Upstairs in the third floor school hallway, Marcus is nervously standing in the dark, dim hallway right outside the principal’s office with his head down and arms folded. All the main lights in the hallway are completely off except for a few tiny dim emergency lights coming from the top of the walls along the hallway.
Around the corner in the other part of the hallway, all the main lights in that hallway are completely off also except for a few tiny dim emergency lights coming from the top of the walls along the hallway. There are double doors in that hallway. Suddenly, Diane D, who has her short dark green blazer back on, comes through the double doors walking between Michael, Marilyn and Tonio all facing each other smiling and laughing as the two black male security guards follow behind them. Diane D, Michael, Marilyn and Tonio come down the hallway as they continue to smile and laugh with each other. They then turn the corner and walk down the other hallway as the two security guards continue to follow them.
As Diane D, Michael, Marilyn and Tonio come down the other hallway, Diane D turns her head forward and sees Marcus standing right outside the principal’s office. She smiles and says, “There he is.” Diane D, Michael, Marilyn and Tonio walk towards the principal’s office.
Diane D, Michael, Marilyn and Tonio approach Marcus as the security guards stop behind them. Diane D looks down at Marcus and says, “What’s up kid? Why are you standing out here in the hall? Why didn’t you go inside the principal’s office?”
“Because I wanted to wait until you get here first,” Marcus nervously says.
Michael, Marilyn, Tonio and the security guards puzzled look at Marcus. They puzzled look at Diane D as Michael asks, “Who’s this Diane?”
“This is the kid I was just telling y‘all about,” Diane D says. “The kid I met downstairs in the auditorium.”
“Oh yeah?” Michael and everyone else looks down at Marcus as Michael asks, “What’s the matter kid? Are you alright?”
“Well, I just need to talk to Diane D in private,” Marcus nervously says. Michael, Marilyn, Tonio and the security guards puzzled look at Marcus. They then look at Diane D again.
Diane D turns to the security guards and tells them, “Okay guys, thanks for walking us up here.”
“Okay Diane D,” the security guards say. The security guards turn around and leave the area.
Diane D turns to Michael, Marilyn and Tonio and says, “Michael, Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Tonio, can you guys wait for me inside the office? Tell Mom and Dad I‘m out here.”
“Diane es algo malo?” Tonio asks.
“Dejame hablar con este chico primero y averiguar,” Diane D says. “Vere todos ustedes interior la oficina.”
“Esta bien,” Marilyn and Tonio say. Marilyn and Tonio go around behind Diane D and go to the principal’s office door. Marilyn opens the office door as she and Tonio look back at Diane D. “Va todo a ser bien Diane?” Tonio asks.
“Espero que asi Tio Tonio,” Diane D says. “Espero que asi.”
“Si hay un problema, estaremos en aqui.”
“Okay Uncle Tonio.”
Marilyn and Tonio look back at Marcus, then look forward and head into the office.
Michael goes around behind Diane D and goes to principal office door. He puzzled looks at Marcus again. He looks at Diane D and says, “Is everything okay Diane?”
“I sure hope it is Michael.”
“If there is anything wrong, just get us.”
“Don’t worry Michael. I will.”
“We’ll be in the office.”
“Okay Michael,” Diane D says. Michael looks at Marcus then turns from Diane D and heads into the office. The door shuts behind him. Diane D looks down at Marcus and says, “Okay it‘s just us now. So what’s up? What do you want to talk to me about? Downstairs in the auditorium you told me that you feel guilty about something. What is it you feel guilty about?”
“Well, there’s something I have to tell you Diane D?” Marcus nervously says.
“Okay, let’s shoot. What do you have to tell me?”
“Can we not talk here, right next to the principal’s office door? Can we talk someplace else? I don’t want anyone else to hear what I have to tell you.”
“Well where do you want to talk to me at?”
“In a more private area where no one else is around.”
“A more private area. This sounds very serious.”
“It is. That’s why I don’t want anyone else to hear us.”
Diane D puzzled looks at Marcus. She then says, “Okay.” Diane D turns her head and looks around. She turns her head back forward, looks down at Marcus and asks, “Well what private area do you want to go to?”
“Can we go down this way?” Marcus says as he points towards around the corner.
“Okay,” Diane D says.
Marcus nervously brings Diane D down the hallway.
