The Monster Under the Bed (2) : There’s a faint scratching under your bed. Maybe you’ve heard it in the nights leading up to now, or maybe it’s just started, but the scurrying noise is starting to drive you mad. What is it? A bug? A creature? Your imagination? If you try to ignore the noise, it grows louder and louder and louder, until it’s practically all you can hear. You can try to ignore it but sleep is impossible. If you’re hoping to get any rest, you’re going to have to investigate–but you’re not going to like what you find. A flashlight under the bed yields nothingness–a darkness so deep that it seems to swallow up all light. The noise is worse but you can’t see anything. But you’re already in its trap. If you try to reach into the darkness, something grabs your wrist; if you try to walk away, your ankle. Its grip is icy and sharp, like being grabbed by knives, and it pulls. No matter how hard you fight against it, it’s stronger–and it drags you into the darkness. You fall, for what feels like an eternity–and then you jerk awake, violently. Maybe it was just a bad dream. But it doesn’t explain the fading red marks from where it grabbed you. When you look again, it’s just your bed–but you have the distinct feeling that something is missing.

Dylan Boats, who now lived with his Aunt Di Boats Bones, and her husband, Uncle Dean Bones, went into his new bedroom for the first time. Uncle Dean's younger sister, Dia Bones had formerly lived in this room, before moving out to to go to finish College finally and she and the rest of the family felt it was time she had her own place to do so. The house was already crowded, and was more so, till a few ago. It was a four bedroom house - his aunt and uncle lived in the master bedroom, Dia had her own bedroom, his cousins, Drew (now 25) had shared the third bedroom with young Den and Dell (twins, age 5) and Dria (Drew's twin and she was also 25) had shared the fourth bedroom with their younger sister Dani (now 19).

Drew and Dria had since moved out on their own, so that Dani now had a bedroom to herself, and the twins had their own room. Apparently, Drew had also had a kitten name Dari - talk about crowded (Dari of course went with Drew).

So tonight, of all nights (Halloween) was his first real night in their house. His twin Day had supposed to have been here, sharing the room with him - however, Day had not made it - she had gone missing on the way and they were still looking for her.

That was why, Dyl was here alone and was nervous about staying in the home of relatives that were practically strangers. He put on a good face as it was time for bed, about 9 or 10 at night. He must've fallen asleep from being so tired and hadn't realized it; it had been a long travel day.

Something was scratching and tapping under the bed. Surely Drew had not forgotten his kitten and it was not hiding under Dyl's bed. However, the noise grew louder and louder - it couldn't be the kitten - could it? Finally, he got out of bed and looked under it. Complete darkness was all he saw.

"Hmm," He muttered under his breath. "Nothing." Suddenly something from the darkness wrapped it's claws around his arm and pain lanced through his arm. He screamed. It had moved so fast that he hadn't seen what it had looked like. He was yanked under the bed, was suddenly falling through darkness, for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, he was shaken awake. He was in the bed again and found himself looking up into Drew's face.

"You alright, Dylan? It seems like you had a nightmare." Dyl nodded. Drew smiled calmly, he seemed so grown up in that Police uniform, and with his head shaved. Dyl started to get up into a sitting position and winced as a stinging sensation lanced up his arm - he looked down at it and found that the claw marks from his dream was there.

Drew saw them as well, and frowned. "I had just come to welcome you tonight - I apologize, I had a double shift and couldn't get off until now. I know it's like eleven." His jaw tighted as he watched the claw marks slowly fade from Dyl's arm. Drew looked absolutely serious, and asked him, "How did that happen? Tell me the truth."

So Dyl told Drew about his supposed dream. Drew nodded through it, listening intently. He then got up from the end of Dyl's bed. He carefully looked under the bed and finding nothing, he smiled ironically and said strangely. "Welcome to the holidays in Destiny City, Dylan. Have a good night," he turned around and walked out.

Dyl started at Drew's back as he went out. What was that about?