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The little boy huddles in the far corner of his cupboard. It is night and he is afraid of the dark. The floor is cold and his sheet is worn thin. The noises scare him. But he knows better than to make any sound. He gets in trouble when he makes any sound.
Little Freaks aren't suppose to be heard.
He wraps his thin arms around his skinny body and shivers. His tummy growls and he wishes he had something to eat. It's been three days and he is hungry. His tummy aches for food. But he knows he won't get any. Not yet. He hasn't finished his chores yet.
Little Freaks have to earn their keep.
A creak echoes through the house and the little boy bites down on his hand to keep quiet. He wishes he had a light. He wishes someone would come and hug him and tells him it's alright. No one ever hugs him. No one ever tells him it's alright.
Little Freaks don't deserve comfort.
Another creak and he lets out a soft whimper. His Auntie has told him that if he is too bad then the monsters will come and take him away. He will be locked into a space smaller and darker and colder than his cupboard. They will do bad things to him and when they are tired of him they will eat him.
Have the monsters come?
His cupboard door slowly opens and the little boy hides his face. This is it. His cupboard door is always locked at night and he hasn't heard the key. So it has to be the monsters. He was too bad. They are hear to take him away and hurt him and eat him. He will never see the sun again.
He looks up to see the monster staring at him.
Golden eyes peer in at him. Black hair and black robes and grey skin. A sharp nose. The little boy stares back. Aren't monsters scary? Don't they have horns and fangs and bright colored skin? Shouldn't they look like monsters and not human? This monster isn't scary.
The monster chuckles and a shiver runs down the little boys spine.
Alright, so maybe he is a little scary. And he is a monster. But it could be worse. He could have three eyes and sharp nails and bright green skin. The monster doesn't reach in and grab him. He looks at the boy with kind eyes. He thinks they're nice. They aren't mean. He's never seen nice eyes.
“Hello little one,” the monster greets in a deep voice.
The little boy waves back shyly. He doesn't talk because he isn't allowed. He doesn't want to make the monster angry by breaking the rules. But waving is alright. And his voice is so smooth. It's like Auntie's favorite sheets. It wraps around him softly.
“Would you like to come with me?” he asks gently.
He has a choice? Aren't the monsters suppose to grab him and drag him away without a choice? It shouldn't matter to them. They are mean monsters that deal with bad little Freaks. But this monster isn't like that. He's nice. But what if it's a trap?
“Do not be afraid, I will not harm you. I want to take you away from here, where you will be happy.”
Happy? He wants him to be happy? The little boy has never been happy before. But he isn't allowed to be happy. Freaks aren't allowed to have fun. They work and they work and they work and they keep quiet. Being happy is against the rules.
“I have a garden filled with little boys and girls just like you who want to play.”
Play? That is another thing against the rules. Freaks aren't allowed to play. Freaks aren't allowed toys. Freaks should be grateful for what they are given and not ask for more. He doesn't know how to play. He's never owned a toy. His cousin has lots and lots of toys. But not him.
The monster holds a hand out to the little boy, “Come to my land of enchantment,” he invites.
Enchantment? He doesn't know what that is, but it sounds bad. It sounds like magic. Magic is a bad word. No one is allowed to say it. Even cousin can't say that word. No magic, no fairy tales, nothing freaky. Magic does not exist.
“Hush now, it's alright. My land is where all the little children go to be safe, away from the pain.”
No more pain? Ever? It sounds like a dream. A really, really good one. The little boy doesn't like pain. His cousin and Uncle like pain. They like to make him hurt. He can't whine. Freaks take what they deserve. But he doesn't like it. No, no, no.
“Come with me and you will never have to come back here ever again.”
No more pain and he never has to come back? Ever? The monster isn't here to hurt him but to help him. No one has ever helped him before. No one cares. He is a Freak. No one cares for Freaks. They aren't worth it. Freaks aren't worth anything.
“Come now little one,” he gently urges, “let us be away from this dreadful place.
The little boy carefully crawls out of his cupboard and takes the monsters hand. It is so warm. The monster carefully picks him up. He holds him close. It feels so good. Someone is finally holding him. The hug is even better than he's ever imagined.
“Do you have a name little one?”
The little boy shakes his head. He had thought his name was Freak. But it isn't. When he went to school, the teacher had called him something else. He didn't know to answer. Auntie told the teacher he was stupid and took him away. But he doesn't remember what the teacher called him.
“No matter, we shall give you a new one. Now, are you ready?
The little boy nods. He is ready. He has nothing to take with him. He has no goodbyes to say. He has nothing here. Only pain, but the monster promised no more pain. He must be a good monster. He is going to take care of him.
“Let us go then.”
The little boy and the monster vanish from the house, never to be seen again. It is years before anyone realizes he is missing. It is only one July, when no letter goes out, that they realize their mistake. The little boy has been gone for years. No one can find him. Nothing works.
Meanwhile, in a garden of shadows, a little boy plays happily with the rest of the children, safe.