[ WP ] The New Face of Terror

When I was young, there was a new man who moved into our town. No one knew where he was or why he came. There's nothing to do in our town, nobody other than us good folk out here. My mom was right scared of the man, told me stories of men wandering into his house and never coming out. 
 
 My father would peek out from behind the curtain, late at night, watching for the man to leave. I was up one night when the man left his house, and my father turned to me and, `` Son... That there, that is n't right.'' 
 
 `` What's not right about him, papa?'' 
 
 `` He's not like me, or you, or your brothers. Or any other man. He turns other, good men, and makes them sinners, like himself. I want you to stay away from that... monster.'' 
 
 But when I grew older, I became curious about the man. I did n't understand him, and that scared me. But at the age I was, terror was novel, interesting. I decided, one day, I'd sneak into the man's house house, and see what scared my dad so much. 
 
 It was sometime in the spring. My dad dropped me off at school, and after he had gone, I walked back to our house. I checked to make sure both my mom and dad had gone off to work. They were gone, so I went in. I sat down in the same spot my dad did, watching through the parted curtain. The man came out afterwards, dressed almost like my father did. If I had n't known about his evil ways, I would never have known he was a monster. 
 
 When he had gone, I snuck into his house. His door was unlocked, like everyone else's in town. I was surprised. I thought that a monster like him would have a lot of secrets to hide. 
 
 I opened his house, and noticed it was almost exactly like mine. Another way to disarm suspicion, I rationalized. I walked through, passing pictures of him and the people I assumed were his family. I was n't surprised by his pictures like I was by his house and clothes. I was old enough to know that monsters have families too. 
 
 Once I made my way down the hallway, I came across an open door. On the door was a note, that read, `` Had to go to work. Make yourself at home. I'll see you when I get home later! = )'' 
 
 My body shook in terror. He knew I was coming? My parents had told me he was a bad man, but never told me why! Maybe he was a lot worse than I had imagined. Was he psychic? For the first time since the idea to sneak in entered my mind, I was scared that I was in over my head. I cautiously peeked into the room, and lying on the bed was a man sprawled on the bed, face down, covered by bed sheets. 
 
 He was dead. This man was more than a monster... he was a murderer! I turned to run, but tripped on the carpet and slipped, hitting my head on the table. I started to cry, not just because my head was hurting, but because I was afraid. Afraid of the unknown I had blindly stumbled into and even more afraid of what the unknown would do to me. 
 
 As I cried, I ignored the sound of the squeaking bed springs, the light foot steps, and the slight creak of the door, but came back to my senses when I heard the quietly whispered, `` Shit.'' 
 
 I turned around at the swear word, and found myself staring at the man I had previously seen dead on the bed. I started to panic. 
 
 `` Shh! Kid, stop screaming. Wait a minute I need to... one moment.'' 
 
 I stayed quiet, as the man asked, and he stumbled out, wearing a pair of jeans with an opened belt and a half buttoned, inside out plaid shirt. He stared at me for a moment before speaking. 
 
 ``... hey. Are... are you Charles' kid?'' 
 
 `` Who's Charles?'' 
 
 `` I guess not. What are you doing here?'' 
 
 `` I wanted to see why my parents did n't want me coming here but then I found you and I thought you were dead... but you're okay! What did the man do to you?'' 
 
 `` How old are you, kid?'' 
 
 `` 9.'' 
 
 `` Then... you'll understand when you're older, but now I can tell you, Charles, the man's name, did not hurt me. Okay? You can go home now. Actually, should n't you be in school?'' 
 
 `` But then why does my daddy think Charles is a monster?'' 
 
 ``... Excuse me?'' 
 
 `` My mommy and daddy say something is wrong with Charles. My mommy says he's different and bad, and my daddy says he turns good men into sinners... Are you a sinner now?'' 
 
 `` Listen kid, I... Okay. This really is a talk you should be having with your parents. But I doubt that'll happen, based on what you said. Have you had anything to eat?'' 
 
 `` No.'' 
 
 `` Want a bowl of cereal?'' 
 
 `` Okay.'' 
 
 The man took me into the kitchen, and searched for some cereal and milk for me to have. He poured a bowl for me, and a bowl for himself. We started to eat in silence. After he finished, the man stared at me. 
 
