Hey. Just so you know, my stories sometimes have little tie-ins and teasers. If you're reading this, read my other story, The Door first. You might be able to catch some of the hints.

Bedtime Prayers

Joshua Backs stumbled up his frozen driveway, doing his best to navigate the frozen patches of concrete. He looked back and gave one last wave to his friend and his mom as she drove off; giving the signal that he was alright to get into the house.

"See you loser!" yelled out Chris as he they pulled away.

Josh just waved a fist at his friend, chuckling to himself as he stomped the snow off his boots and threw them in the corner of the garage. One thing he had always hated since he moved to Royal Falls; the seemingly never ending cold and snow.

His house was warm and cozy and walking in was like walking into an oven. This was made even more so with Josh's mother cooking away for yet another function that she was helping out with.

"Your home a little late, aren't you?" called his mother, as she tried to slide a hot pie out of the oven without burning her fingers.

"Sorry, me and Chris had to go into overtime with the football game," Josh said, snatching a cookie from the tray behind his mother's back.

"Oh. Well you might want to call me next time. I was a little worried that you were going to go missing or something…" Josh's mother turned around, red faced and steaming but holding a golden apple pie.

"Mom, stop worrying will you," grunted Josh, trying to swallow his stolen prize.

Ever since the news had screamed headlines about some kid, recently reported missing in the Royal Falls area, his mother had been on high alert.

"No, I won't," she shrugged. "But that's what mom's do. Now go get yourself cleaned up and get ready for bed; it's getting a little late."

"It's not that late," said Josh.

"It's a school night, now move it," commanded Mom.

He decided not to continue the discussion.

He thumped down the hall, silently cursing for the millionth time the person who had decided school was necessary, and the stupid kid who was lost in Royal Falls. It was because of him that his mom was so moody these days, jumping at every shadow.

He flicked on his bedroom light and walked into the slightly cramped area; due mostly to the two beds taking most of the space. The closet door was open and he kicked it shut as he moved to get his dresser.

The door abruptly swung back open and smacked Josh solidly in the back of the head.

"Ouch! What the-," he growled turning to face his closet.

"Sorry Joshua…" said his little brother, Tim, walking out of the large closet looking scared. "I didn't know that was you…:

"Who did you think it was, the freaking boogeyman?!" fumed Josh, rubbing his head furiously. He hated not only when his brother acted stupid, scared of his own shadow, but when he called him Joshua. He despised his full name…

"Maybe," said Tim quietly, looking at the door with some trepidation.

Josh debated kicking his little brother and holding the door shut, really letting the boogeyman get him; however, he decided against it.

"Well then watch where you're throwing doors open," muttered Josh, turning back to his dresser.

"Hey! I'm home!" came a deep voice from down the hall.

"Daddy!" Tim's face lit up and he rushed out of the room, thoughts of the boogeyman forgotten.

Joshua snorted and turned back to his dresser.

Suddenly, Josh snapped his head back and peered into his closet closely. Had something fluttered in there…?

"Stupid little kid," muttered Josh, and he kicked the door shut again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Alright now goodnight you two," Josh's mother said, kissing each of her children on the top of the head.

"Goodnight mommy," said Tim, pulling his bear blanket to his chin.

Five years old and he still has that stupid thing thought Josh. I need to toughen him up…

"Goodnight angel," smiled his mother. "Goodnight to you too, Josh."

"G'night," muttered Josh incoherently. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes as the lights snapped off.

Josh felt himself breathing in deeply. Inhale…exhale…inhale…exhale…The steady beat made his mind sluggish. This bed was really soft…

"MOMMY!" a tiny voice screamed.

Josh just about rolled right out of bed. He looked around, his vision blurry from sleep.

"Whatthehell," he slurred.

The lights snapped on and what little vision Josh had was lost to blinding light. He yelped in protest, but the lights remained on.

"What's the matter sweetie?" cooed Joshua's mother. "It's all right baby."

"There was a monster," sniffled Tim, his knuckles white as he clutched his blanket.

"There are no freaking monsters," said Josh angrily, a hand over his stinging eyes. "Now turn the lights off!"

"Joshua you be nice to your brother," said his mother sharply. "And don't you worry little Tim, no monsters will get you."

