I hear them crawling and scrapping against my closet. If only they could stop, leave me be just for one night. My wife doesn’t hear them, my daughters doesn’t hear them, only I hear them, and they are loud.

“Alexander,” a small child-like voice says seeping out of the closet. “You made a promise, and where I come from a promise is a promise.” I get up from my bed and quickly made my way downstairs. I need my pills. It’s the only thing that helps me sleep.

I pour me a glass of cool water and placed it on the island. I search through the cupboards looking for my pills. They’re gone. I hear a rattle and clump in front me. I look up to see the pills placed on the island. I reach for them. Then a soft grey plush paw slowly reaches over mine. “I don’t think you will need these tonight,” It said. I turn my head slightly to see the plush dog staring at me with those lifeless blue eyes. “Puppy, what are you doing here,” I said shaken by it’s presence.

“Didn’t you here me calling?”

“No.”

“Don’t lie to me Alexander,” Puppy shot back, “I taught you better then that.”

“You’re not real.”

“If I wasn’t real could I do this,” then it touched me, it was wet and soggy. Then he knocked over my glass shattering it to the floor. “Honey was that you,” my wife asked from the bedroom. “Answer her Alexander, we don’t want this to get out hand.” I hesitated for moment I could call her for help, but would she believe me or would she call me crazy. “Why is there a Plush Zebra in your spot, I thought you got rid of your dolls?”

“Zag,” I whispered out, I turn my head back to the stitched plushie. For second I saw him smiling with sharp teeth and black ooze dripping from his mouth. Then he was fine again still soggy but no ooze. “Don’t worry about it babe, I’ll move it when I get upstairs.”

“Ok, I’m going back to sleep.”

“See that wasn’t so hard,” Puppy said now standing on the table. “Are you here to take me back.” I asked not sure if I should move or sit down. “I can’t force you back but you still have a promise to keep.” Then it dawned on me, there was someone missing. “Where’s Beary?” Puppy’s face drooped to pity. “He’s... no longer with us, he didn’t support our actions so we had to unstitch him.” I felt sweat exude down my face.

“This is just a warning Alexander,” Puppy said walking up towards and grabbing my hand placing an object in it. “A memento, don’t forget us again Alexander, and when I call you have to answer,” he said melting back to the shadows. “It’s a lot easier to unstitch a human.” Then he was gone. I opened my hand and there's only a black glass button with some string still attached.

I made my way back up stairs and into bed. There was soggy spot. It sent a shiver down my spine. I laid in my bed eyes wide open then, they started to close and I started to drift. “A promise is a promise, Alexander.”

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