirt fell off his skin as he pulled himself out of the earth, crying hysterically, obviously terrified.

Hart reached down and wrapped the towel over the naked man on the ground. Riley was so cold and he could hear his teeth chattering. Hart pulled him up by his arm and wrapped his hands around him, guiding him towards the house. The boy hadn't even opened his eyes when Hart offered the water, but he still took it like he knew it was there. He chugged it down, coughing as he choked.

“It's okay, we're almost there,” Hart reassured him softly.

They walked up the porch steps and Riley could barely move a muscle, Hart had to hold him up as they made their way across the red stained area. The door was wide open so all they had to do was walk in. Riley shuddered at the coldness of the house, it was much worse than outside.

Hart tightened his grip on Riley as he led them up the stairs to his room. He thought his bathroom was better than the one in the hall; it was bigger and it had a shower head so Riley didn't need to bathe in dirt.

“I-I'm s-s-so cold,” Riley stuttered, his voice weak and worn-out.

“It's okay, you'll be okay,” Hart told him as he opened the bathroom door and walked them in. He went to the shower and turned it on, putting his hand under the water until it he felt it turn hot. “The water is warm, get in and clean all the dirt off your body. I'll be right outside when you're done.”

Riley nodded and watched Hart go, closing the door behind him.

Riley took one look at himself in the wide mirror and looked away. He was hideous. All of him was covered in mud and grass, he looked like a tree. But he really only looked away because he didn't want to see his eyes, for he was afraid that they'd tell the truth.

He let the towel drop and he got in the shower, sighing loudly as the warm water showered over his body. He scrapped his skin, watching the water underneath him turn black. It reminded him of black rocks. He shivered at the thought, refusing to cry again. He pressed his forehead against the wall and stayed there for a while, too relaxed from the hot water and too afraid to move. When he felt he needed to get out soon, he began to scrub his hair with products he found close to him. They smelled just like Hart, and now he smelled like him.