Don't Stay Up Late

  They howled and wailed and thumped the bars with their small fists as they saw me approach.

  This is not an hallucination.

  These creatures are real.

  What are they doing down here?

  I screamed again. I couldn’t hold it back.

  And one of the creatures reached through the bars, wrapped his hot, dry fingers around my wrist—and pulled me to him.

  “No. Please—let go! Let go of me!” I gasped.

  49.

  The fingers tightened around my wrist. I cried out in pain and terror and tried to pull back. But the creature’s skin was rough as sandpaper, and as pain shot down my arm, I thought the creature had cut through my wrist.

  All three of them were howling now, hopping up and down like gorillas, drooling and snapping their jaws.

  With a sharp twist, I tried to squirm from the creature’s grasp. But he pulled me against the cage. Grunting, he slid his twisted face to the bars—and spat on my cheek.

  “Ohhhhhhhh.” A moan of horror escaped my throat. His tongue was sandpaper scratchy too, and left a prickly trail of hot saliva on my cheek. My whole body shuddered.

  As the other two demons shrieked and howled, I turned and stared into the cage. This one had no bottom jaw. But he pushed his face against the bars, trying to scrape my face with his upper teeth.

  “Let go!” I screamed. But my voice was drowned out by their howls and screeches. I wanted to cover my ears. The horrible cries sent chill after chill down my back.

  “Let goooo!”

  The creature spit at me again. This time the big gob of saliva flew over my head.

  I ducked—and to my surprise—tugged my hand free. “Hey—!” With a startled cry, I stumbled away from the cage. I couldn’t catch my balance. I slammed hard into the basement wall. Pain shot down my shoulder.

  I didn’t care. I was free.

  I rubbed my wrist. The creature’s fingers had squeezed a red band around my wrist. I took one last look at the three of them, still hopping up and down, hooting and grunting, their deep, sad eyes on me. Then, gasping for breath, I turned and stumbled up the basement steps.

  At least now I have proof.

  I’m not crazy. The creatures exist. I didn’t imagine the one in Brenda’s house.

  I have proof. Got to call the police.

  I climbed to the hallway and slammed the basement door shut. Still no sign of Alice. She must have gone out.

  Alice lied to me that first day. She said I heard her cat down there. Why did she have three monsters caged in her basement?

  I knew I couldn’t think about that now. Let the police sort it out.

  I found Harry’s backpack on the floor, leaning against the kitchen counter. I grabbed it up and, with the animal howls and cries repeating in my ears, I pulled open the kitchen door and flung myself outside.

  Harry was waiting obediently where I left him. “Where were you?” he demanded. “What took you so long?”

  I handed him his backpack. Then I mopped sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. “I … uh … couldn’t find it,” I said.

  He squinted at me, shielding his eyes from the lowering afternoon sun. “Why is your hair all messed up?”

  “Wind blew it, I guess.” I tried to straighten it with my hands.

  “I’m starving,” he said. “Can we have dinner right away?”

  “Sure. No problem.” We started to walk. He didn’t strap on his backpack. He swung it in front of him in both hands.

  “Did you ever go down in your aunt’s basement?” I asked, trying to make the question sound unimportant.

  He shook his head. “No. Why?”

  “Just wondered.”

  “Aunt Alice said it’s messy and I shouldn’t go down there.”

  We crossed the street. A blue SUV rumbled past. Someone waved to me from the driver’s seat but I couldn’t see who it was.

  “Does Alice have a cat?” I asked him.

  He nodded. “Mister Puffball.”

  “I haven’t seen Mister Puffball,” I said. “What does he look like?”

  Harry shrugged. “He never comes out. He’s very shy.”

  “Does he stay in the basement?”

  Harry didn’t answer. He took off, running up the front lawn to his house, swinging the backpack in front of him.

  He’s at Alice’s house all the time, I thought. How come he has never heard the creatures in the basement? How does Alice keep them quiet?

