Short stories and more

Story 7:

I go to bed, grabbing my stuffed bear and blanket, curling into a tight ball, my blanket covering everything but my head. Everybody knows that a demon can't touch you if you're under the blanket, right?

Wrong.

I wake up, screaming, feeling a hand around my ankles. "Let go of me!" I yell, kicking my feet furiously. "Stop kicking!" comes a voice from the end of my bed, making me scream louder. "I need you to help me settle a bet!" the voice yells. "No!" I yell, finally getting my feet free, and huddle at the top of my bed. I feel my hair get yanked back, and hear my door open, but I can't do anything, as I'm falling through a portal. "You let go of me right this instant or I will not hesitate to murder you in your sleep!" I yell, squeezing my eyes shut, terrified.

"This one's feisty." I hear a booming voice say, and my eyes fly open. I look up, to see the most terrifying and beautiful person sitting on a throne of bones. I feel my bones liquify the longer I stare, until I can't hold onto my stuffed bear any longer.

I feel a laugh bubble in my chest, and no matter how hard I try, I feel myself start laughing, and once I start, I can't stop. "This has to be some kind of cruel joke." I say, my voice weak. "Everybody knows that you're safe under the covers." I say, feeling the terror start to bubble back up in my chest. "And where did you hear this?" the man in front of me says. "It- it's common sense." I say. "Then I guess that everybody is wrong, huh?" the man says, sliding off of his throne towards me.

I gulp, hearing how fast my heart is beating. I start to shiver, despite the immense heat around me. "Oh look, she's going into shock." the man says, his voice disinterested. "You know, you're very handsome." I say, not able to control my mouth.

"Send her home." the man says, a smile on his face.

The next morning, I wake up in my bed, burns on my feet, my bear missing, and a note on my desk. The ten words I read make me shiver, but in a good way. "I think you're very beautiful too. Same time next week?"