The Monster Under the Bed

Here, we have about an hour. Then we're dead.

The monster was the second most scariest thing Sarah had ever seen.

The first one was her mother.

The creature wasn't large. His body was built like a cat's, with a large skull and long, graceful limbs. His tail was longer than a cat's, however, and his fur was blue and gray, like the Cheshire Cat's in Alice in Wonderland. Instead of paws, he had hands and feet, but with long talons on them, and he hadn't any ears. His eyes were the really scary part about him, though. They were huge and orb-like, glowing silver as the moon, with no pupils or whites. His teeth weren't bared, but Sarah caught a glimpse of canines as long as her finger.

The monster she had so feared her whole life didn't seem to affect her at that particular moment, however. Perhaps because it was biologically impossible to feel any more terror than Sarah was already feeling after encountering her 'mother'.

Do I not frighten you anymore, sister?

The monster's lips did not move, but Sarah could hear his voice as clearly as ever. She didn't answer. She just gazed up at the creature that kept calling her his sister.

Do not worry, Sarah. She can't hurt us here, where we're together.

Sarah felt as if she could hear what she was being told, but her brain wouldn't register it. She could hear the growls from above, and she could see feet striding all around her room, but she had stopped comprehending what was going on. She just didn't understand anymore.

And then the pair of feet halted right in front of the bed. Sarah held her breath as a pair of knees hit the ground, and then two hands appeared. She whimpered as the arms bent slowly, and the face of a savage demon appeared, wearing her mother's features. The eyes looked as if fire were burning behind them, and the moonlight glinted on the blood-crusted fangs in the being's mouth. The lips twisted into a horrible, maniacal grin.

'Daughter,' Angeline rasped. 'Come out, come out! Didn't you say you were scared? So scared. Come out and give me a hug!'

Sarah felt as if all the oxygen had been squeezed from her lungs. She was dizzy. What was going on? Why was everything blurry? She didn't even try to hold on to consciousness, letting her eyes fall shut, mercifully shielding the sight of the horrendous creature, and falling limply into the other monster's lap.

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Sarah woke with a start. Memories of the previous night flooded her brain, and a wave of nausea swept over her. She clutched her aching head and lay back down in the thick layer of dust coating the parquet under her bed. She looked around and noticed the monster watching her from the corner.

Did you sleep well, Sarah?

'What is going on?,' Sarah asked. 'Who are you, what happened last night, why do you keep calling me 'sister', where did mother go?'

There are many things you do not understand, I know. I will do my best to explain, but you must be patient. And  you must keep quiet. She is not gone.

Sarah shivered. The way he said 'she' made her get goosebumps. Who exactly was 'she'?

Let me explain this later, Sarah. We have all the time in the world, but not if we stay here. Here, we have about an hour. Then we're dead.

'Why? What is happening?'

I will tell you later. Now we must leave.

'Then at least tell me your name.,' Sarah refused to be ignored like that. She wanted to know what was happening, and immediately.

My name is Chisanu.

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Ten minutes later Sarah and the monster were crouching at the top of the staircase, holding their breath, waiting for some sort of sign.

'I don't see the point,' Sarah whispered as quietly as she could. 'She's always at work at this time of day. It's already lunchtime. We could easily get out of the house now.'

She has completed her transformation. Let us hope she did not go to work in her new form. That would not be fortunate for anybody.

Sarah gulped and kept quiet.

They crouched there for another few minutes, listening intently, but the only thing they could hear was the monotone ticking of the clock in the living room below, and a few cars passing under the window outside the house.

Finally, Chisanu nodded, and started creeping down the stairs with the grace and silence of a deadly predator. Sarah crawled after him on her hands and knees, holding her breath so to be absolutely quiet. Halfway down, however, she started feeling dizzy. She crawled on, refusing to take a breath, in case it would be too loud. She could make it now...just a few more steps...three...two...

Sarah's hand caught in the other, and she tumbled, headfirst, down the stairs. She rolled past Chisanu, and crashed into a chair at the dining table, knocking it over. It smashed into pieces on the kitchen floor, an explosion in the utter silence.

Sarah herself was fine, if a little battered, though she knew she would soon have bigger problems if they didn't leave immediately.

But immediately wasn't fast enough.

Just as Chisanu helped Sarah to her feet and they ran towards the door, Angeline jumped in their path.

The blood from the previous night on her clothes and skin had dried, pealing off in little brown flakes. Some fresh blood dripped from her hands and chin onto the stainless white carpet, painting it scarlet. Sarah felt faint again, but this time she fought to stay present. She glanced at Chisanu for help. Standing up, he was just as tall as she was. Now he stared straight ahead, still as a statue. Just as Sarah started feeling desperate, the little monster spoke, and of coarse Sarah was the only one who could hear.

I will distract her. You run outside and hide close to the house. Wait for me there.

Sarah didn't argue. She ran as fast as she could at the first chance she got, tearing open the front door and doing her best to disappear.