Title: Of Monsters and Camp

Author: Zenia

Rating: G

Archive: WWOMB yes, anyone else, ask first.

Webpage: www.oocities.org/ztovarich/index.html

Series/Sequel: Nope.

Email: ZAguilera@aol.com

Disclaimer: They’re not mine, never will be. Please don't sue.

Feedback: Please, it sure would be nice.

Warning: High sap content.

Notes: AJ’s about four in this story, which makes Rick nine.

Of Monsters and Camp

By Zenia

AJ circled the bed, eyeing it with an intent wariness, never coming too close. Then with a leap he landed on the bed and crawled under the covers. He huddled there, not daring to say anything in fear that Rick would laugh. But soon it became too much to bear.

“Rick,” he said quietly.

His brother looked up from his comic. “Yeah?”

“Um, is it true that monsters live under the bed?”

“Monsters? Where the heck did you hear that?” Rick closed the comic and stared at him.

“Aunt Edie came over with Danny. He said that monsters live under the bed and in the closet.”

Rick smiled. “Yeah, it’s true. But they only come out at night. See, they wait until a kid’s feet or hands are dangling and they snatch ‘em.”

AJ’s eyes went wide.

“They take all kinds of kids but they ‘specially like blond ones. They taste the best.”

“Uh-uh, you’re lying!”

“Nope. So you better be careful. Hey, they might even break the rules for you and come out from under the bed. I’d tuck myself in really tight if I was you.”

AJ pulled the covers up to his neck and squeezed his eyes shut. He pulled Mr. Bear out from under his blanket and hugged him tightly.

Rick chuckled and turned off the light.

He listened carefully trying to hear any sounds of monsters crawling out. Danny said that they had claws that made scraping noises when they moved. All was quiet until he thought he heard a click.

AJ didn’t know what to do. He wanted to climb into Rick’s bed but he was sure that if he got up to walk that the monsters would get him. Clenching Mr. Bear in one hand he got to his feet atop the bed and leapt onto Rick’s.

“Ow, AJ!”

AJ snuggled against Rick, his heart pounding in his chest. “I thought I heard a monster. Ricky, I don’t wanna monster to get me.”

Rick sighed. “AJ, a monster’s not gonna get you. Look there ain’t no such thing as monsters. I was joking.”

“I don’t believe you. You just want the monsters to get me.” His voice wavered and he could feel tears burning in his eyes.

“Come on Kid, you’re getting too big to be coming in my bed. Go on.”

“Nu-uh.”

Rick sat up and turned the lamp back on. “What if we get rid of the monsters? Will you go back into your bed?”

“You can get rid of monsters,” he asked hopefully.

“Sure. A friend of mine taught me. It’s a ritual.”

“A richal?”

He nodded. “Yeah, ya know like what they do at church.”

“Oh.”

Rick opened his nightstand and pulled out a flashlight. “Monsters hate light. What ya gotta do is shine it where they like to hide and tell them to go away. Then they do.”

“Really?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you about this AJ.” He took AJ’s hand and pulled his brother to his feet. They walked to the closet. Rick pulled it open and shone the light.

AJ half hid behind his brother, peeking around him fearfully.

“Now you gotta say it AJ, now you gotta tell them to go away.”

“Okay. Go ‘way!” He hugged Rick’s waist.

“I don’t see them.”

“We did it?”

“Sure did. You’re pretty brave.”

AJ smiled. “I am?”

“Yeah. Now for under the bed. On the count of three. One, two, three.” On three Rick pulled AJ down on his knees and waved the light. “Go away monsters.”

“Go away! Now yours Rick?”

“Na. They only hide under little kid’s beds.”

“When I’m nine like you they won’t bother me no more?”

“That’s right.” Rick stood and pulled AJ up onto the bed. He covered him and Mr. Bear. “Now it’s time to sleep.”

“Okay. Thank you Ricky.”

Rick kissed his forehead. “Anytime Kid, anytime.”

**********

AJ played quietly with his blocks, waiting for Rick to come home. That morning Dad had taken Rick to camp. AJ really wasn’t sure what camp was, except that Rick was excited about it. It was the first year he was old enough to go. For the whole week it was all he would talk about. He said there would be swimming and hiking and even fishing.

AJ asked if he could come too but Dad didn’t think it was a good idea. He was too young, he said. So he waited. It wasn’t too bad. He was used to it. AJ had to do a lot of waiting when Rick was at school too. Though Rick was never this late.

“Honey, put your blocks away, it’s time for dinner.”

“Okay Mommy.” He gathered the blocks in his arms and stomped upstairs. Then making sure that Mr. Bear was still sitting comfortably on his pillow, he ran to the bathroom and washed his hands. When they were nice and clean he went down to the kitchen.

