T
Teddy
he sound of creaking from under the bed awoke me. I slipped through my child, Rukhsana’s arms, careful to not disturb her. Another night, another battle. I looked at Rukhsana while sighing, she was in deep slumber. She laid comfortably in a twin bed in her bright pink room. She looked so peaceful as she drooled and snored, oh what I would’ve given to lay in her arms, safe. Alas, I couldn’t dwell on my longings, I had a job to do. I surveyed the room around me for the millionth time ever. She had framed photos and badly drawn pictures up on the walls and various knick-knacks and toys strewn across the floor that created an obstacle course around the room. I took a mental note of which toys looked stable enough for me to be able to take cover under. Just as I grew engrossed in my thoughts I saw it. A ghastly, white, and bony hand clawed its way up one of the bed frame’s legs from the dark void from under Rukhsana’s bed. I rushed to hide behind the open closet door. Slowly, the figure that the hand belonged to emerged. They were hidden under a thick black cloak that only left their hands and forearms exposed. They stood tall, much taller than I, their head grazed the ceiling. They hadn’t spotted me yet, so I was counting on having the element of surprise on my side. They turned to face Rukhsana’s sleeping body and brushed stray hairs out of her face before resting their hand against her forehead. Oh no. I had to act soon, they were beginning to intrude onto her mind with gruesome thoughts and dreams. I recalled every spell my forefathers had taught me and retrieved the small sword I had hidden behind the closet door. I also cast a muffling charm so we wouldn’t wake the child. Gathering my wits, I charged. Weaving through the obstacles scattered around. Once I reached the nightmare, I hacked at their Achilles. They fell from the injury and howled out in pain. Turning to me from the floor they held out their palms while muttering some incantation. My eyes widened
in horror as their porcelain white hands began to glow a dangerous shade of scarlet. Scurrying behind a stack of books, I braced myself for the impact. In my peripheral, I saw red light shoot from their palms and stream towards the books I took cover behind. The books were blasted into every which way and the nightmare hobbled towards my direction. Cornered, I attempted to lunge at them with my sword standing straight out, but my efforts were in vain. They picked me up from my ear and tossed me to the side and threw my sword after me. I laid where they discarded me and made no effort to pull myself up. The side of me that took the brunt of the fall was throbbing. My eyes kept disobeying me and fluttering close. I was so tired. I moaned out to the nightmare to stop but they didn’t even spare me a second glance. Overwhelmed and trying to keep my mind off the pain, I took a deep breath and forced myself up. In a last-ditch effort, I cast one last spell. A gruesome spell that attacks the victim with slashes until they agonizingly bleed out. The nightmare shrieked and blood oozed out of their lacerations. Before their body could hit the floor, they evaporated into thin air. Finally done with that for the night, I grabbed a sewing kit I had stashed under Rukhsana’s cabinet and pulled myself up onto her dresser in front of her mirror. I inspected my wounds; I had a tear up along the top of my left arm and the ear they pulled was barely hanging on. I threaded my needle and threw a few stitches into my arm until the gash was closed and sewed my ear securely to my head. My curly, fuzzy soft hair covered up any visible stitches. It hurt like hell but had to be done. It’s impossible to heal yourself with spells and I wouldn’t be unable to bear Rukhsana’s tears if she had seen me in that condition. Exhausted, I hopped down and into Rukhsana’s bed and snuggled up against her. All I needed was a good night’s sleep. Aisha Hashmi, 10 short story
logan is sooo funny Matilda Carr-Betts, 11 color pencil drawing
39
