Short Stories

Sleep Tight

Okay so, this was one of many assignments in English. We got given a postcard and had to create a story based on the picture on the front. Mine was a big green ugly monster and I created this...

----------

She was forcibly removed from a rare slumber by an audible crash - from what sounded like - under her bed. She froze in fear and hid beneath the covers, which provided a warm, safe-feeling den. No matter how much fear was flowing through her veins, she was still curious as to what created that bang. It didn't help that she had been having horrific nightmares recently about monsters under her bed. Childish, she knew. A surge of courage ran through her, like a lightening strike and she pushed her covers – her safety – away as she placed her feet on the cold wooden flooring. Her double bed was big enough to fit people underneath it; it wouldn't be that hard for an oversized monster. Taking a deep breath, she quickly ducked and peeked under the bed.

She backed away, breathing deeply, sliding under her duvet covers. She shook and shivered under the sheets. Meredith whimpered as her mother flicked the light switch; darkness consuming the room.

A large hand gripped Meredith's mouth shut; she turned her head only to see a shadow. "No one will hear you scream, no one can save you now," A muffled shout echoed around the pristine room. Its closest resemblance was a hospital ward. A chair slammed into the back of her knees. She bared her teeth beneath the big hand; trying to pry herself out of their grip. Meredith involuntarily collapsed into it. It let out a menacing laugh. She didn't even try stand, she knew she'd lose this battle.

Her eyes filled with tears as she was thrown to the ground. The shadow finally went to take a step into the stream of light, its fists raised... With a jump and a yelp, Meredith was awake.

'That was probably the worst part," Meredith exclaimed to her mother. "The dream always ends in a cliffhanger!" Her mother just nodded, as she busied herself around the kitchen. Meredith got frustrated with her mothers lack of attention, so she stormed back to her bedroom. She sat on her bed and sighed. The laugh. The laugh of the monster. She could swear she just heard it beside her. She gripped her hair in anguish, "I'm not insane... am I?" She muttered. A giggle erupted, "certainly not," it replied. Meredith whipped herself round to come face to face with... nothing.

Months dragged on, Meredith's 'insanity' was just getting worse. It was so frustrating that she had even taken weeks of school. Her mother was surprisingly, even becoming concerned.

Meredith mumbled to herself as she placed her mug of coffee to her dry lips. The mug was empty and she sighed. Her eyes fluttered shut and she shook her head, interfering with sleep. She fumbled with her fingers and picked at the couch, the TVs luminescent light illuminated the small room. A minute later and Meredith had fallen into a deep sleep, and straight into a nightmare.

Meredith was tied to a chair, bound by rope; hands behind her back and her legs tied to the feet of the chair. "You're back," the thing sounded amused. A cry slipped through Meredith's lips. "Don't... please don't hurt me..."

The monster went to claw Meredith; she pressed herself further into the back of the seat. The monster's claws tore the ropes from around her body, releasing her abdomen. A knife glimmered in the light beside her. She discreetly slipped her hand down and picked the blade up. The monster was preoccupied, looking in the opposite direction, muttering quietly to themselves. She slowly pushed knife against the monsters back, the tip just slightly grazing their clothing. A whimper escaped the monsters mouth, "Don't... please don't hurt me...." It sounded just like herself, she though. Meredith had had enough with this madness; insanity. She never placed herself as a murderer but this circumstance could change anyone's ways. She kicked the back of the monsters knees, knocking them to the ground. She flipped the monster over, were she would've had been able to see the monsters face if it weren't for the darkness of this room. It was too dark for Meredith to see anything apart from the body's outline. She plunged the knife into their chest. She struggled to pull the knife back out, as the monsters muscles contracted around the blade. She continuously stabbed and sliced the body. The stomach, legs, face, chest and throat; all shredded to pieces. Meredith shook with fear, as she straddled the lifeless body beneath her. The wheezy breathing had come to a halt and the squelching of the blade being pressed through the skin had also stopped. She gasped and awoke, only to see her own life coming to an end... She lay breathless, almost lifeless, a knife beside her and identical slashes and gashes on her own body. Blood pooling around her, the metallic smell forcing more dizziness upon her. She tried screaming, she tried moving. She was hopeless. The monster was herself, all this time. It was a battle she was destined to lose.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This has been published in a magazine!

I hope you enjoyed,

-Amyx
*October2013