The Monster Under The Bed

Chapter 8

     Many weeks pass since that incident and Emilia visits her Dad almost every weekend. Without her Dad at home, the house is much quieter at night. Each week Nork's visits are becoming fewer and fewer. He soon believes it's time to move on. He asks for another assignment and is assigned a child who also has never had a monster be able to scare them. His new child's name is Rose. Every other week Nork switches from Emilia's room to Rose's room. Eventually though Nork has to tell Emilia he won't be coming back for a long time.
    Emilia walks in from school and up to her room. She has noticed Nork has been arriving less and less each week. Today though, Emilia feels sad. She can't figure out why and it doesn't go away.
     "Emi, honey? What's wrong?" Alice asks, noticing.
    "I- I don't know. It just feels like something sad will happen today." Emilia responds. Alice has been growing closer with her daughter ever since that incident and finally making memories that should have been made when she was younger. Night falls and Emilia gets ready for bed. She walks into her room still feeling sad and finally realizes why. She runs over to the bed and peers under it.
    "No! Norky! Don't leave me please!" Emilia cries out.
    "Emilia, how did you... nevermind that. I have to. I will come back and visit you though. You will never be alone." Nork says surprised she knew.
    "No! Don't leave me like Daddy did. Please don't!" Emilia knew it was mean to compare this like her Daddy, but she couldn't think of anything else.
    "Emilia. Your Daddy didn't leave you. He just lives somewhere else. That's just like me. You will see me again. I promise. I must go, your Mommy is coming. Goodbye Emilia, I love you." Nork says as he enters his portal. Emilia watches him go and wipes her tears just before Alice knocks and walks in.
"Emi, what's wrong?" Alice quickly asks.
    "Nothing Mommy. I just miss Daddy," Emilia lies quickly. If Nork wanted to leave before her Mommy could see him, he must be wanted to be kept a secret.
    "If you miss him this much you can call him and talk to him," Alice reasons.
    "Sorry I didn't think about that," Emilia mumbles out.
    "It's ok honey, lets go call him." Alice says, pulling Emilia up into a hug.
    Nork stayed to listen to her conversation and knew that what he did was the right thing. He also couldn't have been more proud about her keeping his secret. When they leave the room he climbs out to get one last good look at the room. He looks over to the rug where he spent many nights with Emilia, then to the bed where the stuffed Nork is. He gives the Nork one last big hug and gingerly places it down on the bed. He climbs down under to the portal and with a deep breath he steps back though to his world.