"I'm scared," squeaked Tim.

"Well I know a good protection for you," said Mom sweetly, hugging her youngest.

"Yeah, grow up," said Josh so no one could hear him.

"What?" asked Tim, wide-eyed.

"Just say your bedtime prayers, and none of the monsters will ever get you," said Mom, kissing Tim lightly on the forehead.

"Never?" asked Tim, his eye's like saucers.

"Never," she said firmly.

"Will you say them with me?" he asked quietly.

"Only for tonight," said Mom. "Then you have to do them yourself. Promise?"

"Promise," smiled Tim.

"Our Father…who art in heaven…" began Mom and Tim together.

Joshua was asleep before they finished.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next night, Joshua and Tim both went to bed late after staying up to watch a movie with the family.

Josh tore down to his boxers and jumped into bed, anxious to fall asleep. Just two days until Sarah's party…

"Joshua, aren't you going to say your prayers?" Tim said in his high voice. Josh glanced at his brother, seeing him already in the kneeling position by his bed.

"I don't believe in monsters," snapped Josh. "And stop calling me that."

"Joshua…" whined Tim.

His face scrunched in annoyance.

"Fine," snapped Josh. "I'll say your bedtime prayers with you."

"Good," smiled Tim. "Ready…go…"

"Our Father…who art in heaven…Hallowed be thy name…" the two began.

"Thy Kingdom come…thy will be done…on earth-"Tim looked over and realized he was saying it alone. Josh's eyes were half closed and unresponsive.

Tim sighed and continued the prayer by himself.

Josh snapped up in bed, his ears staining to hear what he had thought had been the creek of the floorboards. Was someone in the house…? He swung his feet out from the covers and started to put his feet on the ground.

"Joshua, what are you doing?" came Tim's voice from the dark.

"I thought I heard something," said Josh. "I'm going to check it out."

"No you can't," said Tim sluggishly.

"Why not?" demanded Josh.

"Because we already said bedtime prayers," said Tim. "You can't go…"

"Tim, there's no such thing as stupid monsters," said Josh. "Now just shut up…"

"Joshua, you gotta stay in bed…you can't go…" said Tim, his voice growing louder. Joshua winced at the increase in volume.

"Fine, just shut up before you wake up mom and dad," growled Josh.

"You can't leave Josh…" mumbled Tim.

"I'm not…" he murmured.

Josh sat there just listening for a while; the cars passing his house, his brothers breathing returning to its normal rhythm, and his own heart beat.

He couldn't understand why his brother was so scared of monsters that didn't exist.

"Little kid," he grumbled again and rolled over, falling back asleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tonight was the night of Sarah's party.

Joshua could hardly contain his excitement the entire night. Needless to say, his parents were surprised at how well he had taken the news that he was not allowed to go.

The argument had been fierce, but the party was too late and Josh's mother didn't feel comfortable with him gone; especially with the disappearance as of late.

But he was determined not to let his mother stop him. He went through the night, in an exceptionally good mood. He went to bed easily with Tim, sliding the clothes he would wear under the bed before hand.

Josh even said the bedtime prayers that Tim seemed to think were so necessary.

When the whole house was dark and Josh had given his parents about an hour to fall asleep he began to move.

First he slowly sat up and reached under the bed for his clothes, trying not to let the mattress screech. For a horrible second, Josh thought that the clothes had been swallowed up by his bed as his had found nothing but the carpet and dust bunnies. But then his hand gripped his favorite jeans and his nice shirt and he pulled them up, triumphant.

He put on the clothes silently, moving fast but keeping quiet. Then he swung his feet up and slowly, steadily, he stood up.

Tim didn't move, just continued to sleep soundly. Joshua let out a sigh of relief and moved down the hallway.

The rest was easy. He navigated his way down the dark hallway, up to the front door. He slowly turned the lock, not letting in snap back and opened the door.

He pulled open the door with the most careful pull he could measure. The door made a slight creak when it opened and Josh held his breath, listening for his mother or fathers approaching steps.

None came so he stepped out into the cold air and closed the door just as softly, making sure that no one heard him leave.

