THE MAN

Abstract

​“Weird” literature is something new that I learned in my Central American Studies class. In the class, I was assigned to write a story with the same aesthetic as another author. I took inspiration from “Highway Without an Ox” by Claudia Hernandez, by providing unexpected reactions. In the story that I wrote, the reader would have expected the parents to call the police or do anything to protect their child from this stranger under his bed, but that was not the case. Instead they invited him downstairs to eat dinner.

Michelle Garcia

Michelle Garcia is a first generation student in her second year of college. She is majoring in Business Management. She has been giving back to her community by fundraising and joining clubs that teach students about mental and sexual health at low income high schools in her community. Her paper was inspired by “Highway Without an Ox” by Claudia Hernandez, which she read in her first Central American Studies class.

"...they asked him, “why are you offending this person under the bed?” and “What would you call him a monster?” They were wondering why their own son was so quick to judge someone."

It was 8 p.m., and it was time for Timothy to get ready for bed. He went to the restroom to brush his teeth, and while he was brushing his teeth,he heard a cough coming from his bedroom. The thing was, that he slept alone, and he could hear his parents conversing in the kitchen. He let it go, maybe he just imagined it, and finished washing his teeth. When he walked into the room, it felt as if someone was in there with him. Once again, he decided to brush it off and changed into his pajamas. While doing so he heard heavy breathing coming from under his bed; at this point, he knew he was not imagining stuff. He looked under and saw a monster! He screamed and his parents came running to his room.

They asked, “What’s wrong!” and he told them what he had seen under the bed. They were shocked. They looked under the bed and they saw something big, hair and with demonic red eyes. They turned to look at Timothy. Disappointed, they asked him, “why are you offending this person under the bed?” and “What would you call him a monster?” They were wondering why their own son was so quick to judge someone. They rhetorically asked him where his manners were and to be respectful. They invited this “monster” to come out and have dinner with them. When he came out from under the bed, he had a knife! There were blood stains all over his clothes. 

​To Timothy’s surprise, his parents did not see that as a sign of imminent danger. Instead, they all went downstairs, and her mom started preparing dinner, while his dad watched TV. Leaving him alone with the monster at the table. Suddenly, the monster stood up, quickly moved towards timothy and stabbed him in the leg, and thenin the arm. Timothy screamed, and by the time his parents came into the dining area to ask him what was wrong, the monster retracted the knife and denied what had happened. As he laid dying on the kitchen table, his parents told him he was in trouble because he should not lie. They continued tending to their visitor like nothing had happened. They did not wish to disrupt their guest.