The Monster Within

I raised a boy and he grew up and became a man with extreme possessiveness.

And now he had imprisoned me.

I lay on the vast bed, staring blankly at the crystal chandelier above.

He approached gently, but his eyes were bloodshot as he stared at me, "Be a good girl, and eat this."

The gruel was still steaming. I turned my head weakly to look elsewhere. I vaguely remembered the time he was ill, and I personally fed him a bowl of gruel.

What a fiend!

If I had known he would become this deranged, I would never have let him go.

I would have ensured

he died a terrible death.

...

1.

That morning, I woke up groggily to find a small figure curled up beside my bed.

Startled, I jumped up, grabbed the porcelain cup from the nightstand, and hurled it.

The small figure stood up just in time for the cup to hit its head with a "thud," and blood immediately began to trickle down, covering half of its face.

I panicked. What was happening?

It was then I realized it was a little boy! His long, thick eyelashes and dark pupils were fixed on the shattered cup on the floor.

I was overwhelmed with guilt.

"I'm sorry, so sorry. I didn't mean to." I said, rushing over barefoot and reaching out to check his wound. The boy, frightened, quickly backed away, losing his balance and landing on the floor.

He slowly looked up, and I saw the most beautiful child in my life!

He had chiseled features and trembling delicate lips. Suddenly, his whole small body began to shiver.

I was again overwhelmed with guilt. Help! Kids never seemed to like me.

I opened the door and hesitantly called out. "Mother, why is there a little boy in my room? Whose child is he?"

She glared at me. "What child? Get up already! It's almost noon, and you're still lazing around. I shouldn't have let you go to school! You're going to get married off anyway. It's better to have you work and support your brother!"

I kept pointing at the boy, insisting he was there.

She looked again in the direction I pointed. "Where? There's nothing there! You better get the cooking and laundry done now, and pick up your brother from school tonight."

So I brought my sister over, pointing at the boy. She scratched her head and said she didn't see anything and then ran off to play.

I was so stunned.

But instead, a strange feeling crept in, reminding me of the movie about spirits I once watched!

What should I do? I should probably go to church and pray to the god.

I was a person who acted on impulse, so I immediately put on my shoes.

Suddenly, I heard a familiar "grumble" behind me, the sound of a hungry stomach.

I stopped in my tracks, turned around, and quickly wiped the blood off the boy's face with a tissue. "Hungry, aren't you?"

The boy began to sob, his small face turning red as tears fell, his eyes rimmed with red.

I found some iodine to disinfect the wound and brought him a bowl of gruel. He ate it slowly between sobs.

So, he must be human.

I picked up the boy, and a few rolls of yellowed paper fell from him. As I was about to pick them up, he slipped from my arms, hiding the papers behind him like a thief.

"Alright, I won't look. Do you want to rest for a bit?" I caught a glimpse of the word "Phil".

The little boy ignored me, his dark eyes blinking as he crouched on the floor.

What a situation this was.

Forget it. I needed to pick up my brother from school first.

2.

That evening, I kept watching the little boy. He wouldn't speak or let me touch him.

I deliberately brought many people into the room, my grandfather, my cousin, and my friends. And they all said they couldn't see him!

Oh my, I was completely bewildered.

It was already dark, and I was a bit scared. I turned to see the little boy asleep on the floor.

His small, thin body made me easily pick him up, and I intended to take him to the guest room. I didn't dare let him sleep in my room.

As soon as I stepped out of my room, he became weightless! His body turned almost transparent and suddenly vanished!

When I turned back, he was still lying on the floor in my room in the unchanged position!

My scalp tingled!

Tears nearly welled up as I took a deep breath.

No matter what, I had to figure out what was going on!

I hurried over to him. "Wake up. Hey." I shook him gently.

Feeling him shiver, I touched his hand, which was icy cold. It was indeed cold in mid-December.

Gritting my teeth, I placed him on the bed, tucking him under the thick quilt. Only after then did his body temperature return to normal.

This little boy was about the same age as my brother.

I felt a bit sorry for him. Where were his parents? Why did he mysteriously appear in my room? Why did he turn transparent when leaving my room and then reappear inside? What the hell was going on?

However, one thing was certain.

He must be human!

Or perhaps it had something to do with those rolls of yellow paper and the word "Phil".