 `` What's your name, kid?'' 
 
 `` Zachary.'' 
 
 `` Nice to meet you Zachary. I'm Adam.'' 
 
 Adam reached out his hand and I shook it. 
 
 `` Your parents are right. Charles and I are n't like you. Well, maybe we are, but it's too soon to tell. Charles and I are... Gay.'' 
 
 `` Gay? Like happy?'' 
 
 `` Well, we are happy, but there's a second meaning to that word. It's what they call a man or a woman, when he or she likes another man or a woman.'' 
 
 `` Does this mean my daddy is gay? He loves my mommy. Wait, but if he's different from you, does n't he not love mommy?!'' 
 
 `` Calm down, kid. I bet your dad loves your mom very much. Anyways, eschewing broadness-'' 
 
 `` What does esc-esc-'' 
 
 `` You know what? Forget everything I just said. I'm gay because I love other men.'' 
 
 `` Well I love my daddy. Does this mean I'm gay too?'' 
 
 `` No. It's... a different kind of love. What do you think of girls? Are they still gross to you? Or is there maybe one that you think is cool, or something?'' 
 
 `` Most of them. There's this girl on my bus who I hold hands with when I walk to school.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, think of her. Now would you like her the same way if she were a boy?'' 
 
 `` Maybe. I do n't think I would hold her hand though.'' 
 
 `` Well, see, I would. But I would n't hold her hand if she were a girl.'' 
 
 `` Oh, so like, you love Charles like my daddy loves my mommy, if mommy was a boy.'' 
 
 ``... Basically?'' 
 
 `` And that's what makes you different?'' 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 `` That's not bad! There's a kid in my grade that eats worms. That's ten times scarier than you! No offense, mister.'' 
 
 `` None taken. But now that you know, and now that you've had breakfast, are you ready to go back to school?'' 
 
 `` No.'' 
 
 `` Too bad. I'll drive you, if you tell me where it is.'' 
 
 Adam took me to his car and drove me to school. When I got home, I was proud of my bravery, and of the things I learned. I was n't afraid of Adam and Charles any longer! 
 
 And I wanted to share that bravery with my parents. When they came home from work, I told them about what happened. 
 
 `` Mom, dad, there's nothing wrong with Adam and Charles! There's nothing to be scared of!'' 
 
 My dad looked at me strange for a second. `` No son, there is something wrong.'' 
 
 `` Dad, they're just gay!'' 
 
 `` Zach, dear, that's what's wrong with them. They're not decent like we are.'' 
 
 `` Listen to me son, what they do is wrong. It's unnatural, it's unholy! God frowns whenever people like that man have their way.'' 
 
 `` His name is Charles, daddy.'' 
 
 `` It does n't matter what his name is. How did you learn that anyway?'' 
 
 `` I went into his house and-'' 
 
 My dad's jaw dropped, and my mom put her hands over her mouth. 
 
 `` Honey... you went... in there?'' 
 
 `` Zachary, I told you never to go near them!'' 
 
 `` You did, but you told me to face my fears! And you told me to be scared of them, and I just wanted to see why!'' 
 
 `` Oh baby, did they touch you?'' 
 
 `` Yeah, Adam sh-'' 
 
 `` Oh God, oh God, my baby! Richard, call the police!'' 
 
 My dad ran to the phone, and yelled at the person on the other side that I had been touched. I tried to ask my mother what was wrong with handshakes when the police arrived. A crowd gathered outside Charles' House. I sat outside on my porch while my mother held me close. My dad was over at the house the police, explaining what had happened. A police officer came over to me to ask what happened, trying to get me to say something other than the handshake. The crowd grew wild while the policeman was at my house. People started throwing rocks they found on the street. 
 
 `` Should n't you help them?'' I asked. 
 
 `` Only God can help them now, son.'' 
 
 The policeman stayed on my porch and watched the windows smashing in. I saw Adam hiding behind the glass door, staring at me with sad eyes before a rock hit the door and cracked it. He ducked away into the house and turned off the lights. 
 
 I sat in my mother's arms as she held me away from the angry crowd, but I felt no love. I felt fearful. Fearful of the actions of the crowd and my parents, and fearful of their blind hatred of the unknown.
