Carl had chosen a phone for the elderly and even found a cellphone card with a fictitious name. William had to admit that Carl's caution had been effective.

That night, in bed, William tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next day, his father didn't leave the house; he remained, patiently waiting. His actions clearly indicated that he wouldn't leave until he had consumed William. William had thought that this was the day Carl would take action, but as night fell once again, there was still no sign of him.

Time continued to pass, and soon it was the night of June 9. At 11:54 PM, the door to William's room was flung open. His father entered, rubbing his hands together.

"William, it's almost midnight," he said. "In just a few minutes, it will be your eighteenth birthday. Do you have any idea how long I've been looking forward to this day?"

Willem knew the driver.

How could he not? After all, this guy was his dad and the other monster in the family.

Dad sat in the driver's seat and did not get out of the car. He stared intently at William, a slow sneer creeping over his face.

"Willem, what are you doing out at this late hour, when you're not asleep at home?" William shuddered. He could not understand why the monster was there.

Not just him, but my mother before me.

They always seem to be able to locate William.

William soon calmed down, pretending to be nonchalant, said: "These two days of exams are so stressful, the thought of tomorrow there are two exams, I can't sleep."

"So, in order to face tomorrow's exam in the best condition, I thought I would take a break and adjust my mood."

"I see." Dad sneered and then said, "You've been out for so long, your mood should be adjusted." "Get in the car and Daddy will take you home."

Going home? To be eaten by you? "No, I can walk back myself."

William tried to say no, but as soon as he said it, his father's face darkened. "Don't pretend. I know you've found out."

His father's words made William's heart sink. He gritted his teeth and wanted to turn and run away. But his father's next words put William off the idea.

"Don't try to escape, you can't escape." Something seemed to be wriggling under Dad's skin, whether it was the insect feet or the barbed tentacles.

His eyes were eager, and saliva even ran down the corners of his mouth as he spoke. "Besides, it wouldn't be good to wake everyone sleeping in the neighborhood so late." "You don't want to stir things up and draw everyone here, do you?"

His father did not say so, but William understood.

Carl had once told William that once a human discovers the true nature of a monster, then the human is no longer the exclusive food of a monster.

At that point, any monster in the city can attack this man.

So it was clear to Dad that if William tried to escape, he would face not one monster, but a pack.

By one monster, or by a group of monsters?

Willem frowned. He thought. He opened the door and got in. "Very good." Dad smiled and said, "That's my William."

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With a furtive glance through the window, Carl, who had left the pharmacy, was nowhere to be seen. William was relieved to get into the car because he was afraid his escape would insinuate Carl.

Besides, as long as Carl isn't found, he still has a chance.

There were few cars on the streets at night, and William was soon taken home.

"Now, no one bothers us." Dad closed the door and the wriggling under his skin became more intense. A small sound came from him, like the sound of joints stretching, like the sound of skin tearing.

Dad opened his mouth, and the jagged parts seemed to come out the next second. 'Wait a minute! Willem shouted. "I know you're in a hurry, but don't be."

Willem knew what to expect when he returned. This monster was different from the one before him. He was stronger and more greedy.

He didn't care when Willem found out, he didn't even care why the other monster didn't come back. His eyes, only appetite.

"I'll be 18 the day after tomorrow." William said quickly that all he had to do now was buy time.

The only way Carl can save him is if he doesn't get eaten by this monster right away.

"How about... Eat me after my 18th birthday?" William knew the monster would say yes; after all, he remembered the birthday when it happened.

Dad didn't answer right away, but the wriggling under his skin gradually stopped.

"I've been looking forward to turning 18. I want to have a big cake and have a happy birthday." William pretended to be sad.

The monster frowned and whispered, "Indeed, you will soon be of age. The meat is the best when the animal is grown up, and even if it is a day off, the taste will be much worse."

"Also, I've heard that mood can affect taste." William heard the words from the monster's mouth, and hastened to follow his words.

He remembered what had happened earlier, on August 11th, when the monster had said before he killed him that fear would make the flesh sour.

William then added: "I'll be very sad if I don't have my 18th birthday. If I'm too sad, it'll taste a lot worse."

"Anyway, after all these years you have waited here, it is not bad for this day or two." "After waiting for so many years, isn't it a pity if we can't have the most delicious meat?" "Don't worry, I won't run away this time. You may lock me in my room."

"Even if you want to run, I can find you." The monster sneered, and the crawling under the skin stopped completely at that moment.

The monster in front of him returned to his old father's appearance, but his eyes were no longer like before.

"Go to bed early, Willem." Dad licked his lips.

William was filled with disgust, but he could not show it.

He could not provoke the monster at this time, or everything he had done would be destroyed. Back in his room, William walked quickly to the window.

He looked downstairs and saw no sign of Carl.

"Karl didn't notice I was taken, did he?" William was worried.

But when you think about it, Carl's ability to smell better than a dog, so if he followed the monster away, he'd know it.

Also, William peeped out the window as he got into the car, and Carl, who had come out of the pharmacy, was gone, indicating that he had gone into hiding.

"Take your time." William comforted himself in his heart.

"It's early. Even if Carl wants to save me, he's going to have to come up with a foolproof plan." "If he tries, he will not only fail to save me, he will also fall into the hands of this monster." "Carl has always been cautious, so he must be somewhere plotting a way to save me."

That said, the worry has not diminished.

There was one more thing that William could not understand.

For some reason, the two monsters in the house always seem to be able to pinpoint William's location.

The mother who went to Condastre Mountain, the father who drove to the pharmacy.

If it wasn't Arthur who risked his life to save him, William really wondered if he had secretly revealed his whereabouts.

William touched himself. Did these monsters put a locator on him? William thought of his mobile phone.

If you really have a locator on your body, it's most likely hidden in your phone. With this idea in mind, William was afraid to contact Carl on his cell phone.

If there's a GPS on the phone, maybe there's something else, too. Like listening in.

No wonder Carl prepared a phone for the elderly, and deliberately found a mobile phone card without a real name.

I have to say, Carl's caution did work.

That night, lying in bed, William tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The next day Dad didn't go out and stayed out.

His behavior has made it clear that he will not leave until he has eaten William.

Had thought that this day Carl must do something, but until night fell again, William still did not wait for Carl to appear.

Time passed by minute by second, and soon came to the night of June 9. At 11:54, the door to William's room was thrown open.

Dad came in rubbing his hands. "William, it's 00:00."

"After one o 'clock, it will be your eighteenth birthday."

"William, do you know how much Dad was looking forward to this day?"