Special Halloween Edition

Monster Under My Bed (A_Poetic_Kill)

 Monster Under My Bed

11:55 pm

Cadet clouds clamor a cacophony, bellowing thunderous displays of might as fervid white rains of lightning electrocute the Halloween night.

12:00 am

The ancient wind, in its raspy voice, croons its resurrection song through the trees' barren spindles like a resonating, ominous gong.

12:02 am

Cautiously tip-toeing out from under the quilt, across the room and to the window, to latch close the panes, whose amplified rattling makes my heart thump to an exploding crescendo, I see the tires screech and scrape the gravelly street, struggling to halt before the danger sign. It read in the headlight glow, "Warning! Road work ahead. Keep out of construction site."

12:02:02 am

The metal contraption skids into the ditch, not enough friction to stop last screams from filling the crying skies. Stupefied, I cant move my legs, can't tear away my eyes.

12:04 am

Calcium fingers come crawling out of the pit with hollowed heads and wormy feet. Fear jolts me back to run and hide under the sheet.

12:10 am

The darkness won't stop wailing. I can feel its onyx orbs pierce me with mournful gazing. I can feel its eeriness seeping into the air, crawling across the wall, on the flooring. I can feel it scuff and scratch its claws at the wood of my bed. I need to get it out of my head. My hands reach out for the night lamp.

12:13 am

It was a mistake. The darkness kept the monster hidden. Now it is out. I can see the morphing silhouettes of its hideous horns, its spiky back, its serpentine tail in the blood red glow of the lamp. I can hear its growls from under the bed.

12:18 am

The growling persists. Deciding to face my monsters head on, I hesitantly peep underneath. Phew! False alarm. It was only the street cat, seeking shelter from the storm, its mewling amplified into growls by the traffic cone it dragged as its daily treasure ware. No monsters under my bed, only in my head.

12:20 am

12:25 am

12:28 am

I jerk upright. The window was closed. How did the cat get in?

12:30 am

Ice-cold bony fingers caress my pale cream cheeks. A distance voice hums a lullaby, her lullaby. And suddenly I am transported back ten years and twelve weeks.

11.55 pm 562 weeks ago

The night was calm and peaceful as we drove along to the music, Mum laughed heartily at something I did. It was her thirtieth birthday, we had gone to the fair in Innswick, gorging on deep-fried bacon and peppermint sticks.

We had been alone since as long as I could remember, Mum and I, each other's only family. I wanted to make the day special, I was glad I could make her laugh as she did.

12:15 am 562 weeks ago

The sky had started singing. Mum always loved the rain. What better way to end the day, than with nature's refrain?

12:25 am 562 weeks ago

The rain was torrential then, it was becoming difficult to see. Home was just around the corner. I was glad we would be there soon, the street was risky.

12:28 am 562 weeks ago

There were no traffic cones. We didn't see the danger sign in time. It read in the headlight glow, "Warning! Road work ahead. Keep out of construction site."

12:30 am

The lullaby is louder now, closer. It's her voice, and it's not. Mellifluous and beseeching at the same time, it haunts my mind with memories and guilt-tinged regrets. "You left me. You left me alone for dead. Come now little one, it's not too late for you, come now with me, I'll tuck you into the eternal bed."