Marcus and Diane D turn the corner and go into the other dark and dim hallway. Marcus nervously brings Diane D towards the double doors. Marcus and Diane D approach the double doors. They then go through the double doors and walk into the other side of the dark hallway.
All the main lights in this side of the hallway are completely off also except for a few tiny dim emergency lights coming from the top of the walls along the hallway. Diane D stops. Marcus stops as Diane D turns to him and says, “Do you want to stop and talk right here?”
“No not right here,” Marcus nervously says. “I don’t want anyone else to see or hear us.”
“No one else is around. It’s not school hours now. Everyone that was downstairs in the auditorium are on their way home right now, they all left the building. I think the only people left in this whole entire school building right now are you, me, my family, the principal and those two security guards, that‘s it.”
“That‘s what I’m talking about Diane D, your family is still inside the principal’s office. I want to make sure that even they don’t hear what I have to tell you, that’s why I want to get far away from the principal‘s office. I don‘t even want to be near these double doors just in case your family might come stand behind them and eavesdrop.”
“Well how far do you want to go?”
“Just around the other corner where no one can see or hear us.”
“Okay,” Diane D says.
Marcus turns and nervously brings Diane D down the dark hallway. He brings Diane D towards the other corner of the hallway. He and Diane D turn the corner and walk into a longer darker dimmer hallway on the other side of the building.
The longer darker dimmer hallway is very isolated. All the main lights in the hallway are completely off also except for a few tiny dim emergency lights coming from the top of the walls along the hallway. There is a large window at the very end of the long darker dimmer hallway and an exit sign at the end of the hallway near the window leading to the back stairwell. It has gotten darker outside the window. Slight wind blows through the slightly opened window through the hallway. Diane D and Marcus slowly walk down the long dark hallway. Diane D puzzled looks around and says, “It is very deserted here.”
“I know,” Marcus says. “This will be the perfect spot.”
“The perfect spot for what?”
“The perfect spot where no one can see us or hear what I have to tell you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know kid, I‘m not really feeling this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you want us to go to an area where it is very dark and very isolated where no one can see or hear us. How do I know to trust you? I mean I don’t even know you. You might have something up your sleeve.”
“Something up my sleeve?”
“Yeah. You might be setting me up for something.”
“Setting you up for something?”
“Yeah.”
“Like what?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
“I’m not setting you up for anything Diane D, honest. It’s just that I feel real ashamed about something and I don’t want anyone else to hear what I have to say to you.”
“Okay then.” Diane D and Marcus continue to slowly walk down the long dark and dim hallway.
Diane D and Marcus come halfway down the hallway. They then come to a spot on their right and stop near the wall. Diane D looks around the area. She then turns and faces Marcus as Marcus nervously leans against the wall. Diane D looks around again and says, “Well I don‘t think anyone can hear us over here.” Diane D then leans her left hand on the wall and places her right hand on her hip. She looks down at Marcus and says, “Okay so what’s up? What do you want to talk to me about? What’s your name by the way?”
“Marcus,” Marcus nervously says. “My name is Marcus.”
“Marcus? How old are you Marcus?”
“Nine.”
“Your nine?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay Marcus, what‘s on your mind? Why do you want to talk to me so much in private? You seem very nervous about something. What do you want to talk to me about?”
“Well it’s about the kid who has leukemia.”
“What? About the kid who has leukemia?”
“Yeah.”
“Well what about him? What’s so private about him?”
“Well I wanted to ask you, have you found and met him yet?”
“No I haven’t. I have yet to meet him. My family, the principal and I are still planning to look for him and find out who he is.”
“You are?”
“Yeah. Do you know who he is?”
“No. I don’t know him personally.”
“You don‘t?”
“No.”
“Well do you happen to know where he is?”
“No.”
“Well do you happen to know his name?”
“No, not really.”
“Okay. Well do you at least know how he looks like?”
“No.”
“So in other words, you don’t know who this kid is, do you?”
“No.”
“That’s pretty strange,” Diane D says looking up in the air. “When I first met Principal Cole earlier, he said he doesn’t know who this kid is either. The students and teachers in the auditorium don’t even seem to know who he is.” Diane D looks back down at Marcus and says, “Well if you don’t know who the kid who has leukemia is, don’t know his name, don’t know where he is or don’t even know how he looks like, then what is it you have to tell me about him?”
