Dear Evan Hansen one-shots!

Chilltober 29: Trees

Mallory couldn't sleep. 

Her room was too cold and then too hot and then her stuffed animals needed to be rearranged and then she looked at the window.

It looked like there was a hand with claws at her window. Mallory gasped and hid under the blankets. 

There was a monster at her window.

What was she supposed to do? If she left her bed, it might catch her. Mallory took a deep breath and poked her head out, looking over at the window.

The hand was still there. It hit and scratched at her window and Mallory gasped before grabbing her purple bunny and diving back under her blankets. 

Mallory looked at her bunny and her eyes widened.

Was there a monster in Tia's window too?

If there was, Tia would be an easier target because she couldn't do anything. Mallory came out from under her blankets and ran to her bedroom door before running into the hall. She saw a dull light downstairs and heard her mother laughing quietly. 

The monster hadn't found her parents yet.

She snuck into Tia's nursery and saw her sister sleeping soundly in her crib. She sat down and looked through the bars at her baby sister. 

Something hit Tia's window and Mallory gasped.

The monster.

It was going to get Tia. 

Mallory dropped her bunny and stood up. Her and Tia would be safe in Mommy and Daddy's room. She climbed into Tia's crib, knocking one of the posts against the wall. She was silent for a minute before leaning over and scooping Tia up. Tia let out a wail and Mallory's eyes widened.

She heard footsteps and and crouched in Tia's crib, holding her baby sister tight to her body when the nursery door opened. 

"Mallory Cecelia Hansen, what are you doing in your sister's crib?" 

Mallory looked up and saw her father standing in the doorway.

"Daddy there are monsters!" Mallory cried. Her mother appeared behind her father and Mallory looked at them. Her father walked over and took Tia and her mother picked her up and looked at her.

"Did you say there was a monster?" Her mother asked. Mallory nodded and her mother smiled softly.

"Where?" She asked.

"Mine and Tia's windows!" Mallory panicked. 

"Well, let's let Daddy fight the monster in here, let's go take a peek at your monster." Her mother wandered into her room and Mallory got down, and ran to her window.

"He's out here Mommy!" Mallory cried.

The curtains were pushed back and her mother looked out the window.

"Baby girl, it's just the trees." 

Mallory looked at where her mother pointed and sighed.

"It's just the trees." Mallory repeated, looking relieved.

"Just the trees. Now come on sweetheart, you've got school in the morning. Into bed you go."

A few minutes passed and Mallory was getting tucked back into bed.

"Goodnight Mal."

"Goodnight Mommy." Mallory called back. The lights were turned out and the door was shut and Mallory sighed. It was just the trees.