  Again, I figured the police could find the answer to all my questions. Rubbing my throbbing wrist, I knew I’d never forget the horrors of that basement. But at the same time I felt relieved, relieved that I wasn’t an insane person seeing horror-movie creatures that didn’t exist.

  I couldn’t wait to call the police. I made Harry his dinner, microwave pizza and a small salad. Then I left him in the kitchen to eat and made my way to the den where I could call without him hearing.

  I pulled Captain Rivera’s card from my wallet. My hand trembled as I punched in the number.

  Finally. Finally, he has to believe me.

  I was passed along to two other officers until I was connected to the captain. “Rivera,” he answered in a grunt.

  “I’m not crazy,” I blurted out. “I’ve seen other creatures. I’ve seen them. I’m not crazy.”

  50.

  A long silence at the other end. Then Rivera finally spoke up. “Who is this?”

  “Oh. Sorry.” I shut my eyes. I felt like an idiot. “It’s Lisa. Lisa Brooks.”

  “Oh. Yes? What do you want?”

  “I’m not crazy. I’ve been telling the truth,” I said. “The demons are real.”

  Another silence. Then: “Lisa, have you seen your doctor?”

  “No. Listen to me. Captain Rivera, this time you have to listen. I saw three other creatures. In cages.”

  “Three horror-movie creatures in cages?”

  “Yes. One of them grabbed me. They were screaming and howling and jumping up and down, and he grabbed me by the wrist and—”

  “I’m sorry. You’re not helping me, Lisa. I have a murder investigation to run here, and it isn’t going well.”

  “I am helping you,” I insisted.

  “I’m sorry about your accident,” he said. “Sorry you’re having problems. But—”

  “Just give me one more chance,” I begged. “Just believe me this one time. Just this once. And if it turns out I’m crazy … I’ll never bother you again. I swear.”

  “I really can’t—”

  “Just come to Harry’s aunt’s house and look in the basement. It won’t take any time at all. You’ll see that I’m not crazy. You’ll see that I’m not making this up. These creatures are real and … and…”

  I had to take a breath. The words poured out of me like a rushing waterfall. I knew I sounded like a crazy nut. But I was so desperate to make him believe me, to show him what I found.

  “Just this once!” I screamed. “You’ll thank me. I swear you’ll thank me.”

  “Okay,” he said abruptly. “Okay, okay. Stop shouting in my ear.”

  I swallowed. “You’ll come?”

  “Give me the address. I’ll be right there. I was taking a supper break anyway.”

  “Oh. Okay. Great.” It took me a few seconds to realize I had won.

  I gave him the address. “I’ll meet you over there,” I said. “They’re in the basement. You’ll see.”

  I clicked off. I heard Harry calling me from the kitchen. Harry. I’d almost forgotten about him. What could I do with him while I ran back to Alice’s house? I couldn’t take him there. And, of course, I wasn’t supposed to leave him on his own.

  But I had no choice.

  I trotted back into the kitchen. “Do you want more food?”

  He burped really loudly. Then he rubbed his stomach. “No, I’m full. Do I have to do my homework now?”

  “Would you like to play your Xbox game?” I asked.

  “Yes. Yes! C
an I?”

  “I have to run out for two minutes,” I said. “If you promise you’ll sit in the living room and play your game, and not move or do anything else, I’ll let you play it now.”

  He squinted at me. “You’re going out?”

  I nodded. “Just for two minutes. Maybe five. I swear. Will you do it? Will you sit still and play your game?”

  He pumped his fists in the air. “Yes! Sweet!”

  “And don’t tell your mom I ran out for a few minutes?” I said.

  He grinned. “If you let me stay up late.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Excuse me?”

  “I won’t tell her if you promise you’ll let me stay up late.”

  I sighed. “Harry, you know it isn’t good for you.”

  “Promise?” he insisted. “Promise?”

  I had to get over to Alice’s. I didn’t have time to argue with him. “Okay,” I said. “You can stay up late. I promise.”

  I got him set up. I made sure the doors were locked. Then I hurried out the front door, down the lawn, onto Fear Street.