Marcus becomes more nervous and says, “I have to tell you that…. I have to tell you that…. Oh I don’t know how to say this.”
“Don’t know how to say what?”
“I have to tell you that…. I have to tell you that….”
“You have to tell me what? Come on kid speak to me. What do you have to tell me about the kid who has leukemia?”
“Well, I have to tell you that, he’s not here.”
“He’s not here? What do you mean he’s not here?”
“He’s not here.”
“You mean he’s not here in the school?”
“That’s right, he’s not here in the school.”
“Well of course he’s not here in the school, school hours are closed. Most likely he’s at home with his family.”
“No. He’s not anywhere at home either.”
“What do you mean he’s not anywhere at home? I don’t understand. I thought you don’t know where this kid is.”
“I don’t know where he is Diane D.”
“Well, maybe his picture or photo with his name on it is hanging outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms.”
“His picture or photo with his name on it hanging outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms?”
“Yeah.”
“What makes you think his picture or photo could be hanging outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms?”
“Well the letter that was written to my family about the kid who is dying of leukemia never mentioned what the kid’s name is, but it did mention that the kid is a little boy who is three years old. So since the little boy is three years old, I assume that he goes to Pre-Kindergarten.” Diane D looks around and says, “Where are the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms anyway? I want to find out if there is a picture or photo with the little boy’s name on it, so I can try to find out who he is, go to where he is and grant him his dying wish to meet me?”
Marcus sadly looks at Diane D and says, “You can’t meet him Diane D.”
Diane D puzzled looks at Marcus. “I can’t meet him? What are you talking about?”
“You can’t meet the little boy who has leukemia.”
“No? Well why not? I specifically came here to this school to grant this little boy his dying wish to meet me. Why can‘t I meet him?”
“Because he’s not anywhere.”
“He’s not anywhere? What do you mean he’s not anywhere?”
“He’s not anywhere. He’s not anywhere here and he’s not anywhere at home.”
“Well is he in the hospital, getting treatment for his leukemia?”
“No, he’s not in any hospital either.”
“Then where is he? If he’s not at home or not in the hospital, then where could he be? He’s not dead is he? He didn’t already pass away from the leukemia, did he? Is that what you want to tell me about him?”
“No, that didn’t happen either.”
“Well if he didn’t pass away, then where in the world is he? Look kid, my family and I made an effort to come all the way here to this school so that the little boy who is dying of leukemia can meet me. I took time out of my busy schedule to come here. My parents and grandparents wasn’t even sure whether or not to let me even come here. I had to beg and fuss with them to let me come here so that this little boy can have a chance to meet me. I have no idea who this sick child is, never seen or met him before. All I know is that when my family received a letter about a three year old boy who has leukemia, whose dying wish is for me to come to this school so that he can meet me, I was very touched by it. I started to feel sorry for this little boy. I became emotionally attached to him. I even bought toys, stuffed animals, balloons, coloring books and fruit and brought them all here to this school for the little boy to brighten up his spirit before he dies and you’re telling me I can’t meet him, that he‘s not anywhere? That’s ridiculous! Listen kid, I came here to this school to grant this little boy his dying wish to meet me and that’s what I intend to do. I am not leaving this school until Principal Cole search the school records and finds out who this little boy is.”
“What? You’re not gonna leave the school until Principal Cole finds out who he is?”
“That’s right.”
“So you’re determined to find and meet the little boy who has leukemia?”
“Of course I am! What else you think I came to this school for? If it wasn’t for that letter my family received about this little boy’s dying wish to meet me, I would not even be here in the school in the first place! Now what I need for you to do is show me where the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms are, so I can go near there, find the little boy’s picture or photo with his name on it hanging on the wall, then find out who this little boy is and hopefully find out where he is right now, so I can grant him his dying wish to meet me alright? Let’s go.” Diane D grabs Marcus by his right arm.
Marcus turns his head away from Diane D and secretly whispers to himself, “Oh my God what have Richard and I done?” Diane D starts to pull Marcus towards the edge of the hallway where the corner is. Marcus tries to pull away from Diane D and says, “But you’re not gonna find the little boy’s picture or photo outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms Diane D.”
“No? Why not? I need to see how he looks like! I need to know where he is! I need to find him!”
“But his picture or
photo with his name on the wall won’t be outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms Diane D! You’re not going to ever find his picture or photo there.”
