Desperate

"Huh? W— Why? But it's just in front of you, Monica. Why can't you see it?" he said. "Hey, you! Do something," he told the rat who's got the I'm-fed-up-with-your-nonsense look on its face.

"Like I told you, kid. It's impossible. Only you can see me," the rat said.

"But why is it only I can see you and not them?"

"That's just how it is, kid."

"Nico, look." It was Monica. "I can't see anything aside from you talking on your own. And there's probably nothing in there. I know it might be hard on you to admit it but at this point, mother is gonna scold you. I also didn't like what you did. That place was so isolated. What if anything happened to you? All that just — just because of this... rat."

"But Monica— "

"Nico, listen. I don't care what you do or think so long as it doesn't put you to danger. And like what father said, you most probably won't stop even if we told you no. Do you undertand my point, Nico?"

Seeing the genuine worry on his older sister's face, Nico bit his lips and nodded. "I understand. I won't do it again."

And while he was saying that, tears started to well up in the corner of his eyes. He didn't want his sister to see that so he lowered his head. That would be too pathetic was what he was thinking. But his sister knows him all too well.

"Right! Before I forgot. Here. Only eat that after dinner," she said as she handed him the cheap candy she bought on their way home.

Nico got scolded by his mother, Leonora that night. If not for Theodore placating his wife, Leonora might have gone on and on till sunrise.

You see, Leonora wasn't a strict mother, just overprotective. She would let Nico do whatever he wants, but she also set some rules and boundaries. Like, say, for example. He should not go to isolated places alone. Not to go with strangers. Don't open the door without checking who was outside first. Don't roam outside when it's already dark. And so many more.

See? All these are only for Nico. She didn't want to be strict with her children. But sometimes, especially when it concerns safety, she'd really go out of her way to discipline them.

As they went to bed, Nico wept under his blanket. It was hard for him to accept that perhaps, he was indeed only imagining things. But what hurt him the most was that he got his family worried instead for simply trying to prove himself. It was too much for him. He only wanted them to believe him. Not worry them.

Meanwhile, the rat was watching all these happen. He'd already guessed this much so he wasn't surprised. And since Nico was already asleep, he left.

The next day when Nico woke up, he pretty much made a decision. 'The rat's not true. The rat's not true," he repeatedly chanted in his mind like a mantra.

"Nico, child! Yer eyes are swollen. Did ya cry?" Henry asked as soon as he saw Nico.

"No, sir. I haven't got a good sleep last night," he lied. And of course, Henry didn't buy that.

"Really? Why's that?"

"I — I don't know. It was too cold."

"Okay, if ya say so." Henry thought he shouldn't force the kid to tell him what was wrong because he's just the boss at the end of the day, not the parent. Besides, it's probably nothing big was what he was thinking. "Yer gonna be paintin' whole day with the twins today."

"Okay, sir."

"Hello, Mario. Hello, Luigi. Sir Henry said I'll be helping you today," he told the twins.

"Sure, kid." They both answered.

"What're all these for?" he asked when he noticed the mountain of rail track toys that are yet to be painted.

"These? Ha! Mind you! These were specially ordered by Mr. Mathias for his only daughter. Apparently, his daughter wanted to build a toy house where she can live. The whole town knows how much he spoils that kid."

"Luigi! Have you no tact? It's an unwritten rule not to speak of our customers behind their backs," Franco chimed in.

"But Franco, sir. Nico's part of us. I don't think he's gonna say it to other people. Right, Nico?"

"R — Right! I won't say it to other people so worry not, Sir Franco." Nico said.

But Franco only shook his head and put his attention back to the woods on his desk.

It was almost noon, and the rat came to see Nico again. Although no one else can see him except for Nico, he didn't want to ruin his chances of earning the kid's trust by showing up at the wrong time. But today was different.

He looked at his arms. It has turned semi-transparent up to his shoulders. And his fingers were almost non-existent by this time. It was becoming more rapid today than the other days.

"Hello, kid! Uhh… I'm back?" he said. He honestly didn't know what to talk about. They never interacted until two days ago.

But oddly enough, Nico didn't answer him nor reacted to him. From what he observed these past two days, Nico would have looked at him by now, but he didn't. He wasn't aware that the boy was deliberately ignoring him.

"Uhm… You see, kid. I know you're busy and all, but maybe — maybe you can listen to this funny story I heard yesterday." But Nico didn't answer still.

'The rat's not true. The rat's not true…' Nico repeatedly chanted inside his head. He was struggling to ignore the rat who just won't stop talking.

"Oh! You're having lunch now? D'you mind if I join? Well, guess what? Maybe I'll just stay here beside you. Is that bread? Can I have some?"

"Hey, kid! What's that? Is that a train? Why is that so small? I can probably ride that. Don't you think?"

"Hey! Look at this stuff. It's so cool! A pony made of wood."

But no matter how much the rat says, Nico won't spare him any attention at all.

His feet are starting to fade and he was slowly losing the sensations in his arms. He was getting desperate.

And desperate times need desperate measures.