I lifted the quilt to check on him, but there was nothing. The yellow paper had vanished!

As I pondered, the little boy suddenly opened his eyes, his dark pupils fixed on me.

Startled, I withdrew my hand, nervously stepping back. He soon fell asleep again.

Alas!

The next morning, I groggily sat up and instinctively looked to the side. What was going on? He had grown taller!

If he was five yesterday, today he was seven.

Oh my!

He woke up too, looking at me with a soft gaze and seemingly without yesterday's wariness.

We stared at each other for several seconds. "Are you hungry?"

What was I asking? Shouldn't I ask him who you are, where you came from, and where you're going?

I was bewildered, but the next moment, I understood the situation.

He couldn't hear or speak.

Alright, I had no choice but to accept it helplessly.

Then I went to school.

3.

When I got home, the little boy looked at me with eager eyes, his long black eyelashes blinking pitifully.

He was very dependent on me.

Alas, my maternal instincts were overwhelming!

During this time, I was constantly scurrying between school and home, worried even during meals.

Every noon, I had to go back to bring him gruel. It was really tiring.

Manfred Cobbett, my senior, was super cool playing basketball, with six-pack abs.

Even he noticed my poor mental state, advising me not to stay up late and to take care of myself. He even asked if something had happened recently.

Should I tell him about the mysterious boy who appeared in my room?

I had to borrow money from Manfred to buy clothes for the boy.

He was growing too fast. Today he was nine, and tomorrow eleven.

I couldn't let him stay naked.

I didn't know what kind of clothes he should wear, so I based it entirely on Manfred's taste, saying I wanted to buy clothes for my brother for the future.

My brother's clothes were never my responsibility to buy, and Manfred just praised me for being a caring sister.

Looking at myself in the mirror, was I really deranged?

4.

The little boy, no, the big guy now, looked at me with innocent puppy eyes.

At his growth rate, he might become an old man in my room in a few months.

He looked about fourteen now.

His handsome face had a gentle grace, with skin better than mine, fair and delicate. Was it because he kept eating gruel?

For the past half month, I had been talking to him, constantly chattering, but he still seemed unable to hear anything.

I sighed, wondering if he was simple-minded.

4.

In the middle of the night, I vaguely heard a male voice. "Cold. I'm cold."

I was immediately startled. The big guy spoke!

That meant the mystery could finally be solved!

I was eager to wake him up, but his always-closed eyes showed no sign of opening.

I touched his face, which was cold.

I planned to get some hot water to wipe him down.

Just as I withdrew my hand, he grabbed it, rubbing his face and head against it. It tickled, and I could feel his eyelashes fluttering in my palm.

Oh my, he was so adorable!

My maternal instincts were overwhelming again.

With my excitement fading and him clinging to my hand, I couldn't go get hot water.

His body was still cold. What should I do?

Forget it. I closed my eyes and lay down, hugging his body.

His body was trembling, and his breathing grew heavier, the warm breath blowing on my neck.

I held him tighter, patting his body. "I'm here with you. Sleep now..."

I soon drifted off to sleep as well.

The dawn broke, and I woke up early.

I had to figure out what was going on!

6.

He had grown taller, with fair skin, alluring eyes, and a delicate nose.

He looked at me timidly, as if waiting for me to speak.

"I'm asking you, who are you? Where do you come from? Where are you going?"

I stared at him for a good ten minutes as he slowly clutched his head, seemingly trying hard to think.

Oh dear!

He lowered his head slowly and said, "I don't know."

I asked again, "Where are your rolls of yellow paper?"

He looked up at me slowly, as if pondering my question. Every time I asked a question, it took him about ten minutes to answer.

His thinking was sluggish.

Forget it. I should first work on his ability to understand and respond.

"Who are you?"

He remained silent.

"Where do you come from?"

He remained silent.

"Where are you going?"

He remained silent.

Speechless, I decided to call him Phil. It was the word I saw on his paper.

Initially, he didn't understand when I called him that and never turned around.

Later, whenever I entered the room and shouted "Phil", he would turn around, those alluring eyes silently watching me.

His body seemed to have stopped growing, but every midnight, he would shiver from the cold.

I ended up holding him to keep him warm, so I wouldn't be woken up by his trembling.

In summer, it was fine. Holding his cool body was quite comfortable.

But in winter, I didn't want to do so anymore.

