Dinner was actually calming that night. After Linda had made steaks and fries, a fancy surprise, she scooped us both up some nice helpings of Neapolitan Ice Cream. She even had drenched mine in chocolate and strawberry syrup, just how I like it.

Afterwards she had told me she was going to run and get some of her things to have a longer stay in one of my guest rooms. I was honestly thankful to hear that though I wasn't too thrilled that she ordered me to go bath and get ready for bed while she was away.

I maybe strange and a bit slow at times, but I'm not a child, though she said otherwise by my pouting. Can one really blame me for not liking being treated as such.

It was overly unnaturally quiet while she was away. I couldn't help but obey the urge to lock the bathroom door as I got ready. I found it even hard to close my eyes as I rinsed my hair or washed my face. Ever wanting to keep an eye out or stare at the door as if at any moment that Helios clown and IT's nightmarish horrors would come bursting through if I dared look away or even blink.

I nearly pissed myself when Linda came back. She was so quiet and myself so exhausted. When she knocked my my bedroom door I was starting to doze, slowly tipping forward into an uncomfortable manner with an embarrassing amount of drool. So much drool I nearly thought I had pissed myself only to be relieved it was just drool.

She's had a good laugh as I glared her down for scaring me and finding it amusing. She merely Igbo ed me and asked if I wanted her to tuck me in and stay till I fell asleep. Sheepish as I felt about wanting to take the offer, I accepted with a gracious thanks as she sat in next to me after making sure I was comfortable and snuggling tucked in.

She didn't tease me when she did this and had asked me quite seriously beforehand. She knew how frightening all this was for me and I could only imagine how she was taking all this herself.

Once the light was out I found it hard to close my eyes. The room wasn't pitch black by any means. The curtains were open to let the light from outside in. Though the street light wasn't of much help as it flickered. Playing a cruel game of will I stay on it blunt you into darkness.

The moon though was thankfully taking over the roll of outdoor light source. With the storm of the night before gone and the sky clear and cloudless, the full sphere was ever welcomed. It's bright rays felt like a beacon of hope after so much darkness these past few days.

I finally allowed my self to trust that with Linda near, I had little to fear. The bright illumination of the moon my second form of protection. Two guardians looking over me as I slept.

As I relaxed, I was aided ever more when Linda began to hum softly. It want much, but some how it was ever more calming, like a lullaby to a babe.

As I drifted off to the sound, and my guards watching over, I thought I heard a deep but ever soothing voice. One you expect to come from a older gentleman, an elder grandfather perhaps?

'You're safe Bobby. Sleep now.'

I was too far gone to really think if I was already dreaming to question such a voice. I felt I had heard it before and knew it well. Not frightening like the clowns shrill one. This sounded new, yet at the same time one I hadn't heard in year. Perhaps I heard it once in childhood?

Next I knew, the sun was shunning brightly I to my eyes. I moaned in annoyance, peaking at my bed side clock. It was early, thankfully not too early but just enough time before I had to get up to get ready for work.

With groaning and a kick at my sheets, I freed myself from my bed and made my way down stairs. I could smell breakfast, Linda was cooking again, another treat. I would often just pour myself a bowl of cereal or toast some bread for a quick meal and dash to get ready for work. But a second day of breakfast was greatly welcomed.

"Morning Lin. It smells wonder." I sniffed eagerly, hovering behind over her shoulder.

"It's almost down, go sit down." She threatens to hit me with the spatula, which I quickly avoided by doing as told.

"You sound like you slept well. How are you feels by?"

"Good, though ever annoyed by sunlight ruining my beauty sleep. What about you? I hope the guest room was alright."

"It was. I got it cleaned up fairly quickly after you fell asleep. A quick shower and I was out cold. Though at one time during the night I could have sworn you were in the doorway watching me. But it couldn't have been. You have such beautiful blue eyes, these were yellow and freakishly glowing. You've got me seeing things now in my sleep." Linda tried to joke about it, but I could make out the distress in her voice all the same.

"I didn't move from my bed that I know of. Last thing I remember was you humming a nice tune and then I was out. Had to kick to get free of the sheets from you tucking me in last night as well." I jested though it was true, I hadn't moved and was stuck upon waking. Though her mentioning glowing yellow eyes brought a shiver down my spin. The hair sticking up as it went. Those were the kinds of eyes that monster clown had. If I didn't know better I'd have said it was him. But it couldn't have been, he only was seen by me. Me describing him, along with the stress, that must have done it. She was imagining what the children and myself had described.