“Oh yes I will. I’m going to find out which kid he is.”
“You’re not going to find out which kid he is Diane D.”
“I will find out which kid he is. Then I am going to go to wherever he is and have him meet me.”
“You will never be able to have the little boy meet you Diane D.”
Diane D stops and turns towards Marcus as she angrily points her finger at him and says, “Look kid, I will have this little boy meet me, okay? I didn’t make a trip to this school for nothing. Let‘s go.” Diane D turns back forward and pulls on Marcus again.
Marcus tries to pull away from Diane D again and says, “I’m telling you Diane D, you’re not going to have the little boy meet you.”
Diane D stops and turns towards Marcus again, jerking his arm as she angrily points her finger at him again and firmly says, “Now look kid, this little boy’s dying wish is for me to come here to this school so he can meet me. Now since I wasn’t able to find him downstairs in the auditorium, I am going to look for him outside the school. I intend to make this little boy’s dying wish to meet me come true while he‘s still alive. I don‘t intend on breaking his heart. Now let‘s go. Show me where the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms are!” Diane D turns back forward and pulls on Marcus again.
Marcus tries to pull away from Diane D again and says, “But Diane D, you’re not going to find the little boy’s picture or photo hanging outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms! I am positive his picture or photo won‘t be out there.”
Diane D stops and turns towards Marcus again and says, “Why should I listen to you? You already told me that you don’t know where this little boy is.”
“I don’t know where the little boy is Diane D,” Marcus says. Diane D turns back forward and pulls Marcus again as Marcus tries to pull away from her again and says, “All I know is that you’re not gonna find his picture or photo hanging outside the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms!”
Diane D stops and turns towards Marcus again as she angrily points her finger at him again and shouts, “Look! I have toys, stuffed animals, gifts and fruit waiting right inside Principal Cole’s office for this little boy! I am going to find him and bring those gifts to him! Now let‘s go!” Diane D turns back forward and angrily pulls Marcus forward again.
Marcus tries to pull away from Diane D again and cries, “You won’t find him Diane D. You will never ever find or meet the little boy who has leukemia! You will never ever even see the little boy who has leukemia!”
“I will never ever even see him?”
“No!”
“What are you talking about I will never even see him? You said he’s not dead yet, right?”
“No, he isn‘t dead!”
“Then for God’s sake, why will I never see the little boy who has leukemia?!”
“Because he doesn’t exist!” Marcus shouts. Diane D stops in her tracks and shockingly looks at Marcus! She shockingly stares at Marcus. Marcus looks at Diane D as Diane D shockingly stares at him. Marcus becomes nervous. He then asks, “Are you okay Diane D?” Diane D remains in a state of shock as she stares at Marcus. Marcus asks again, “Are you okay?”
Diane D starts to tremble. She then asks, “What do you mean he doesn’t exist?”
Marcus nervously says, “It was me and my brother who sent your family’s organization that letter about the little boy who has leukemia. We made that story up!” Diane D becomes more shocked as she stares at Marcus. Marcus starts to tremble a little as he says, “My brother and I made that story up about the little boy who has leukemia, just so that your family can think it’s a charity event and let you come here to this school. We‘re the ones who sent your family‘s organization that second letter and had you and your family think that letter came from this school! The school had nothing to do with sending your family’s organization that last letter. The last letter didn‘t come from the school at all, it was sent by me and my brother! The only thing we did was put the school‘s return address on the envelope. So the truth Diane D is, there is no little boy in this school who has leukemia. There never was.”
Diane D remains shocked. She continues to stare at Marcus. She then says, “You’re probably just saying that so I could let go of you.”
“No it’s true Diane D! There is no little boy in this school who has leukemia! No little boy at all!”
“Yes there is. You’re probably just telling me that because someone probably put you up to telling me this, didn’t they?!”
“No! No one put me up to telling you this Diane D! Who would put me up to telling you this?!”
“Probably my husband or someone else in my family.”
“Your husband or someone else in your family? Why would your husband or anybody else in your family put me up to telling you this?”
“Because they all felt that I was getting too emotionally attached to the little boy who has leukemia. They all felt that I was becoming too emotionally involved with him and accused me of becoming obsessed with him. My husband kept complaining that I was neglecting him. Was it my husband who put you up to telling me this? Did he secretly pay you to tell me this?”
