My eyes fluttered open to the sound of creaking.

The door creaking.

I lifted my head up, propping my elbows up on the floor and watched as the golden doorknob shook and rattled.

After a pause that lasted a life time, the door cracked open.

Light seeped in, as the door pushed against me. I slide across the floor from its blind force.

No.

Adrenaline pumped through my veins and gushed from my pores.

I gulped, but there was nothing of moisture to swallow. Not even on my tongue.

The deafening pound in my ears drowned out all noise.

All reason.

I smacked my sweating hands to my mouth to keep from screaming at the top of my lungs.

No.

An aroma of almonds filled the air.

And out from behind the door emerged a creature from the farthest and darkest depths of the Earth. First one head popped out from behind, then another, and another.

A three headed maned cyclops, practically as tall as a building, furry, and as purple as the shadows in the room, stood feet from me, closing the closet door behind it.

No.

No.

It can't be.

The creature, not noticing me on the floor, crept to Jackson's bed.

I swallowed my scream. The purple giant stood at the foot of Jackson's bed.

It spread its arms and Grinch-like hands.

Its arms, its fingers, its three wispy bush heads, its lanky body...

Like the horrific shadow of a tree.

It is. It is true. It is true. Monsters are... Are...

Then I realized that a huge monster was about to attack my best friend.

Protective parent mode in overdrive, I shot upwards, my feet silent as they planted themselves into the hardwood. Little League baseball bat in my clay hands, I was seconds from launching myself at the intruder.

"Boo," it said. Jackson sat up in bed and turned the light on, already grinning in anticipation.

I stopped the bat above my head mid-swing, like a dwarf about to kill Snow White sleeping in bed.

Wha?

"Hey buddy! So it's been a crazy day for me today do you know how crazy?" he slurred, almost hyperventilating.

And apparently the monster's... British?

"So today I was walking down the road and I saw a squirrel and it attacked me! And then a crazy woman came up to me because I attract crazy people and then she went up the animal and was like 'I love animals! I love animals! I'm obsessed with animals, oh look at me! I love animals! Animals!'" The purple creature flailed his arms like a performing puppet, bursting with so much energy the puppeteer would have been moments from hurtling the ragged toy across the room in an explosion of ADHD. And rainbows.

The monster's hands and claws, like in Jackson's drawing, were like tree branches.

I stood there in awe. Jackson was already giggling. I myself was struggling to keep a straight face. Something about the energy and excitement in this creature was alluring. And his adorable little accent didn't help matters much.

I loosened my grip on the bat.

The purple creature did not stop his race to speak. "Also today I went to the mall with my parents and I got lost! I was in a shop with my parents and I got distracted by these goldfish s'mores I mean who wouldn't get distracted by them ANYWAY I turned around and they disappeared! They'd left me! So I was looking around for a while calling out for them and I had figured my mom would come running like a homing ping-uen. Homing penguin? Anyway it didn't happen. My phone wasn't working so aside from laying on the floor and screaming 'Mommy!' I couldn't do anything to reach them. So anyway one hour later panic had really started to set in and eventually I had to give in the shame and look for the friendliest looking security guard I could find and told him I was lost and he said 'Seriously? You're the oldest looking eight-year-old I've seen today.' And then I had to take the walk of shame to the information center where the security guard did a PA announcement to the entire shopping center which was 'Can Mr. and Mrs. Lester please collect their nine foot two tall man child from the information center as he has lost you.' Thankfully my parents found it hilarious and I just curled up in a ball. Of shame."

At this point in time Jackson was laughing so hard tears streamed from his eyes. He gasped for breath, unable to speak. I stood in awe at the creature's performance. His comedic timing was perfect. His ability to not get tongue twisted was beyond me. His enthusiasm was riveting.

I suddenly felt ashamed at how little I knew about Jackson compared to what I thought I did. His personality. I had no idea such an energetic aspect of humor appealed to Jackson. Kids, especially boys of his age, usually just find low brow humor funny.

My eyes fell to my side.

I really don't give the little guy enough credit, do I.

Trying to think of something else, I reflected on the monster's story, touching the tip of my finger to my lower lip.

But just... Just how embarrassing for the soul! How unfortunate! Having to go to a security guard like that for help.

I gasped a sharp breath.

Do not get help. Do not get help.

No help, no help.

I rolled my eyes back, reasoning.

But that poor creature! What would you have done if you were a grown person who...

I looked back at the closet door, light seeping through the cracks.

Who was... Abandoned, afraid... Lost, and alone... And was so desperate as to--

One of the two extra heads on the creature looked from behind him and saw me.

I froze.

In our eye contact, the head's single eye widened in alarm, and began tugging and thrashing at the larger head, trying to get his attention, as the center head was the only eye hosting a mouth and the ability to speak.

I held my breath, waiting for my presence to be exposed.

The speaking head brushed away the smaller, trying to ignore him as if he were a nagging mosquito.

It's now or never.

I almost laughed out loud. For what? Was my response.

I turned my head back to the door.

Oh.

I looked down at my ring.

Tomorrow I leave.

I will never see Jackson, or any of the other children, ever again.

I'm running out of time.

And it was at that moment that something spoke to my heart. There was that hunger again. That desire for something more.

I leapt inside, yearning for answers, yearning for love, yearning for relief.

Yearning for freedom.

They will never come for me.

No one will ever help me.

I set the bat down. I held out my finger and slid my pearl ring off.

I dropped it to my side.

Tink, tink.

The purple monster didn't notice.

I couldn't have cared less if he did.

Do not get help. Do not get help.

No help, no help.

Heart racing, I grabbed the golden knob and swung the door open.

I must find them myself.

This time, there wasn't only clothing and toys.

There was light.

There was sound.

There was...

There was...

Determination gripped me.

There IS a world beyond the closet door.

Taking a deep breath, I let go, charging from my world, my life, and everything I had ever worked for and believed, disappearing into the light of the unknown.

"What is it, Dan?" The purple creature finally acknowledged his non-speaking and very frantic companion.

But by then, I was already gone.