She looked surprised by my confession though, being trapped in a secure tuck of sheet doom,. Snorting as she dished our food onto two plates, one for each of us, she grinned unable to hold back what she had to say.

"Well I do pride myself in my tucking skills. How else do you think I kept all those brats I had to babysit in their beds? Not a single one willing would stay put. I'd have to trick them to get in the bed on time and in the end I never had a single one get free. It's an art."

Linda was beaming as she took her seat beside me.

"Wait...wouldn't that be considered child abuse?" I accused with a playful grin. "Being held captive and all.

"Nope. Though in my head they were all hogtied and gagged under those sheets and didn't make a peep. So I'd say they were lucky I never snapped and did that. You won't believe how many of those kids where spoiled brats. I had to blare the tv or music over them until they gave up screaming and cussing at me to let them go. They eventually feel asleep."

"If they were so bad, why did you even babysit them?"

I waited for an answer, nibbling away at my toast.

"Because my darlingly, precious, wonderful Bobby, no one else would. They scared off every single one. Which meant the parents were all the more desperate to pay a higher price to get someone willing. How do you think I even bought my first car?"

I hadn't even thought about how she had earned enough so quickly after she received her driving permit. She'd just shown up one day in it, grinning a gorgeous smile free finally of her braces. Sunglasses shielding from the bright sun of that bright shines day. I'd stated in shock and jested about her stealing it. That of course got me a slug to the arm before she dragged me over and forced me into the passengers seat.

"If I remember correctly I accused you of stealing it."

Linda growled, glaring with a nod.

"I didn't and for that I made you buy me celebratory ice cream for the occasion."

"That had been worth the joke and I would have done so anyway." I pointed out, gesturing for emphasis with my fork.

"You never did tell me when you got your permit, or license or that matter." Linda finally got back to her own food, picking up some eggs and bacon with her toast.

"I've never had one of either those. I never really had a reason to." I shrug it off and look up after a bite to see a perplexed look on Lin's face.

"I could have sworn you did. How do you buy anything with a credit card if you don't have that for ID. Do you have another form?" She's stopped eating now, watching me like I'm a mystery brought before her.

"I..." I think it over and I grow wary, "I've never used a credit card. I don't think I've ever needed any of form of ID either. We live in such a small town. Everyone knows one anywhere. I've never needed to worry about it before."

I her a huff come from her end as I take ketchup and pour it out over my eggs.

"What?"

Lin stares at me intently before squinting and then straighten to continue eating her own food.

"You'd have to have a school ID. You went to the same school as me and they'd have it on record. I'll just pop by and ask for a look."

It's rather brilliant she had thought of that. I forgot she's had one through every year attending.

But I knew she'd never find one.

"Lin, I didn't go to school with you."

She pauses mid bite to look at me for any sign of joking.

"You had to have. I remember us hanging out all the time. We were in all the same classes together. We went to prom together when no one asked me. How could you forget all that and say you didn't go to school with me."

She looked upset and I could feel the beginning of the heat rising with her anger from my words.

"Lin, it's true I went, but I was never enrolled. I tagged along and no one ever said a word. Really now that I think about it, they never said anything about me not having homework or anything either..."

I can't help but now feel that I've been missing a huge chunk of sense in my life. Along with the issues of blacking out and no one pointing out I'd been missing, people seemed to not notice or care I was even there. No one but Linda.

"Th...that can't be right." Linda forced a chuckle. "I'll get the proof and you will see. Work for you first. We got to get going. All this talking is taking up time to eat. Finish up and get dressed and I'll drip you off at the TV Station. Cant be having you late on your first day back."

She worked to shovel her own food in and rush to clean up after.

I in return couldn't have the heart or the wish to prove her wrong. In fact I desperately wished her to find something to prove me wrong. That I did attend school with her. How else could I have been allowed to be around her all that time.

Perhaps I was confused.

I pushed it all aside and in the back corner of my brain.

My focus now was to finish this meal and get dressed properly for work.

I enjoyed my job there. Behind the scenes, cleaning, odd jobs. Helping move things or wrangle up things requested by others.

I was ever glad I never had to be the one showing up on live TV in the end.

Never...