8 Short Suspense Stories

A Land Of Faerie and Papa

Mommy gave me the little faerie candy. She said it kept the bad faeries away, but she didn't take them. Mommy told me it was because I was special; that the bad faeries want to take me away. I didn't want to leave Mommy, but now Mommy was leaving me. Daddy told me they were going on a break. Nana was going to watch me; Nana is mean though. Daddy tells me it's because of what happened to Papa, but I don't remember a Papa.

Mommy packed me some homemade cookies. She's so sweet! I love my mommy. Mommy plays with me, but she tells me I can't play with the other kids. It's because I'm special, but it makes me sad and angry. Once I'm older I'll understand... or that's what Mommy tells me.

She makes me happy. I love my mommy.

We are at Nana's house now. Daddy is carrying my white backpack; it has Monty Squiggles in it. Daddy rings the door button. Ding dong! It sings the little song. Mommy is squeezing my hand now. It hurts. I try to pull my hand away, but she won't let go. She looks at me, and her chocolate eyes look worried. I stop pulling my hand and give Mommy a hug. She hugs me back, but Mommy seems different.

The door opens, and Nana looks down at me with angry eyes. We walk into the dark house. Nana takes Mommy and Daddy to the kitchen. They leave me on the dirty couch. Daddy left Monty Squiggles, so I play with the bear and his one eye glasses. As I play with Monty Squiggles I can hear Mommy and Daddy talking to Nana. They don't seem happy. I pull out the tea set and begin preparing for the party.

"Don't forget her pill," Mommy tells Nana. "She won't bother you unless she's hungry or misses us."

I now sit across from Monty Squiggles. He likes his tea and cookies. They are the cookies Mommy made for us. They taste yummy.

"After last time, how could I forget?" Nana growled at Mommy. "Your spawn is safe with me, but am I safe with her around?"

Mommy stays silent for a minute, "Of course you are. She doesn't even remember."

Footsteps are coming towards me now as I sit on the dirty couch. I look up and Mommy is standing next to me. I scoot over so she can join our party, but Mommy doesn't sit. Instead, she kneels next to me. Mommy looks worried again; she's leaving me now. I can tell by her eyes and how she's looking at me. She never looks at me like that.

"Mabel," Mommy took a long pause, "I need you to be good for your Nana. She's going to make sure you're okay. Don't argue with her and don't let her forget to give you the faerie candy."

Not completely listening, I nodded.

"If you need anything ask Nana. Your daddy and I put our phone number on Nana's counter if you need us... okay?" Mommy finally sat next to me. "I love you Mabel."

"I love you too Mommy." I poured Monty Squiggles more tea.

Daddy then came over and told me the same thing as Mommy. They were ready to leave me. They each gave me another hug, and then they left. Mommy and Daddy were gone, and I was stuck with mean old Nana.

Monty Squiggles sat on the couch awaiting my return. I didn't feel like having a tea party now though. Nana was in the kitchen so I went there. Maybe Nana would be nice now that I'm older. I sat on one of the wooden stools across from Nana.

"Hi Nana!" I exclaimed.

Instead of saying anything she grunted. I frowned. Nana doesn't like me. It's because of a Papa though. I'm not sure why a papa would be the reason she didn't like me. Especially when there is no Papa. Perhaps I look like a papa.

The Next Day....

Nana is still in bed. I tried to wake her up, but she just yelled at me. She didn't hear me last night. Monty Squiggles did though. He helped me when the wet drops rolled down my face. Mommy hadn't tucked me in, and there was no bedtime story. Daddy hadn't come in and kissed my forehead before turning on my night light. I asked Nana for a night light, but she didn't hear me any of the times I asked.

When the sun was halfway in the sky is when I saw Nana. She had finally come down the creaking steps. This was a Nana I had never seen before. She was smiling. Then Nana saw me sitting on the couch. She walked past me, no longer smiling. She liked Mommy and Daddy. She smiled at them, so I must look like a Papa.

Nana forgot about me all day. She didn't have time for me she said when I had asked. Then she sent me off to play.

A Week Later...

Catherine Dougle. That was the new girl's name. She came over a few days after me. Catherine was seven just like me. She was pretty. Nana didn't know who she was though. When I asked Nana just got mad at me.

I didn't see Nana much. She was often in her room, sitting in the kitchen or on the couch. Whenever I walked into a room Nana would leave. Having Catherine around was fun. She liked playing at the tea parties with Monty Squiggles. I'd never had a friend before. Catherine being there made me happy, and not miss Mommy. Catherine told me Nana was evil. She said that Nana was an evil faerie in disguise.

Perhaps that is why my faerie pills were gone. Nana hadn't given me one in days. Mommy wouldn't have left me with an evil faerie though. Catherine told me that Mommy didn't know about Nana. I couldn't let the evil- faerie Nana take me. I wanted my Mommy back.

The sun was going down below Nana's tree. My white backpack was covered in a thin layer of dust. Inside was a flashlight. Catherine had told me to get it. She said that we had to stop Nana. Catherine was so smart. Catherine then came in with my faerie pills.

I reached my hand out, "You found them!"

"Not for you," Catherine swatted my hand away.

"Why do we need them then?"

"For Nana..."

Catherine was smart.

The Next Morning...

There was a mean banging in the morning. Catherine was standing next to me. She didn't like to sleep. She just stood there. Then there was more banging. A crash, and then a loud beating in the ground. A scream. Whispers I couldn't make out. More beating. Up the stairs this time. They stopped before the door.

"Honey," it's Mommy's voice, "remember she's your little girl."

"H-how? We gave her the pills. She was okay. First Dad and now this." Daddy doesn't sound right.

"She must not have been given the pills. Do you think it's Catherine again?" Mommy sounded worried.

"That was the only one that would..." His voice drowned out.

Catherine looked at me. It was an angry look. How could they think that? Catherine saved me from the evil faerie.

The door opened, and Mommy walked in. It was her slow- something's wrong walk.

"Sweetie, is Catherine here?" She had to be joking. Catherine was right behind her.

"Of course silly! She's right behind you!"

"Honey, what happened to your Nana?"

"She had an evil fairie pretending to be her. That's why she stopped giving me the pills." Horror showed in Mama's face. "Don't worry Mama; Catherine found them. Yesterday we put them in Nana's juice. Catherine said it would cure Nana. Then Nana will like me."

Daddy had walked in while I was talking to Mama. He was angry, and had tears on his face. " Just like Papa, only not as violent."

"What's v-vilient?"

Mommy asked me where Catherine was again. "Catherine sitting on the bed Mommy. She's angry. Can't you see her?"

"Sweetie... Catherine's not real..."