Monster In Me

Charlie - Imagination

"Daddy?" I hear my young daughter cry out from her bedroom, the one adjacent to mine and my husband's. I grunt as I lift myself out of the bed, careful not to wake Markus. As I sit up on my side of the mattress, I hear Mark shift onto his side, facing opposite of the door. Stepping out of my room, I hear the cry again, only louder this time.

"Daddy?!" She whimpers, and I peek into her doorway. She's holding the blankets up to her face, covering everything but her bright, green eyes. They shone in the light that her night lamp was casting, and I can see slight tears forming in the corners. Seeing the shining drops, I frown and step into the little room.

"What's the matter, darling?" I sit on the edge of her bed now, and I put my hand to her cheek, wiping away the now falling tears.

"My sweet, what has got you so upset?" I try to sooth her, making my voice soft and gentle.

"I heard something daddy, something coming from under my bed. I think we have monsters."

I hold back a slight smile, remembering back to when I was her age, having an irrational fear of the dark and its made-up inhabitants; a five-year-old's imagination running wild with the night.

"My dear, there are no such things as monsters," I try to sound reassuring, a firmness now seeping into my words.

"They are just a figment of your imagination."

She sniffs, and the tears stop descending down her soft, pink cheeks. I grin.

"See now, it's all alright Violet. No monsters." Violet nods her little head, bringing the blankets back down to her chest, revealing her precious, beige face. Her golden blonde hair caresses her cheek, and she brushes it away with her tiny hand.

"Daddy?" She asks, her green eyes now on me.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you check under the bed? Just in case?" Her voice is now a whisper, and her eyes flick to the other edge of the bed.

"Of course, honey." I get down onto my knees and lift the sheet concealing underneath of the bed. Naturally, I find nothing there, excepting some forgotten toys and books. I drop the sheets back down, and lift my head back up to the side of the bed.

"No monsters," I say, standing up to my full height. "Nothing to be afraid of."

Violet sighs in relief, blinking her tears dry. A small grin plays on her light lips, and she rubs her purple blanket against her face as she settles back into sleep mode. I kiss her forehead, and switch off the night light as I step back into the dark hallway.

Walking into my own darkened room, I hear Mark groan and move again. He opens his eyes and looks up at me as I am settling into bed once again.

"What was wrong?" He asks, rolling over to look me in the eyes.

"Another monster under the bed," I tell him, and he lets air out of his nose; a tired laugh, but a laugh all the same.

"I'm sorry I woke you," I apologize quietly, and it takes a moment for him to reply.

"That's fine, now let's get to sleep before you have to go to work in the morning."

I roll over in the covers, and I let his arm wrap around me as I slowly close my weary eyes.