Ben’s car pulled into the abandoned parking lot of the rundown building. He got out of the car and made his way to the main entrance. He walked over to the elevator and noticed that the sign was gone. The outline of where the sign used to be was clearly visible.
He pressed the button and a moment later the elevator doors opened. He stepped inside and pressed the 5th floor button. The elevator doors closed and the elevator started moving.
He had no idea what he would say when he got to the white office. If he was not having nightmares he wanted the madness to stop. He could not continue with what he was doing, though he constantly craved blood.
The elevator doors opened. The 5th floor was vacant and dark. Ben glanced up at the floor indicator light of the elevator to make sure he was on the right floor. He stepped out of the elevator and looked around. There were a few broken chairs and desks standing around – this was clearly an abandoned office floor. He heard the doors of the elevator close behind him. He glanced back over his shoulder. The elevator had yellow tape stretched across it with the words “Out of order” on it. The elevator doors were rusted shut.
Benny turned around and inspected the elevator doors.
“What the hell?” He asked himself.
Though the doors seemed like they haven’t opened in decades, he knew for a fact that he just stepped out of the elevator. Something moved somewhere in the dark. Benny slowly turned around, his eyes searching the darkness.
“Hello?” He called out.
There was no reply. Something scraped across the floor and sounded like a foot being dragged. Benny cautiously stared at his dark surroundings, not knowing where the sound came from.
“Who’s there?” He called out.
In the shadows to his left, Benny saw a figure standing. He could not make out a face as the figure kept in the shadows.
“Who’s there?” Benny called out. “Show yourself.”
The figure lingered in the dark a moment longer and then stepped out into some light that came in through a broken window. Benny saw that the figure was Zaman.
“Are you not happy with your new found youth?” Zaman asked.
Zaman took a step back and faded back into the shadows.
“This is not what I wanted.” Benny said. “I never wanted to attack children like a monster of the night.”
“Everything we desire comes at a price.” Zaman said. “I warned you that you have to live with the consequences of your decision.”
“What happens to the children?” Benny asked.
“They grow up.” Zaman replied from the shadows, “Just like you did.”
“What do you mean like I did?” Benny asked confused.
“Every child needs a monster in the closet.” Zaman said, “By lusting for youth you became that monster in the closet. You will continue feeding and staying young. Monsters are forever. They do not age.”
“I want it to stop.” Benny pleaded. “Please, take this back.”
“I cannot stop what you began.” Zaman said. “I warned you. Only you can stop the monster.”
“How do I do that?” Benny asked.
Zaman did not reply. The shadows were still. Benny stepped closer to where he saw Zaman in the shadows, but there was nobody. Benny spun around and searched the darkness around him. He was alone.
5.
Benny’s car pulled up into the driveway. Emma had already gone to work by the time he returned. He sat in the car a moment and then got out.
Monster in the closet. That’s what Zaman called him. Is that what he was now, a monster that preyed on children?
The idea of the whole thing was very macabre – something he simply wished to forget.
He walked up to the front door and entered the house. As he entered the house, he saw the answering machine had two messages on it. He pressed playback. The first message was from Emma.
“Honey, where did you disappear to? I had to go to the office. I’m getting worried about you. It seems your birthday is affecting you worse this year. Call me as soon as you can. Love you.”
The second message was from his receptionist wanting to know whether he would be in that day or whether she had to cancel his appointments.
Benny glanced at the clock mounted up against the wall. It was almost half past eight. He was late for work.
”Damn.” He mumbled and ran up the stairs.
He rushed into the bedroom and past the en-suite bathroom, but stopped dead in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. He traced back his steps and his heart nearly skipped a beat.
He stared into the mirror and the reflection that stared back seemed a bit more familiar to him. He stepped closer to the mirror in amazement. His reflection seemed much younger. He leaned in closer and inspected his face. His hair was a more lush shade of black as the day before and his face seemed flawless. There was not a wrinkle in sight. He could not believe it. His appearance was that of someone who just turned thirty.
“Unbelievable.” Benny gasped.
He continued examining his newly found youth in the mirror. He could not get over the way his face looked. He was actually glad to see the old familiar freckles more clearly. Over the years they seemed to fade along with his looks – but they were back now.
He stepped back and wondered a moment; what would the rest of his body look like? He removed his clothes and saw that his body was firm and toned like back when he met Emma and she got him onto that eating plan years ago.
“Can this be happening?” Benny asked himself.
It was the first time he looked in the mirror and liked what he saw, but at what cost was he getting what he wanted? Excited and a bit disgusted he turned away from the mirror and walked back into the bedroom.
He stood in front of the closet and could not decide what to wear. He wanted to put on something that would display the way he felt. He felt excited, exhilarated and energized.
He took out his best suit and put it on. He walked back into the bathroom and admired his reflection. He looked like a secret agent – not the real life guys who are overweight, but the sexy guys the Hollywood movies want us to believe are secret agents.
Upon seeing his reflection he realized this was his new lease on life, his second chance to make his life count. There was no way he would go to work today. He glanced at his reflection one last time, grinned and blew himself a kiss before leaving.