𝑨 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑻𝒐 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒐𝒊𝒅 [ 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑 ]

Monster

Mom used to warn me about the monsters living in our home. She used to tell me that I should sleep early at night and lock my room for safety - in that way, the monsters that would creep out at midnight would not be able to go inside.

At 6 years old, I learned how to sleep alone, lock my own windows and door. I had to, because mom's doing those to their own room too. Dad was at work, he could not protect us, so for ourselves, we had to. When the clock struck its hand at 8 in the evening, I would lock everything and would let the walkman in my room play my favorite lullaby.

- lavenders blue dilly, dilly, lavenders blue 🎶

Listening to that song would calm the fear in me and would eventually send me to sleep. But one peaceful night, I forgot to play it on. I woke up with the loud throbbings of the wall, the sound of broken glasses and a woman crying. The hair on my body rose up and I started crying, calling mom that I needed her saving, but she didn't come. So I gradually went out of my room, walking silently to theirs. As soon as I went nearer, the noises became louder. The monsters could be in my parents' room. The scaredy me ran as fast as I could to their room and when I opened it - I saw the aftermath.

Mom was on the floor, with her lips bleeding and cheeks red as the tomato. Shards of vase and glasses furniture were scattered and she was crying. I ran at her and hugged her, trying to protect her.

"Mom, where's the monsters? We need to go out before they could get a hold of us."

But in just a snap, the monster came out. He was holding a belt and a kali stick. He was not a monster. I shook my head, trying to view the monster correctly, but he wasn't really a monster. He was my father.