The Visit of the Shadows

The BlogFest 2012 host for today is Leigh of Views of an Optimist.  I chose to write a fictional tale for this prompt.  I hope you enjoy it.

   Annie snuggled into her bed happily and held her favorite stuffed bunny close for comfort and she focused on the pictures from the book her mother was reading.   “Just one more story, please?” she begged.
   “It is long past your bedtime.  It is time to sleep.” her mother said as she bent to kiss her cheek.  “Nightie night and don’t let the bed bugs bite!!  Sweet dreams!”  She slowly made her way to the door and quietly turned out the light.

 

        That is the moment Annie dreaded most.  That is when the shadows came.  Even though her nightlight left a festive glow, its light didn’t shine near bright enough to scare the shadows away.  She gripped her blanket up around her nose and screwed her eyes up as tightly as possible.  She didn’t dare peek, or she knew they would be there.  She couldn’t help herself.  She always peeked anyways.  A beam of moonlight shone into her room. Outside the window the breeze rustled the branches of the ole cherry tree.  She knew it was only the cherry tree.  She wasn’t a baby after all, but when the lights went out and the moon shone just so and the shadows came, she was terrified.

      One night she had fallen off to sleep only to be awakened by a sound.  Her eyes flew open in the darkness struggling to adjust and search for the source.  It was then she saw it.  At the end of her bed a shadowy presence stood watching her.  She held her breath.  Before her eyes a woman materialized and smiled.  She sat on the end of the bed watching her.  Annie was too afraid to move.   While the shadow seemed friendly, it still scared her.  The woman smiled and told her not to be afraid.  Easy for her to say!! She was petrified and she had to pee.  One false move by the shadow person and she was going to pee the bed and then she would be in trouble.  The shadow lady seemed to sense her discomfort, because as quickly as she had appeared she vanished.

     Annie scrambled from her bed and made a beeline for the light switch.  The light illuminated the room revealing she was quite alone.  Annie’s breathing slowed and she quietly went to the bathroom and returned to her room.  Sure the shadow would come again once the light was off; she switched the light and raced for her bed making a flying leap under the protection of her covers.  The moonbeams danced across the floor and the shadows kept time on the wall.

       Several days later Annie’s mother was looking at photo albums when Annie saw a picture of the shadow lady in the book.  “Mommy, that lady was in my room last night!!”  Startled her mother looked at her.
        “Annie, that is impossible!! This lady couldn’t have possibly been in your room. Were you having a dream?”
          “No, she was there.  She is the shadow lady!!  She comes every night as soon as you turn out the light.  She dances with the shadows on the wall.”
         Her mother seemed shaken.  “Annie, this lady is your Grandma.  She died many years ago before you were born!”

     The startling bit of information that the shadow was her Grandma’s ghost took everything scary out of the shadows that invaded Annie’s room after lights out.  She had always wanted a Grandma.  If only she hadn’t died!!  Annie only wanted to be like the other kids who shared happy stories about their cherished Grandmas.

     That night another story was told, another kiss on the cheek, and more wishes about not letting bed bugs bite.  Annie couldn’t wait for the lights to go out.  She no longer hid under the blankets with fear.  She waited in anticipation eager to welcome her grandma properly.  Unfortunately the shadow lady didn’t return.  Although Annie never saw her again, she felt her presence and no longer was afraid of the shadows.  Instead of fearing them, she chose to embrace them.