Dad was already sitting down at the table. “Let’s see those hands.”

AJ held them out.

“That’s my boy.” Dad kissed his cheek.

He crawled onto his chair and Mom slid a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes in front of him. “How come we’re not waiting for Rick to come home?”

Mom looked at him. “AJ, Rick isn’t coming home tonight.”

“Oh. When’s he coming home?” He took a chunk of meatloaf and placed it in his spoon. Then very carefully he brought it to his mouth.

Dad smiled. “Why don’t we talk about this after dinner. How’s that?”

“Okay Daddy.” AJ shoved spoonful of potatoes in his mouth and smiled.

Dinner was quiet, but only because Rick wasn’t there. Usually he and AJ would kick each other under the table, snickering and opening mouths filled with food. Though they made very sure that neither parent was watching.

Then afterwards Dad put AJ on his lap and told him that Rick was not going to be home for six weeks.

AJ wasn’t sure how long six weeks was, but he was pretty sure that was before bedtime. So he told his Dad that he understood and asked if he could have some ice cream for dessert.

That night when they put him to bed, Rick still hadn’t come home. So when Mom and Dad tucked him in he asked again when he would be home.

Mom sighed. “Six week AJ, we told you that already.”

“How long is six weeks?”

“42 days,” Dad said.

“That’s a long time,” AJ answered solemnly. “Let’s get him now. Okay?”

“AJ honey, no. You need to go to bed now.”

“But, but who’s gonna do the richal?”

“Richal?” Mom looked at Dad.

“For the monsters. Only Rick knows the richal.” He said it slowly so that they would understand.

“AJ there is no such thing as monsters. But we can leave the light on if you like.” Dad smoothed his hair back.

He tried telling them again about the ritual but he could see in their eyes that they were still confused. Eventually they kissed him and told him to have sweet dreams.

AJ tucked Mr. Bear under his chin. “It’s all right. Remember Rick said they don’t like the light. They won’t get us if the light stays on. What? No Mr. Bear they won’t get us. No we can’t do the richal, Ricky isn’t here.”

He didn’t understand why Rick wasn’t with him to scare the monsters away or why his parents didn’t know about the ritual. AJ thought that maybe they had forgotten. Rick was always saying that adults forgot about all the important stuff in life, like having fun. Maybe they forgot about how to get rid of monsters too.

He tried not to be scared, to be brave like Rick always told him he was. But the threat of monsters brought a lump to his throat and tears to his eyes. Soon he was sobbing quietly into his pillow, so very sure that the monsters would pull him under the bed and eat him.

AJ fell into a light doze until a very loud creak in the vicinity of the closet made him so frightened that he jumped from the bed quickly. He ran out of the room into the darkened hallway. He padded down the hall, to his parents’ bedroom and opened the door quietly. Then silently, very silently he climbed into bed with them.

“AJ?” Dad turned over. “What’s wrong?”

“Monsters Daddy.”

Mom wrapped her arms around him. “Honey, there’s no such thing as monsters.”

He shook his head and buried his face in her neck. “They were gonna get me. I wanna sleep here. Please?”

“AJ, you’re a big boy. Big boy’s sleep in their own beds.” Dad rubbed his back soothingly.

AJ began to cry. “No, no!! Rick’s not here to do the richal. Don’t make me sleep with the monsters Daddy, please.”

Mom rocked him gently. “Jack. Just for tonight?”

Dad sighed. “Just tonight. Hear that AJ, just for tonight.”

“Okay Daddy,” he sniffed.

**********

AJ looked at the big red circle on the calendar Mom had bought for him. She had said that when all the days were crossed off and all that was left was the big red circle Rick would be coming home.

That was good because Dad was getting annoyed at AJ for sleeping in their bed every night. And Mom didn’t like it that AJ kept asking when Rick was coming home. It wasn’t his fault. He missed Rick. There was no one to play with or anything.

There were so many days to cross off. AJ took his black crayon and went to work. Slowly, carefully, he crossed off every day up to the red circle. He smiled and laughed and went to show Mom.

“Mom, Mom,” he said jumping up and down. “Look Mom, it’s time to pick up Rick. See, they’re all crossed off.”

She took the calendar from him, staring at it. Then she lifted him up and hugged him. “Oh AJ. It doesn’t work like that. You can’t just cross off the days.”

“But—but you said Mommy. You said that we could get Rick.” His lower lip began to tremble. “I wanna get Rick.”

“I know you miss him AJ but Rick’s at camp.”

AJ burst into tears. “I want Rick!”

He cried and cried until his nose was stuffed and his eyes were so swollen they hurt. Mom held him crooning softly in his ear. But he didn’t listen to her, he kept chanting that he wanted Rick.

