Ephemeris

4 : Forgotten Toys

There was a sleepless draught tossing the tendrils of Daniel's tousled hair. It was midnight when he checked his phone. He pulled his blanket up, covering his head, thinking this might aid him to sleep. The cloth was soft against his face. He could feel his warm breath passing through the fabric's tiny holes. He continued to inhale and exhale through his mouth, feeling the rising and sinking of the material touching his lips. A droning hum of the electric fan, an invitation of drowse, a song, was lullabying him goodnight.

At last, it was comforting. His eyelids drooped, and he became drowsy. The comfy mattress caught his weight. His head was immersed contentedly on the soft pillow, losing consciousness. His eyes were now shut, too heavy to unfold, half asleep, sunk in reverie.

A vision was softly creeping into his dream. From a nameless, shapeless void, a shadow crawled its way to his open window. The shadow had two bright emeralds, blinking its piercing value, too sharp and disquieting. He was bewitched, sucking his attention, heart, and soul into the swirling black holes at the core of each gemstone. It was stupefying but terrifying. The shadow moved closer, lazed around by the window, boasting more of its lustrous gems ogling for something tasty. From stillness, it grew willowy boughs—one, two, three, four, and five. The last bough was the longest, craning aloft and coiling like a seductive serpent. The mysterious shadow crouched, leaning forward, watching out for the hiding lump under a dirty shirt. It pranced stealthily, scaring the little bump that squeaked and clawed helplessly under the shirt, finding a way to escape the monster.

Daniel woke with a jolt.

"Shoo!" He let loose a forceful slap pounding the mattress. "Bad kitty! Shoo!"

He slipped off the bed, flicking his hands, shooing the black cat out. The cat growled and hissed like a demon disinclined to leave him in peace. "Shoo!"

The little lump squeaked—a scared mouse—running away from the hairy miscreant. "Mousy!" he kicked his left foot toward the cat, protecting his little acquaintance.

The wicked cat hissed at him.

"Shoo! Get out!" he grabbed a shoe, alarming the feline to leave at this instant.

The cat persistently made noises, gambling its breaths, sneaking to evade danger and safeguard its nine lives. "Meow!" the wild feline cried, clawing the wooden floor.

Daniel focused his irises on the cat's two glowing emeralds and threw the shoe at its demon face. But he hit his chest of toys instead.

The tomcat's back fur stood up, puffed its tail, and jumped off from the floor to the windowsill. The cat spun its skull, narrowed its sharp glowing eyes, and hissed a silencing threat to the brave boy. "Meow!" it jumped off the window, landing on the roof eaves.

Daniel slid the vertical sliding window shut. After the midnight encounter, he massaged his temples and tugged his hair back, brooding. He reached for the lampshade cord and pulled it, turning the light on. He faced the mirror. "What now?" he asked himself, spreading out his hands that seemed strangely dumb.

He took two or three awkward steps behind and let gravity pull him, tumbling, caught by the firm mattress. He lay down, glaring at the ceiling, seeing things in black and white. "When will the drowse spirits visit me and possess me?" he asked the universe.

He felt hollow inside, missing his mom and dad as he listened to the fan's soft humming. He scratched his eyes, feeling emptier lying alone on his bed. I am caged within the four corners of my room, veiled in darkness, and all I have is my loneliness comforting me tonight, he thought, feeling his pain peaking.

He lowered his gaze, wiggled his toes, and saw the unlocked toy chest. There were raw words at the base of his throat, wanting to break free. "Forgotten toys," he uttered.