Mandy squinted at the face on the phone, lifting the handset to stop the annoying ringing. She squeaked out her annoyance at anyone calling at the terrible hour of eight thirty.
“Sleepun’!”
The smiling face on the phone was fun during the day but it upset her in the middle of the night. The phone made its rickety warble as it rolled towards her on plastic wheels. The voice that came through was distorted but she knew who it was. Only Tommy would call so late.
“Car’s waiting outside. Get in it. Don’t ignore me.”
Mandy rolled over, looking into the warm, loving, glass eyes staring back at her.
“Everythin’s fine, Teddy. Don’t hog the blankets. Be back soon.”
Mandy saw Tommy’s “car” outside. He was nine, spoke in proper sentences and had the plastic toy jeep. He was a dreamboat, as her mama would say. Mandy didn’t like that he made her help Flinstone it from place to place but livery was dead, as her mama also said.
“Mission?” Mandy mumbled as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.
“A money man. He needs help. Pops says the monster is riding him.”
Mandy didn’t need any more explanation. The monsters lived in closets. Kids saw them for what they were. When kids became grownups they usually stopped believing and left the monsters behind. Sometimes though, if the adult was very sad and lonely, the monster jumped out of the closet and into their body. When that happened…
“It’s po…ssess…ive him.” She sounded out the word, proud of herself for using a big’un in front of Tommy. Mandy knew bankers and lawyers were easiest for the monsters to get into. When the monster rode a person they hurt other people.
“Yep.”
“Wassa plan?”
It was the normal plan. It was Mandy’s first time carrying the weapon though. Tommy boosted her up through the money man’s window. She was very quiet as she reached out to receive the box. She heard the quiet shushing of the weapon’s workings sliding against each other. This would work.
She tiptoed to the edge of the bed. Small fingers pried open the box. Holding it high she whispered loudly.
“Wake up!”
Back in the car, mission completed, Tommy asked her how it went. Mandy smiled bashfully. Her voice soft but at least she wasn’t sleepy anymore. She looked at Tommy. He was no Teddy, but she might think about dating him when he grew up. Mama said most boys did that when they turned forty.
“No callin’ so late no more. You might wake mama and papa. They’ud worry if they knew our job.” Mandy scolded him, ignoring the question.
“Kay, but tell me. It worked?”
“Success. I released the weapon.”
“What happened?”
“Same as usual. He laughed the monster out of him.”
“I knew it! Grats on you first solo mission.”
“No monster can stand up to a box of puppies!”
#shortstory #author #experimentation #monster #socialcommentary #writer #writing
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