Under the Bed Page #2

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I remembered you talking

about visions you'd have at night

and Dad saying you've

got an overactive imagination.

Why was all my stuff

boxed up in your room, Paulie?

Well, when you got sent away,

I got kind of sad,

so Dad packed up all your stuff

and moved me in.

He thought it would help.

Oh, sh*t.

Yeah, it didn't.

So you've been sleeping

in my room this whole time?

Well, I go in there every night,

but I don't sleep.

Neal...

you believe me, right?

Okay.

Ooh.

Phew!

Paulie, what a mess.

See, is there anything else?

Nope.

Damn it.

Oh!

Okay.

Oh!

Oh!

This was really close, too.

Cara.

What is it, Neal?

Two Reubens!

Best in town, right, big guy?

Oh, my God.

Hey, Neal.

Wow, you've been back

for two hours

and you're already at Melanie's.

Heh.

So how was your party?

Hey, it was, uh...

It was not much.

I mean, it was fine. It was...

Well, well, well,

if it isn't the firebug?

You know, I heard that your dad

had to send you away

to keep you out of jail.

Yeah, didn't something

happen to your mom?

Did you do that, too?

You can't believe

everything you hear.

He got sent away

to protect him from me.

That's right,

I'm his brother, Paulie.

I don't remember

what happened that night.

When I came to

the next morning,

he was halfway

across the country,

and I was in a straitjacket.

What the hell are you talking about?

You're like three.

Mm-hmm.

That's how I get away with it.

Let's get outta here.

You seem like you came

out of everything okay.

Better than ever, baby.

Wow.

So, Neal, sorry about that.

I'll see you around, I guess.

Yeah.

So...

from the foot of the bed

or the side, most often?

Definitely the side.

Any idea what time?

Not really.

It's when it's dark and late...

really late.

Any contact?

What do you mean?

Like talking, messages, or...?

I don't think so.

What does it do?

It reaches.

Dinner, boys.

Come on.

It's very good, dear.

I see the salad is very popular.

- It is.

- Mm-hmm.

I cut mean vegetables.

Oh. Isn't this wonderful?

We're finally all here.

So where did you

wind up going?

Oh!

Stop that.

Melanie's.

I love that place.

It's such a great idea.

Is that where

your appetite went, Neal?

- Paulie? Stop that.

- Enough.

You're not tossing food.

No, I didn't eat

my sandwich, either.

You want me to cook

you something?

- You sure?

- No, no.

No, like a souffl, you know.

I'd like to see that.

So where's Neal gonna sleep?

Well, Angela and I

talked about that a little bit,

and, um, you know,

Paulie's in your old room,

so we thought maybe

you'd be okay

trying something a little different.

I made a bed for you

in Paulie's old room.

I hope that's okay.

Paulie's room.

That's great, considering that all...

all my sh*t is in there.

So nice to see

many of your happy faces here

supporting theater in the schools.

Maybe that'll send

the school board a message, huh?

Well, you might have noticed

that our turnout

for this year's school play

is a little light.

You can thank your parents

for responding so well

to my original piece I wrote,

Hero or Cheater?"

Undaunted, I'm gonna move on

to my next project,

which will be a lot of fun.

We're gonna do "The Crucible,

the Musical," and...

Wake up!

Aah!

Aah!

Aah!

Look, I get that you need

some time to readjust, Neal.

Okay, I do,

but I got you two

staring off into nothing.

You're not eating.

You sure as sh*t don't care

about Angela's feelings.

And you know what

I don't want, boys?

I don't want today

to become every other day.

We used to be normal.

Do you remember that?

We're gonna be again.

We're gonna be,

but it's up to you boys.

Paulie?

Angela and I have decided

we're gonna keep you

out of school for a little while.

No. No, no, no,

you can't do that!

Why?

Why?

Are you actually asking why?

Should we ask all your...

your classmates

who watched you

melt down today why, Paulie?

Now, look, the... the priority

here is to get you guys

both back to earth

and back in school in a week,

and we are gonna do it!

But before I can enroll you, Neal,

I need you to do

some things for me, son.

Oh, yeah? What's that?

Like grow the f*** up, for one.

Like become a man!

You're were only supposed

to go down to Sara's

for a couple of months,

but she wanted you there

because she thought it was helping.

But if two years down there

is not getting you to grow up,

then I'm gonna do it!

Your ass is getting a job!

Is getting a job

gonna make me a man?

Well, it's sure as sh*t gonna help!

Uh, Neal, honey?

I think what your dad

is trying to say is that

Paulie needs a role model.

Are you okay?

- Neal! Are you listening?

- Yes!

Yes? Okay, then

what did we just say?

That I'm still crazy!

No, that is not

what we just said!

That's all that anybody thinks!

I'm not even getting a chance!

You don't get chances, kid!

You earn them,

and you're not doing it!

Well, maybe I should have

just died with Mom!

You two go to bed.

Angela's making

you act completely...

Stop it, Neal.

Please just stop talking,

all right?

Now, you two brought

this on yourselves.

This door's gonna stay locked.

You gotta go to the bathroom,

you knock.

Otherwise,

all I want to hear is silence.

Sleep tight!

Don't start with me.

Maybe we should consider

outside help.

No. We've done that,

and it hasn't done jack sh*t.

We are doing this ourselves.

But something

is going on here, Terry.

Yes, Angela, there is,

and we're gonna put a stop to it.

You sleep with the light on?

At night, yeah.

For how long?

About a year now.

But it helps?

Mm-mmm.

Hey, let's try something,

you and me.

Turn the light off.

Neal, what are you gonna do?

Hey.

Hey!

If we don't make any noise,

it doesn't know we're here.

What about when we move?

Here, let me try something.

So we don't move,

we don't make any sound,

it's not gonna try anything, right?

Paulie, he's right behind you, man!

How close did it come to me?

Um, not that close.

Still had half the room to go.

A couple of feet.

We're all right

with the lights on, I think.

Yeah.

Wonder what Angela tells Dad.

What do you think of her?

She's kind of cool.

Seriously?

Does she even have a job?

She's a substitute teacher.

Good for her.

Substitute teacher,

substitute wife,

substitute mom.

She's got it all figured out.

Neal, you should give her a chance.

Does Dad ever talk about Mom?

Never, except

when he'd talk about you.

Does he blame me?

He blames everybody.

' Hey, Neal?

'Hmm?

Want to see how I get to bed?

Yeah.

So I was thinking

about how we'd keep you

off the floor tonight, Neal.

I was just gonna

stay up all night.

Not like I haven't done it before.

Well, maybe you can

sleep on the dresser.

I mean, better than no sleep.

Worth a shot.

Just run, Neal.

You're gonna make it mad.

I think I made it mad anyway.

Well, it's a lot noisier

than it's ever been before.

It remembers me.

It's been a long two years, Neal.

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