War from Under the Bed

Surprise

The nightmares were brutal and even Courage could not ward them off. Sadie could barely breath as she stared at her parents, blood pooling beneath them. She couldn't move as her monster, it's blood red eye dripping, slithered toward her with oozing steps. It's hot breath reeked as it leaned in close enough that she could see herself in its burning eye.

"Courage will never be able to save a spineless little human like you." it gurgled, black fingers probing the locket around her neck. She whimpered, fear bubbling in her stomach and making her knees weak. She fought to move, to turn and run, but the monster's intense stare kept her planted right where she stood. It gave a cruel laugh that sent chills down Sadie's trembling legs, "Your angel couldn't even save you...you have nothing." Sadie croaked as she saw Henry lying on the floor beside her with a black spear pinning him to the ground, his blank eyes staring at her. Black ooze soaked the front of her pajamas as her monster gripped the locket, "The world should have chosen a better hero." and with those words he ripped it from her neck.

Her body was instantly wrecked with pain that made her scream. She withered and fell to the unforgiving ground, the pain reaching the deepest depths of her body. It made her blood pound and she could have sworn she felt some run down her face and onto the ground below. The pain was the only thing she had at the moment, the intense fire that was eating her slowly. A sob mixed in with her screams and tears mixed in with the blood. She wanted it to stop. She clawed at the ground, soft and warm. A particular jolt of pain traveled down her spine and she snapped her head back, expecting hard floor, but instead felt something soft under her head. A warm feeling flooded her chest and the pain stopped. Her eyes flew open and she stared at the ceiling of the room, gasping for air. The locket lying on her chest pulsed golden with her rapid heartbeat. Her body ached and she wasn't sure if that was from her tense body or the Courage that had woken her. The warmth that was trapped under her soft blankets calmed her and she gave a sigh of relief.

A soft whimper had her turning to look at the other two sleeping in the room. The soft light of the lamp illuminated their quivering forms, their twisted faces. Pang had tears in her eyes as she clawed at her blankets. Jack seemed to be trying to hide, burying his head in his covers. Sadie watched them and wasn't sure what she could do. Courage could help, but she wasn't trained enough to use it properly. She then frowned slightly, realizing how strange it was that they were all having nightmares at the same time. Another whimper from Pang had Sadie shaking her head. It was expected after what they have seen and endured. Of course they would all have nightmares. Not feeling like going back to bed and reliving the nightmare she had, she slipped out of her warm blankets, the cold air biting her exposed skin, and trotted out to get some water.

She was on the move. Fenris could detect her scent moving through the house as he and his army glided through the field. His claws ached to rip into her and taste the fear that would radiat off her in her final moments. He glanced back at the other monsters behind him, idiotic weaklings, and picked up his speed. Sooner or later one of these miserable tar pits would trigger a trap and their stealth would vanish. The little girl's bodyguards would then make ripping her apart very difficult. He spotted movement in the house and his eye began to bleed as she walked through the rooms. Her small body looked so frail...he couldn't wait to crush it. His ooze split as his smile widened.

Sadie squirmed as she filled a cup with water. She couldn't shake the feeling of something watching her every move, waiting. She took a sip and looked around, trying to find what was making her so uncomfortable. Nothing was staring at her from inside the room. She looked at the glass back door and put her cup down, approaching it. She looked out into the darkness beyond the circle of light. She saw nothing, the darkness too complete for her eyes to penetrate it. The feeling seemed to intensify as she stared into the inky black that was the night. Her breath fogged the glass as she stared at it, willing her eyes to see what was staring right back at her. The longer she stood there, the more she felt a menacing darkness making its way across the field and licking her hands that rested against the glass. Her locket quivered slightly and she backed away from the glass door. Maybe she should wake Henry up just in case. As she turned to go, a shriek of pain echoed across the field and Sadie froze. That sound...it made her turn back around and cry out in horror at what she saw. Hundreds of monsters emerging into the light, their eyes gleaming, with her monster leading the way.