When his back was to the door he grinned in success and made his was across the street. His face fell for a moment when he saw the kid standing across the street, but his spirits lifted when he didn't recognize him. The kid was looking at his house rather strangely though.

As Josh passed him he looked him up and down. The kid was tall, and rather skinny. His hair was raven black, as were all his clothes. And they were clothes fifteen year olds didn't really wear around; too nice. His eyes flashed to Joshua and as he passed by he could have sworn the kids eyes were pitch black. Except people don't have black eyes.

Josh continued down the street, chills creeping up his neck. If it was because of the kid or the night air, he couldn't tell. Once he had put a little distance between himself and the kid in black, Josh chanced a look back.

The kid was still watching him; a strange look on his face; then the kid took one last look at his house and continued up the empty streets of Royal Falls.

When Joshua came back down his street he was on cloud nine. The party had been too much fun. There had been girls, food, the guys…girls.

He stumbled up his front walk, a stupid smile plastered on his face. All thoughts of the strange kid he had run into were long gone from his mind.

With the same care as before Josh pushed open the door and locked it behind him. He tiptoed down the carpet hall and back into his dark room.

He started to sit down in his bed when the voice cut him off.

"Joshua." The voice was oddly chilling and sounded ice cold.

Josh looked around quickly, for a moment he fancied it had come right from his closet.

"Joshua…"

This time he realized it was coming from his brother's bed. Annoyed at being blind, Josh flicked the curtains to allow the moonlight into the room.

Tim was sitting up, huddled against the wall; his eye's wide and his knees pulled up to his chin.

"Hey buddy…" Josh said softly, hoping he would be able to get his brother to keep the secret.

"You got out of bed…" Tim said softly, obviously horrified.

"No…" said Josh, waving his hands to keep his brother quiet, "No I didn't."

"You got out of bed…After bedtime prayers," Tim was terror-stricken.

"No I didn't," Josh insisted.

"Yes you did," whispered Tim.

"So what if I did," growled Josh, fed up with his brothers white face look. "No one cares. I didn't do anything wrong and there aren't any stupid monsters!"

There was a creak from behind Josh and he whipped around, afraid it was one of his parents.

The closet door slowly opened. Josh stared at it, his blood running cold and the hair on the back of his neck standing up. There was a rustle from inside the closet and his clothes twitched.

"Joshua…" squeaked Tim. But he wasn't the only one who said it. This time Josh caught an extra voice; ice cold and terrible.

A black claw shot out and gripped a hold of Joshua's neck.

He let out a strangled scream as the force of the hand hitting him slammed him into his bedroom wall. The hand then began dragging him quickly towards the open closet.

Josh grabbed hold of the closest thing he could; his brothers bed frame.

"Tim…Tim!" chocked out Josh. "Help…"

Tim just looked at him in horror, frozen in place.

Josh's grip failed and he disappeared into the unending blackness of the bedroom closet.

Then a black shape seemed to come out of the closet, shaped like a man but misshapen and gnarled.

Tim's voice suddenly came back and he started screaming.

"OUR FATHER…WHO ART IN HEAVEN" Tim was gasping on the words. The figure slowly began to move forward.

"HOLOWED BE THY NAME….THY KINGDOM COME THY WILL BE DONE!" The figure was right next to Tim's bed now. Tim threw his favorite blanket over his head.

"GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD…AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESSPASSES…" He felt a clawed hand grab a hold of his blanket.

"AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESSPASS AGAINST US…AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION" The blanket flew off of Tim and settled on the floor, the figure standing menacingly over.

"BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL…."

The light switch suddenly snapped on and Tim's parents rushed into the room.

"Tim! Timmy what's the matter?" demanded his father, shaking him.

But Tim just stared at the door, horrified. His eyes were wide and his whole body seemed to have lost it's blood and turned permanently white.

"Timmy! Where's Joshua? Tim?" his mom sounded terrified.

"Our Father who art in heaven hollowed be thy name," Tim said franticly, his eyes never leaving his closet.

"Tim?!" demanded both his parents shaking him again. He shook his head, never once noticing they were there. He just continued to say the prayer again and again.

"Timmy?" sobbed his mother, holding him tight.

"But deliver us from evil…"

Tim continued to repeat the bedtime prayer.