Mike was sitting in his chair in his new apartment watching the weather channel. He and his best friend Sulley had just moved into the apartment that morning.

Sulley walked in the room and plopped down into his chair. He grabbed the remote and started flipping through channels much to Mike's dismay.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Mike exclaimed.

"It's not like you can't watch it any other time," Sulley replied. Mike lunged for the remote and Sulley held it high above his head. "Give me the remote, Sulley! I need to watch the weather!" Mike shouted, jumping for the remote. Sulley smirked. "Why?"

Mike stopped jumping and glared at Sulley. He didn't want to tell Sulley he was watching the weather because he was worried if there was going to be a thunder storm. No one knew he was afraid of thunder and lightning, not even his family. Everyone thought he was fearless, but everyone's afraid of something. "I can't tell you," he said quietly.

Sulley's expression softened. He thought he had heard a sense of worry in Mike's tone.

"Why can't you tell me?" he asked concerned. Mike shook his head. Sulley lowered his arm and held out the remote and Mike grabbed it and immediately changed the channel back to the weather.

Sulley watched as Mike sank into his chair, his eye glued to the TV. He wondered what Mike was so worried about.

Throughout the rest of the day, Sulley was worried for his friend. Mike kept checking the weather every five minutes.

When Mike was about to check the weather for the twentieth time, Sulley stepped in front of the TV. "Mike, I know something's wrong. You've been checking the weather every five minutes!"

Mike scowled. "Just leave me alone about it!" he snapped.

Sulley was shocked. Mike never snapped at him like that. This caused him to be even more concerned. "Mike," he said, crossing his arms. "Tell me what's wrong. You're never like this."

Mike sighed in defeat as he sat in his chair. "I already told you that I can't tell you," he said setting his gaze anywhere but Sulley.

"You can't or you don't want to?" Sulley asks.

Mike opened his mouth then quickly jumped up as he heard thunder. "I'm going to bed!" He ran to his room and slammed the door.

Sulley sighed. So close, he thought. Stupid thunder.

Mike was sitting on his bed trembling. His hands were pressed to his head to try to block out the thunder that boomed continuously. Tears came out of his eye but he did not try to stop them. Make it stop, he thought. Just make the thunder go away. Lightning flashed and Mike closed his eye and dove under the covers of his bed. It had always been like this growing up. Since he never told anyone about his fear, he'd cry in his room until the storm would eventually stop. Sometimes he was up all night. Sulley was a heavy sleeper so he never woke up in college because Mike cried as quiet as he could during storms then.

Sulley put his ear to Mike's door. He could have sworn he heard Mike crying. Mike never cries...

He knocked on the door. "Mike? Are you ok?" He heard no answer and put his hand on the doorknob. He slowly turned it and pushed the door open. Mike's door made no sound as it opened. Sulley peeked in and saw Mike under the covers. He closed the door quietly and walked over to Mike's bed and sat on it. "Mike? Tell me what's wrong." He took the covers off of Mike and gasped as he saw Mike trembling like mad with his hands over his ears and tears in his eye. He saw fear in Mike's eye.

"Mike, please tell me. I can help." Mike slowly lowered his arms and hugged his knees and talked in a shaky, barely audible voice as the storm continued. "I-I h-have a-astraphobia. It's a p-phobia of thunder and l-lightning."

Sulley was speechless. He thought Mike wasn't afraid of anything. He put his arm around Mike. "Have you always had astraphobia?" Mike nodded as he rocked back and forth. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Mike kept his gaze on the floor. "I've never t-told anyone. N-no one else k-knows." Sulley's eyes widened. "Mike, have you always been like this whenever a storm comes?" Mike nodded. "And you never got anyone to help?" Mike shook his head. Sulley was shocked. "Mike, look at me." Mike looked at Sulley. "I'm glad you told me so I can help you. I won't let anything happen to you, alright?" Sulley squeezed Mike's shoulder. Mike stopped shaking and nodded. He flinched when lightning flashed and scooted closer to Sulley. He had stopped shaking and crying but still flinched a little at thunder and lightning. Mike felt his eyelid drooping and looked at Sulley. "Hey Sulley." "Yeah, Mike?"

"Thanks for helping me." Mike fell asleep as soon as he had finished the sentence. Sulley smiled. He was never leaving Mike alone during a storm again.