Part Four

  James Michael was most comfortable in his private environment he'd created in the very top of the bedroom closet. Sitting high on the makeshift shelf with his legs dangling above the top of the clothes hanging in the closet, he had everything he needed for escape from reality. Hours on end he'd read books with his flashlight and nibble on small pieces candy.  Knowing he'd be going to the Children's Hospital in a few days for whatever awaited him there, convinced him all the more for the reason to escape to his hide away. No one knew about his private paradise and when his family would search for him calling his name, he'd be very still and quiet until they were gone. Only when he was sure no one was around to discover his secret hiding place would he quietly come down and join the rest of the family. Everyone would question and question him as to where he was when they were calling for him and he simply stated he was in the bedroom. Ricky was amused and took it upon himself to relate to James Michael that he'd find him the next time he came up missing.

  Nights when bedtime arrived, James Michael discovered himself staring at the stained waterspots on the ceiling. There was the image of a person in the stained waterspots, staring directly into James Michael's eyes as he'd lie there and try to go to sleep. The dark, water stained image was of a person with two horns sticking out from the head. One arm was extended, aggressively holding what looked exactly like a trident and another waterstained spot looked like a pointed tail directly behind the image holding the trident. A couple of other stained waterspots looked like two hairy hooves attached to the satanic image. Once everyone was fast asleep, James Michael would slip quietly out of bed and lie directly under it on the hardwood floor so that he could sleep. Not taking any kind of meds at the time, he knew no one would believe him were he to tell them the satanic image would laugh insanely, shake the intimidating trident and dance wildly across the ceiling tormenting him. Mornings Virginia would discover James Michael asleep under his bed and she'd demand him to tell her why he couldn't sleep in his bed. It took him a long time yet finally he showed her the stained waterspots and related what he saw every night. Virginia moved his single bed over a few feet in the cramped bedroom but nothing could stop the torment at night he was living. Ricky wanted to sleep in James Michael's bed to prove that there was nothing to the waterstained images. James Michael would lie in his bed at night, pretending to be asleep so Ricky would be protected from the horrendous torment. Late into the night James Michael would eventually fall asleep and unexpected demonic nightmares would come alive.  Blood curdling screams could be heard throughout his entire neighborhood. In front of every home there were families screaming, burning alive inside extra large trash cans. In front of James Michael's home was the same.  Arlis, Virginia, Jimmy Don, and Tommy were  screaming and Arlis would escape and fight satan and his demons, hitting them with bricks and burning boards but they subdued Arlis and put him back into the burning trash can. James Michael, Ricky, and Ronny were trapped in the family car by seatbelts that they couldn't get to release. Cutting the dense fabric of the seatbelts with a pocketknife was the only way they could escape. Satan and his demons chased and caught Ricky and Ronny, forcing them inside the burning trash can along with the rest of the family except for James Michael. He got away somehow,  watching his family burning and hearing their screams. It was as if James Michael was invisible standing there, since Satan and his demons ran around everywhere searching for him but not finding him. Mornings, James Michael would wake from sleeping under his bed, recounting his horrific nightmares. Finally he was allowed to sleep on the couch by the window, far away from the intimidating stained waterspots.