  The late afternoon sun was a red ball, ducking behind the trees, sending long shadows across the lawn. The air had grown cooler. It smelled flowery and sweet. The people on the corner had mowed their lawn, and the aroma of cut grass greeted me as I crossed the street.

  I cut through backyards and then a narrow gravel alley. I came to the corner of Alice’s block just as Rivera’s patrol car pulled to the curb. Rivera climbed out. I waved to him as I ran.

  His black uniform shirt was rumpled. His eyes were hidden behind dark glasses. I could hear the rattle of the police radio as he slammed the car door.

  “You didn’t have to come, Lisa.” His eyes were on the house.

  “But I wanted to be there when you found them,” I said. “I mean, it’s important to me, too. I know you think I’m crazy and—”

  He waved me quiet with one hand. “I don’t think you’re crazy. Let’s not talk about that now. Let’s just have a look in the basement. Then we can decide who’s crazy.”

  I think maybe he was making a joke, but I wasn’t sure. His face was like dark-stained wood. Hard. His features didn’t move.

  I followed him up the driveway. Alice appeared in the door before we reached the stoop. She had pink plastic curlers in her hair. She squinted at me. “Lisa? Is something wrong? Is Harry okay?”

  “He’s fine,” I answered. I suddenly felt embarrassed. I’d just turned Alice in to the police. Maybe I shouldn’t have come with Rivera.

  “Harry is fine,” I said. “I just—”

  Rivera stepped in front of me. “Good afternoon. I’m very sorry to trouble you. I had a report…”

  “A report?” Alice’s face twisted in confusion. “Why don’t you come in.” She held the door open and stepped aside.

  I followed Captain Rivera into the living room. His gaze darted around the room. I couldn’t decide what to do with my hands. I kept shoving them into my jeans pockets, then pulling them out.

  “I hope this isn’t too big an inconvenience,” Rivera said softly. “I wonder if I could just take a quick glance at your basement.”

  Why was he being so polite to her? She was keeping ugly, deformed MONSTERS down there.

  Alice put a hand to her throat. Her eyes widened in surprise. “My basement?”

  She’s a good actress, I thought. She’s acting totally innocent.

  “You want to see my basement?” she said. “Is there some kind of problem?”

  “I hope not,” Rivera answered, eyeing me.

  I hung back by the living room doorway. I had my arms crossed tightly in front of me. My legs felt shaky, weak. I pointed to the back wall. “The basement stairs are over there,” I told Rivera.

  “I don’t have a warrant or anything…” Rivera said to her.

  “No worries.” Alice led the way across the room. “I can’t imagine why there might be a problem in my basement, Officer. You say you had a report?”

  Rivera nodded. “Do I have your permission to look downstairs?”

  Alice held open the door. “Go ahead. No problem at all.” She clicked the basement light switch.

  Rivera’s shoes clumped heavily as he made his way down the narrow stairway. Alice started to block my way. I could see she wanted to ask me what was up.

  But I slid past her into the stairwell and followed Rivera. I was two-thirds of the way down the stairs when I stopped and gazed around. I saw an old couch draped in a bed sheet, a stack of old magazines, a few random cartons against one wall.

  Rivera, halfway across the basement floor, turned and narrowed his eyes at me. “Well?”

  I spun away from him. I couldn’t bear to face him.

  Ohmigod. Ohmigod.

  The basement was empty. No cages. No creatures.

  Then, from between two stacks of cartons, I saw a pair of eyes glaring out at me. “There!” I screamed to Rivera and pointed.

  I gasped as a large gray-and-white cat stepped out. He bent his back, stretched and yawned. His eyes glowed a pale green.

  “Mister Puffball!” Alice cried. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  51.

  Alice lifted the big cat and hugged it. “You’ve been a bad boy, hiding down here.” She turned to Rivera. “Are we done here?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Thank you. I appreciate your cooperation.” He was staring at me. I knew what he was thinking: You’re crazy, Lisa.

  I hurried up the stairs first because I didn’t want to confront Alice. How could I explain this to her? I knew she’d tell Brenda about it. I was definitely out of a job.

