Friday, October 9, 2009

A Bump in the Night

Sarah gasped and sat straight up in bed. Like many of her dreams, she could not retain this one. She only knew that it had been a nightmare, that goosebumps littered her arms, that she didn't want to move, and that she really had to pee.

She remained motionless for several moments, debating the necessity of going to the restroom as opposed to causing bladder damage, and then thought to herself, This is ridiculous. You're not five - get out of bed and go to the bathroom. A light breeze fluttered through the window she didn't remember having opened, and Sarah shivered. And grab a robe so you don't freeze on the way.

Lowering her hand to the floor beside the bed, Sarah's fingers grasped the warm fleece of her blue bathrobe. Before she had time to pull the robe up, however, a charred hand abruptly reached out from beneath her bed and gripped her arm, searing her flesh...

Sarah gasped and sat straight up in bed. Like many of her dreams, she could not retain this one. The image of a blue bathrobe she didn't own was prominent in her mind, goosebumps littered her arms, she didn't want to move, and she had to pee. Badly.

She remained motionless for several moments, debating the necessity of going to the restroom as opposed to causing bladder damage, and then said, "What, do you think the Bogeyman's going to grab you or something if you step off of the bed?" Her voice was loud and harsh in the dark silence of the house.

Swinging her legs off of the bed, Sarah was walking towards the door when the trunk she had forgotten about moving to the foot of her bed attacked her shin. "Ow!" she cried, and then bit her lip. She didn't want to wake her family. So she suffered in silence as she hobbled through her bedroom door, down the hallway, and into the bathroom.

The next morning, as she sat at the table eating toast, her mother came into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. "What," she asked, pointing at Sarah's right leg, "is that?"

On Sarah's shin, a large, raised purple and blue bruise was prominent and painful to touch. "That," Sarah replied, "is my bump in the night."

Her mother didn't seem to think her pun funny.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loved the nightmare within a nightmare - I have had those! Nice twist at the end too.

linda may said...

Ouchy! Poor Sarah.

Shelly Quade said...

Hello, cricket51 & linda may. Thank you for commenting! :)

Michelle said...

I am always bumping into things in the dark! Well done.

Heliotropism said...

Oh, those are the worst! When you just want to cry out and pain, but you can't because you don't want to wake everyone up.

Patois42 said...

Mothers! They can't appreciate good humor when they come upon it.

Shelly Quade said...

Hello, michellekwallace, Heliotropism, & Patois! Thank you for commenting. I am so glad that you took the time to read my little piece.

Old Egg said...

Why is it our imagination is so good at night. I really must put pencil and notebook by my side, in the hope of capturing these moments. Thank you Sarah for a fine read.

Dee Martin said...

Just great - now I am going to wake up in the night, have to pee, and lay there scared a charred hand will grab my foot. I hope you are happy :)

Great storyand loved the ending.

Shelly Quade said...

Hello, oldegg & Dee Martin. I'm glad you guys liked the story! Thanks for commenting. :)

P.S. - Yes, Dee, I am happy. ;)

S said...

Ah, a very interesting write and done differently. Needing to pee- how true life is and that pun... Here from S. Scribblings.

Your comment box won't take my typepad url so here is the link:
http://soulcrayons.typepad.com/soulcrayons/2009/10/bump-and-grind.html

Shelly Quade said...

Hello, S. Thank you for reading & commenting. I'm glad you liked it.