“No! Your husband didn’t pay me to tell you this! It wasn’t your husband at all Diane D!”
“Was it someone else in my family?”
“No! It wasn’t anybody else in your family either! Your husband and the rest of your family had nothing to do with this! No one is paying me to tell you this! I’m doing this completely on my own! The little boy who has leukemia really doesn’t exist! That‘s why Principal Cole and no one down in the auditorium seem to know who the little boy who has leukemia is, because he doesn‘t exist! He was made up by me and my brother!”
Diane D remains in shock as she stares at Marcus. She then says, “So you’re telling me, that you and your brother played me and my family? You lied to us?! You tricked us into coming to this school?!”
“Yes Diane D, I’m afraid we did.”
Diane D continues to shockingly stare at Marcus. She then throws Marcus’ arm back to him, letting go of his arm. Marcus tightly holds his right arm in pain. Diane D slowly backs away from Marcus shockingly staring at him.
Diane D continues to tremble. She frighteningly looks around the dark, dim hallway.
Marcus nervously looks at Diane D as he leans against the wall.
Diane D continues to frighteningly look around the dark, dim hallway as she slowly backs away from Marcus. She frighteningly looks back at Marcus.
Marcus puzzled looks at Diane D. He then says, “I’m sorry Diane D!”
Diane D continues to tremble as she backs away from Marcus.
“I‘m sorry Diane D!” Marcus says, “but I had to tell you the truth! The little boy who has leukemia never existed!”
Diane D stops in her tracks as her frightened look turns to sadness. She starts to back further away from Marcus again. She nods her head in disbelief as she looks at Marcus.
Marcus sadly looks at Diane D. He then says, “That’s the reason why you will never see or meet the little boy who has leukemia!”
Diane D stops in her tracks again still sadly staring at Marcus. She continues to back further away from Marcus.
Marcus then says, “I’m sorry Diane D, you need to know, the little boy who has leukemia never existed!”
Diane D stops in her tracks again. Her eyes fill with tears as she sadly stares at Marcus.
“I’m sorry Diane D!” Marcus cries. “I didn’t want to do this! I never wanted to send your family’s organization that false letter about the little boy who has leukemia, but my brother insisted on us doing it! He insisted on sending that false letter to you and your family because he saw how bad I wanted to see you and have you come to this school! When I saw how big this
thing has gotten, I had to let you know the truth Diane D! I had to tell you that the little boy who has leukemia never was! He was never here!”
Diane D’s eyes fill with more tears as she sadly stands there staring at Marcus. She continues to back further away from him. She nods her head in disbelief again as she sadly stares at Marcus.
“I’m sorry Diane D!” Marcus cries.
Diane D continues to back further away from Marcus.
Diane D then reaches all the way at the edge of the hallway at the corner where the other hallway is. Suddenly, she stops in her tracks again. She stands there at the edge of the hallway in the darkness sniffing and breathing heavy as she stares down the hallway at Marcus.
Marcus remains in the middle of the dark, dim hallway still leaning on the wall as he puzzled looks down the edge of the hallway at Diane D.
Diane D continues to stand at the edge of the hallway breathing heavy, still staring down the hallway at Marcus.
Marcus continues to look down the edge of the hallway at Diane D. He then asks, “Are you okay Diane D?!”
Diane D’s tears starts to dry as she continues to breathe heavy, still staring at Marcus. Suddenly, her heavy breathing slows down. The sadness on her face slowly starts to turn to a look of anger as she continues to stare down the hallway at Marcus.
Marcus puzzled looks down the edge of the hallway at Diane D as he continues to lean against the wall. He calls out again, “Are you okay Diane D?!”
Diane D’s tears are drying more. Her heavy breathing slows down more as she continues to angrily stare down the hallway at Marcus.
Marcus continues to stare down the hall at Diane D. He then calls out again, “Are you okay Diane D?! Diane D are you okay?!”
Diane D continues to stand there at the edge of the dark, dim hallway staring down the hallway at Marcus. Her heavy breathing continues to slow down more. Her tears continue to dry. Her heavy breathing has completely slowed down as she stands at the edge of the dark and dim hallway angrily staring at Marcus.
Marcus continues to lean against the wall puzzled looking down the dark hallway at Diane D.
Chapter 37
The Beast Within