After he had finally stopped crying and Mom had washed the tears from his face, he sat staring out the window. He thought that maybe if he wished hard enough that Rick would come home.

He stayed that way until Dad came home.

Dad sat next to him near the window. “I heard you had a rough day.”

“I want Rick to come home.” He pressed his forehead to the glass.

“AJ, I know you miss your brother but he’s older than you. He’s going to go to a lot of places that you can’t go. You’ll have to get used to it. Look at me and your Uncle Ray.”

AJ shook his head. “Me and Rick will be together forever. We’ll live together and go to work together and everything. Daddy, go get Rick from camp. Please?”

“Oh AJ. How about if we go visit Rick this weekend? How about that?”

“I just want Rick Daddy.”

“I know baby, I know.”

**********

AJ bounced up and down in the seat and said in a singsong voice, “I’m gonna go see Ri-ick, I’m gonna go see Ri-ick.”

Dad laughed. “That’s right, we’re going to see Rick. But you need to stop jumping up and down back there.”

“I’m excited Daddy. Aren’t you excited? Aren’t you Mommy?”

“Yes we’re both excited. But if you don’t keep your keister on the seat Dad’s going to stop the car.”

“Oh.” AJ stopped and fidgeted as he tried to keep from bouncing. He was going to see Rick.

He contained his excitement for the rest of the trip but as soon as the car stopped at the campgrounds he opened the door and bounded out. He scanned his surroundings until his eyes lighted on his brother.

“Rick!” He ran at top speed right into his brother’s body, making them both fall to the ground. “Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick!”

“Aw AJ, let me up. Come on, you’re embarrassing me!”

AJ merely hugged him even more tightly.

Neither of them got up from the ground till their father hauled them to their feet.

“Hey Mom, Dad. What are doing here?”

Dad tousled AJ’s hair. “Someone missed you.”

AJ looked up at his brother. “No one knows the richal for the monsters Rick.”

Rick sighed. “I’ll show Dad okay, then he can do the ritual with you. Hey, you wanna see the camp.”

He nodded vigorously.

Rick took him by the hand and led him to the lake.

AJ took off his shoes and socks and dangled his feet in the water.

“So you missed me, huh Kid.”

“It was sooo boring.” AJ laced his fingers in Rick’s. “Dad’s too tired to play and Mom’s gotta clean all the time. And nobody’s there to steal cookies with me.”

Rick laughed. “Yeah, I kinda miss it too.”

“I just want you to come home Rick.” He leaned his head against his brother’s shoulder and sighed, content.

Their parents let them play together for another hour then Rick announced it was time for swimming lessons.

Dad swung AJ into his arms. “Time to go AJ.”

“Okay. Come on Rick, time to go home.”

Rick frowned. “AJ, I ain’t coming home.”

“But—but you gotta.”

“It’s time to go AJ.” Dad tightened his grip around him.

“No.” AJ wiggled trying to push away. “No, I wanna stay here with Rick then. No! No Rick, come home. Let me go Daddy, no, let me go!”

He pushed at Dad’s chest and began to cry. Rick was supposed to go home with them, not stay here at camp.

“AJ, don’t cry, I’ll be home in a couple of weeks.”

“Don’t go away Rick, don’t leave me alone,” he sobbed loudly.

Rick looked at him then back at the lake, reluctantly. “I gotta go.”

“It’s all right Rick, go on. You’re Mother and I can handle AJ.”

“No, no, no, no!! Come home, come home!”

Rick nodded and ran towards the lake. He got a few yards away when he stopped and ran back. “Dad….I can be packed in ten minutes.”

“Rick?”

“Hear that AJ, I’m coming home.”

AJ stopped struggling. “Really,” he asked tearfully.

“Yeah. I didn’t like it here that much anyway. The food is yucky, and there’s bugs, and they make you sing stupid songs.”

“You don’t have to do this Rick.” Dad put AJ down.

AJ snuggled against his brother.

Rick patted AJ gently on the back. “Yeah Dad, I kinda do. It don’t matter. AJ’ll be old enough to come to day camp soon enough.”

“I’m proud of you Rick.”

“Aw, I missed the little rugrat anyway.”

**********

In the car AJ smiled and laughed, once again bouncing up and down.

Rick laughed with him. “Boy Kid, you sure are hyper.”

“You’re coming home,” AJ stated proudly.

“Yeah, and hey, we can have our own camp. We can have Mom make us hotdogs, and we can play under the sprinklers, and…Dad can AJ and I sleep outside one of these nights?”

“Yeah! Can we Dad, can we?”

“We’ll see.”

Rick put an arm around AJ’s shoulders. “We’ll have loads more fun than at camp.”

AJ nodded and sighed. Rick would be with him forever.

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