The Whisper Man

by Alex North

It was an attempt to make an impact on a world that seemed so oblivious to his existence. It stemmed from a desire to be seen. To be noticed. To be loved. Because that was all any child wanted, deep down.

I loved Jake, I found it impossible to spend all day, every day with him. It didn’t feel like there was enough left of me to fill all those hours, and while I despised myself for failing to be the father he needed, the truth was that sometimes I needed time to myself.

“If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken.”

The butterflies didn’t have a choice, after all. That’s what things do. Even in the toughest of circumstances, they keep living.

“If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken.” “And the rest.” Jake closed his eyes. “If you play outside alone, soon you won’t be going home.” “Keep going.” She sounded barely there now. “If your window’s left unlatched, you’ll hear him tapping at the glass.” “And?” The word was so quiet that it might have been nothing more than air. Jake swallowed. He didn’t want to say it, but he forced himself to, speaking as quietly as the little girl just had. “If you’re lonely, sad, and blue, the Whisper Man will come for you.”

“Maybe the bad man will take the class one by one, and they’ll all be replaced by new boys and girls. So that means the Whisper Man will take you before me.”

The only signs that it was used by the police, rather than simply rented out dirt cheap, were the security camera positioned subtly on the wall outside, the panic buttons within, and the proliferation of bolts on the inside of the front door.