Every day, I would ask and shout at him. "Who are you? Are you Phil?"

"Yes." Came the sound from his nose. Finally, he showed some reaction.

"Where do you come from?"

He remained silent.

"Where are you going?"

He remained silent.

I quickly realized this wasn't working at all!

Only by finding the rolls of yellow paper could the mysteries be unraveled one by one.

I told Phil I was going to frisk him!

I ominously threatened him, inappropriately touching him.

He shivered, startling me!

I looked up in bewilderment, seeing his little face flushed red, his innocent alluring eyes blinking at me, looking utterly harmless.

Sorry! Sorry!

I decided to go to school instead.

7.

Manfred confessed his feelings to me, and I lowered my head.

He thought I was shy and said he'd wait for my response.

Another day passed, and in the morning, I woke up and got out of bed.

I stumbled and fell into the arms of masculine charm.

I looked up, and those alluring eyes stared blankly at me, a faint blush appearing on his fair face. I realized Phil was already 17 or 18 years old, almost an adult.

His fair face had strikingly handsome chiseled features.

His deep, dark eyes gazed straight at me.

Strange.

I quickly pushed him away and cleared my throat. "You should change into a larger size of clothes."

"Yes." Came the sound from his nose, somewhat pleasant.

After leaving the room, I held my head in my hands, feeling uneasy.

I went to find Manfred, agreed to be his girlfriend, and asked him for a shirt.

It wasn't until evening that I entered the room and spread a blanket on the floor. "You should sleep here from now on."

He looked at me helplessly, his dark eyes seemingly trying to see through me.

But he quietly lay down on the blanket.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, he climbed onto the bed and snuggled into my arms, murmuring. "I'm cold. Please hug me."

I suddenly felt impatient and kicked him hard, the sound of a solid thud coming as he fell to the ground.

I felt a bit guilty but still scolded loudly. "You're not a child anymore! Go sleep on your blanket, Phil! Did you hear me?"

There was no sound from under the bed.

And I was left sleepless. This guy was to blame. What on earth was he?

Damn it! I had to find those rolls of yellow paper.

I pulled back his blanket, and he was shivering, his body ice-cold.

At that moment, he opened his eyes, his dark eyes looking at me without emotions.

"Come sleep on the bed. It's cold on the floor."

His eyes suddenly flashed with a glimmer of joy, and he softly agreed.

Once on the bed, he only slept on the very edge.

In the middle of the night, I started feeling cold, unsurprisingly because of Phil!

"Come here. I'll hold you in my arms."

Phil crawled over like a puppy, and I sighed helplessly.

8.

In the morning, I glanced at Phil, who curled up in the corner of the bed.

I shook my head and went to school.

Halfway there, I realized I wasn't wearing shoes, so I walked back barefoot to put them on.

Passing through a dense grove, the yellowed, aged leaves fell to the ground, making a rustling sound as I stepped on them barefoot.

I had only one thought. I needed to go back and put on shoes.

I accidentally stepped on a pit loosely covered with leaves and fell down, startled!

My foot twitched, and then I realized it was a dream!

Phil was still in my arms, and when I twitched, he had a physical reaction.

I pushed him away in shock, and he rubbed his sleepy alluring eyes, utterly confused.

But I caught a hint of desire in his eyes.

I almost fled the room.

9.

Manfred said he wanted to take me to a movie, and I gladly agreed. In the darkness of the cinema, he kissed my lips.

When I returned home, Phil stared at me with tear-filled eyes, slowly walking toward me.

I retreated repeatedly until I was cornered against the wall by him.

What did he mean?! I snapped coldly, "Phil! What are you doing!"

He seemed to wake from a dream and moved away from me, squatting on the ground in a daze.

He was clearly very sober!

Today, I must get to the bottom of the matter with Phil's secret paper. I demanded sternly, "Phil, where exactly are the rolls of yellow paper?"

He paused upon hearing my question.

As expected, he already knew!

"Phil!" I called out again.

He stood up, and in just a few days, he had grown a whole head taller than me.

I heard him speak slowly, "Phil's paper can only be shown to someone close."

Phil's paper? So those yellow papers were called Phil's paper.

"Then why did you suddenly appear in my room? And why did you look like a child, and how could your body grow so fast?"

