Monsters

Max Ruback

Here's the thing about moving in with a new family. Most of the time, they alwasy seem normal the first few days. They'll act like htey really want to take care of you. they'll ask what your favorite meals are. They'll ask to see picutres of your family, if you have any. they might even take you bowling or to a movie. There might even be a bike in the garage. They'll tell you that you can call htem "Mom" and "Dad", or by their first names, or whatever makes you feel comfortable. No matter how nice htey are, I alwasy call them "Mr." and "Mrs." You don't get your heart broken that way. Things are pretty normal for the first couple of days, like I said. They you beginn to see the cracks. They'll argue and shout. Their eyes will change. They'll look at you differently. You'll be afraid to open teh refrigerator without permission. But you deal with it, because it's best to keep your mouth shut, if things aren't so bad. So bad isn't so bad, because it can be a lot worse. That's just something to learn.

If there are other foster kids in the house, they'll tell you what you have to watch out for. They'll show you the secret places you can hide. They'll tell you how you should act. They'll tell you what will happen if you don't behave. Most fostser kids try to help one another out. Not all, but most. There's a bond there. Kind of like a family.

Everybod's asleep, except for Avery. He's staring out the living room window.

"How can you watch those stupid movies?", he says to me. "They 're so stupid, it ain't even funny. Fake looking monsters, and fake looking special effects."

"I like them," I say, paying him no special attention.

Girl, I think there's something wrong wth you then," he says.

"You're gonna get in trouble if they wake up and find you gone," I say.

"Later," he says.

Because there's an alarm on the front and back doors. Avery crawls out the window, smelling very nice.

more to be posted soon...