DESPERATE

11

Randall waited until the house was dark and silent before he crept out of the basement and headed to Gail's room. He opened the door carefully and peered inside. The little girl was sleeping peacefully. Randall felt a chill run down his spine as he saw the bed surrounded by Barbies. This kid is more twisted than I am, he thought.

He took a pillowcase and pulled it over his head. He shoved the dolls away and crawled under the bed. He rattled the bed frame and roared, "The boogeyman is coming for you!”

Gail felt a cold sweat on her forehead as she heard the creepy voice. "Who are you?" she asked, barely able to speak. Her voice trembled with fear.

"I'm the boogeyman." the voice hissed. "And I've come for you."

Gail wanted to scream, but she couldn't. She felt paralyzed by terror. She looked around the room, hoping to find something to defend herself with. But there was nothing.

"Look under the bed." the voice said. "There's a surprise for you."

Gail hesitated. She knew it was a trap. But she couldn't resist the curiosity. She slowly leaned over the bed and peeked under it.

She saw a pair of bloodshot red eyes staring back at her. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her by the hair and dragged her under the bed. She felt a sharp pain in her scalp and a hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream, but no one could hear her.

He whispered in her ear, "I hate you, Gail. If you don't leave me alone, I'll hurt you and your family. Do you understand?"

Gail felt the tears running down her cheeks as she pleaded with him. "Please, don't hurt me and my family." Randall yanked a handful of her hair and stuffed it into her mouth, making her choke. "Close your eyes. You better not open them." he snarled. Gail obeyed, terrified, as the boogeyman dragged her out from under the bed.

Randall didn't want Gail to see him as he left her room. "I want you to hold your breath. Cover your mouth and nose with your hands. If I hear you breathe, you will never see your family again.”

Trembling, Gail sensed the boogeyman's presence in her room. She tried to protect herself by holding her breath as long as she could, hoping he would leave her alone. But he didn't. He kept watching her with his evil eyes, waiting for her to make a sound.

Gail's lungs burned and her vision blurred. She couldn't take it anymore. She fainted and fell off the bed, hitting her head on the edge.

Randall heard the thud and rushed towards Gail. He saw her lying on the floor, unconscious. He picked her up and tucked her in bed. He kissed her on her forehead and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Gail."

The next morning, the whole family gathered in the kitchen for breakfast, except Gail. Jillian started to worry about her daughter. Gail was usually the first one to wake up and greet everyone with a smile.

"Why isn't Gail awake?" She asked them, but no one replied. They were too busy wolfing down their breakfast. Jillian put her coffee mug down and went to check on Gail.

She found Gail still in bed with the covers over her head. She shook her lightly and heard a groan. "My head hurts," the little girl said.

Concerned, Jillian helped Gail sit upright on the bed. She noticed the swelling on the side of her daughter's head. "What happened to you, Gail?" Jillian demanded, examining it closely. It looked like Gail had bumped her head pretty hard.

"Mommy, I had a terrible nightmare about the boogeyman. He pulled me under the bed and made me eat my hair. It was so gross. I couldn't breathe." Gail cried.

"If you stop thinking about him, you won't have nightmares. Sweetie, he isn't real." Jillian said, taking her daughter's hand. They went downstairs to join the rest of the family.

From inside the wall, Randall watched them. You were lucky, little girl. You're part of my family. This time, I let you live. I'm not going to stay in my secret room  forever. One day, we will live together as a happy family. I will be in charge of this household.

Randall spent most of his time inside his room or spying on the Andera family. He got bored of being cooped up inside the house all day long. It was time for him to go outside and explore his surroundings. Before he could leave the house, he had to change his appearance. This is my new life. I need to look presentable.

He took kitchen scissors from under the dirty teddy bear and cut off all his matted hair. Goodbye, lice buddies. Afterwards, he quickly washed his face with bottled water. He removed his old and filthy clothes. I'm no longer a hobo. He wore the black tights and a brown T-shirt from the laundry basket. I can do whatever I want now.

As the gentle breeze carried the fluffy white clouds across the blue sky, Randall slipped out of his secret exit. He saw a woman and her daughter walking by. His stomach fluttered as he gazed at them. The woman was too engrossed in her phone to notice the odd little man, but the daughter caught his eye and waved. A warm feeling filled his soul. He waved back and dusted off his clothes. He felt bored in this neighborhood. He longed for a new adventure.

He wandered around aimlessly until he found a small, shabby shelter. The door creaked open and a boy came out. He lugged a heavy bucket of water and set it down. He scooped up some water with his hands and splashed his face and feet. Randall watched him with curiosity, his thick brows furrowed. He followed the boy into his home.

The boy spun around and saw him. He dropped his bucket and backed away in fear. A small person glared at him with fierce eyes. "Who are you? What are you doing in my home?" the boy asked in a trembling voice.

Randall folded his arms across his chest and glared at the boy. "What a rude way to greet your guests! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"

"I don't have any parents. I live here alone. My name is Kenzo. What's yours?" The boy asked in a low voice, sounding nervous.

"Randall. And you better keep quiet about me. If you ever spill the beans, I'll make you regret it or even kill you.”

"I won't tell anyone. Nice to meet you, Randall. But I have to go now. I need to beg for some money to buy food." Kenzo said as he watched Randall rummage through his stuff.

"I don't take orders from anyone. Don't look down on me because of my size. I can be very cruel and wicked. You don't want to mess with me. From now on, you're under my protection. You have to do as I say. If you ever betray me, you're dead."

"So you're going to live with me?"

"Hell no! I have my own cozy place. I'll drop by once in a while. I don't want you to beg anymore. I'm going to change your life. Tonight we're going to rob a store and get you some new clothes and food." Randall said, pacing around.

Kenzo scratched his head. "What if we get caught? I don't want to go to jail for stealing."

"Don't worry. With me, you're safe. You just need to be smart and brave like me."

Kenzo knew it was wrong to break the law, but he was fed up with being poor. He decided to trust Randall and join his schemes. He bowed his head to Randall to show him his loyalty and readiness.