He seemed overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, his fine black hair covering his eyes. Sweat beads appeared on his forehead as he lowered his head, twisting his fingers until they turned pale.

As I leaned closer, I noticed his face was completely flushed.

It seemed I had to slow down.

"Do you know who you are?"

"I don't know."

I felt speechless.

In the middle of the night, I vaguely heard a cold voice whispering in my ear, "Please, you are mine alone. Anyone who touches you deserves to die!"

I fell into a deep pit in the middle of a mystical grove.

This time, I knew clearly I was dreaming, like being caught in a trap.

Yet, I was still barefoot, searching for my shoes.

Before long, I gradually collapsed weakly in the pit.

Above me was the towering woods, the wind gently blowing, and the sparse, dappled sunlight filtering through the swaying leaves, casting a warm glow on me.

Suddenly, a cold sensation touched my foot. I looked down, feeling my pupils contract.

On the ground, a pale man was crawling on the ground towards me, his white fingers into the damp black soil!

His entire body was pale, making him look like a ghost!

His pale form contrasted sharply with the lush green forest overhead!

I was terrified beyond belief!

I mustered all my strength to lift my leg, desperate to get away from him! I wanted to wake up!

A long, deathly white hand suddenly grabbed my ankle!

My eyes widened, and I was on the verge of tears!

He abruptly lifted his head, locking eyes with me.

It was Phil!

But he seemed different! His gaze was fierce and obsessive, with a bloodthirsty intention!

Yet his face was utterly bloodless, with no emotions at all...

I stared at him, bewildered, feeling the cold, soft touch on my foot.

He lowered his head and kissed my foot, slowly crawling up my body!

I woke up with a start, finding myself tightly embraced by Phil.

I dared not look at him.

Later, somehow, I ended up at school, feeling utterly lost and disoriented.

Manfred saw me and asked anxiously, "Mona, did your mom hit you again?"

I looked up to see his worried face.

My nose tingled slightly. "No."

"It's okay. Tomorrow is graduation. If you're willing, we can leave this city tomorrow," he asked cautiously, "Would you like that?"

I couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears in his arms.

He patted my back and sighed softly. "Leave this place with me."

I stared blankly at the man in front of me. He smiled gently, "My dear, no more tears," he teased, tapping my nose. "I'll spend my life healing your wounds from your childhood, okay?"

I was tempted, and his smile was so beautiful as if it were the sunlight that could pierce through the heavy clouds.

A voice inside me urged me to say yes.

The next second, a car suddenly hit him, gruesomely injuring his legs.

I crawled and cried, kneeling beside him.

"Save him!" I screamed, "Please, someone call 911! Save him."

The ambulance had already left, and I stared blankly at the car, while people around me asked why I didn't get in the car and why I didn't accompany him, saying that the boy was really nice.

Of course, I knew Manfred was nice.

But I couldn't control myself, my feet involuntarily walking back home.

I feared I was truly under a spell.

Once in the room, I glared at him fiercely. He still appeared utterly innocent.

I rushed forward and slapped him hard.

His dark pupils stared at me in confusion, his lips moving slightly but he remained silent.

"How dare you still play dumb!"

Last night, I clearly heard him whispering coldly and fiercely in my ear, "Please, you are mine alone. Anyone who touches you deserves to die!"

I must find out what kind of a monster he really is!

I would use every means to drive him away!

Suddenly, memories of last night's dream flooded my mind.

It gave me a deep terror!

No, I couldn't sleep here!

I went to the guest room, and my mother looked at me with disgust. "This is for your brother in the future. Get out..."

"I know. But just one night. I promise I'll marry someone rich in the future."

She left.

I fell into a deep sleep, and when I opened my eyes, I was still in the deep pit in the middle of the mystical grove, with nothing underfoot.

Turning my head, I saw a pale, bloodless face, with a glaring handprint on it!

I took a deep breath. It was the slap I gave Phil during the day!

The feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me as Phil crawled onto my body, his pale, slender fingers caressing my face.

Tears flowed uncontrollably from my eyes.

I told myself repeatedly over and over forcibly. It was a dream. It was just a dream! Wake up! Wake up!

But he got so intimate with me, the cold touch so real!

Goosebumps rose all over my body.

He kissed my earlobe, neck, collarbone...

I muttered frantically, "No. Please! Stop! Stop!"