Insomnia Horror Collection

The Park

Six year old Madison Pike is at her most favorite place in the world today, as she is twice a week now for nearly a year. This simple park is nothing extraordinary; it has the standard swing sets, jungle gym, seesaws, slides and sand pits. Madison sits alone on the swing set with her little legs dangling below her. Madison is being watched by a woman who sits alone on a bench just twenty feet away scrolling about on her smart phone.

Madison tugs at the hair tie in her ear length blonde hair and wraps it around her wrist allowing her hair to fall down her face. She brushes it aside and looks into the distance for something or someone. Before long a lone woman walks from behind the park restroom area and towards Madison.

"Hey, Madi! Have you been waiting long?" The soft featured woman asks while sitting down in the swing next to Madison.

"No, just a little bit. But Haley got me ice cream before we came."

The woman smirks and shrugs as she looks over her shoulder towards the woman on the bench who is now staring in Madison's direction, "She did huh? Yeah, so that's why you can't sleep at night, I bet."

Madison shakes her little head, "No, I can't sleep because I have dreams."

The woman looks at her curiously, "What about, baby?"

The little girl has a troubled expression come over her face. "Is dad ever going to come visit?"

"Honey, he wants to, it's just... Give him some more time, ok? He misses you a lot, but I know he will soon."

Noticing Madison's disposition evolving into sadness, the woman changes the subject.

"So baby, what have you and Haley been doing? How has school been?"

Madison perks up a bit, "It's been good. There is a boy named Gage who let me have some of his army men and I have been playing dinosaurs and soldiers."

The woman smiles. "That sounds awesome! Wanna show me?"

Madison hops off of the swing and grabs a pink dinosaur backpack and prepares to head to the sand pit, but a call from the woman on the bench stops her.

"Madison, time to go!"

Madison looks down disappointed and so does the woman.

"Why can't I go home with you...?" Madison asks as she drops her back pack to one hand.

The woman looks over at the woman on the bench, "I'm sorry, baby. Haley is just looking out for you. She loves you lots is all."

"Why doesn't she ever talk to you?" Madison asks.

The woman shakes her head, "She just doesn't really like the way I live. The choices I made are why you have to live with her and, even though I have changed or... am trying to change, your aunt Haley doesn't really forgive as easy as you baby."

Madison looks up mournfully as the woman moves in to try and hug the little girl. A louder more serious tone from Haley back at the bench brings her to a stop.

"Madison Pike, now!"

Madison slings her backpack and runs several feet in the direction of Aunt Haley but stops and turns around, "Mom... Next time I'll show you my army men!"

The woman smiles and waves. "You better! Now get going before your aunt kills us both."

The little girl meets her aunt and the two disappear into a silver SUV and soon out of sight.

That night, Madison is under her covers in her bed unable to sleep as usual, lately. Haley, walking past her room, notices a light illuminating from under the covers of little Madi. She walks in and pulls them back revealing a bloody battle taking place. Dozens of brave soldiers have fallen to reptiles from ages long past.