  Outside, Rivera patted me on the shoulder, but his expression was cold. “I don’t know what to say, Lisa,” he said in a voice just above a whisper. “Are you seeing your doctor regularly?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m trying not to be harsh,” he said, his eyes locked on mine. “But I have two murders to solve, and I can’t have you wasting my time.”

  He didn’t give me a chance to reply. He strode quickly down the front lawn to his patrol car. He was shaking his head as he walked.

  He thinks I’m a nutcase.

  “But I’m not,” I murmured to myself. Those sad creatures were real. I had the red bruise on my wrist to prove it.

  Why didn’t I show it to Captain Rivera? He probably wouldn’t believe a creature did it to me. After this, I knew he wouldn’t believe a word I said.

  But I knew I wasn’t crazy. And I knew those caged monsters were real.

  Did Alice see me go down in the basement? Is that why she moved them somewhere so quickly?

  And then another question rushed into my troubled thoughts: How does Nate fit in here? If he is Brenda’s cousin, that means he is Alice’s cousin, too. But what is the connect between Nate and those three deformed creatures?

  I was convinced that Nate was behind the two gruesome murders. He had been texting me and calling and, so far, I’d been able to avoid him.

  My head swam in confusion. I thought I cared about Nate. But now I realized I was terrified of him. I knew that his horror collection wasn’t just a hobby. It was the real him.

  As Rivera’s car pulled away from the curb, I suddenly remembered Harry.

  I promised him I’d be back in five minutes. But it had been more than fifteen.

  Alice called to me from her front stoop, but I pretended I didn’t hear her and took off running. A few minutes later, I burst through the kitchen door, calling to Harry. “Are you okay? Harry? Everything okay?”

  I shouldn’t have worried. He was still sitting in the glow of the screen, his eyes intent on his game. I dropped into the nearest chair, still breathing hard from running all the way back.

  “Where did you go?” he asked, without taking his eyes from the screen.

  “Just to Alice’s,” I said. “You know you’re going to sprain both thumbs if you keep playing so long. You’ll get thumb sprains and your thumbs will turn blue.”

  He lau
ghed. “I don’t think so.”

  “Well, it’s getting late,” I said, stepping between him and the screen. “I’m sorry to say it, but it’s homework time.”

  He set down the controller. “Remember? You said I could stay up late?”

  “I know,” I said, patting his shoulder. “But it’s a bad idea. If your mom finds out…”

  “You PROMISED!” he cried. “You PROMISED.” He sounded so hurt, hurt that I would break a promise.

  “You’re right,” I said, backing down. “When you’re right, you’re right. You get to stay up late tonight.”

  That brought a big smile to his face. When he smiled like that, the most adorable dimples popped up on his cheeks. He hugged me around the waist.

  “Stop! Too tight! Too tight!” I cried, prying his arms away.

  He laughed. “I’m strong.”

  “How did you get so cute?” I asked him.

  “Practice,” he said.

  His answer startled me so much, I burst out laughing. And then we were both laughing. It was such a perfectly silly answer.

  We spread his math notebook on the kitchen table, and I helped him with the story problems. He didn’t need much help. He’s very smart and quick and has a good mind for math.

  Math always made my brain hurt. I just don’t have that orderly, logical kind of mind, I guess. I’m a good student. School is pretty easy for me. But I always have to work hard in math classes just to keep up with everyone else.

  After the math, he had a story to read with questions to answer at the end. I sat across from him and watched him read. He had tremendous concentration. He never raised his eyes from the page until the story was finished.

  His homework finished, I made a big bowl of microwave popcorn and we settled on the living room couch to watch a Disney cartoon on Netflix. He laughed and clapped his hands as he watched. He bounced up and down. He seemed to get more energy as the time grew later.

  I couldn’t concentrate on the movie. Every sound, every rattle or creak in the house made me jump. And my eyes kept wandering to the top of the stairs where I’d seen the green-faced demon last time.

  I kept glancing at my phone. Did Nate plan to visit us again tonight?