She Sleeps – A short story

On By Lauren Scott, AuthorIn Poetry
Photo by Naga Sumanth L on Pexels.com

An eerie high-pitched note whirls around in young Becky’s mind as she sleeps. The howling is earsplitting, wailing just outside her window, imitating a music score in a horror film. Not that she would know because she isn’t old enough to watch scary movies, but her six-year-old imagination tells her so. The trees fall into a trance like a spell has been cast upon them. Rocking back and forth, their branches bend in unnatural ways, the tips like long, pointed fingernails scratching on the double-paned window. The howling grates on her brain like a fork scraping a plate. Raindrops pound with anger. Becky tosses and turns. She fights to stay asleep. Subconsciously, she remembers Beauty and the Beast on the wall above her headboard, the best musical ever, and how she adores Belle. She’s carried to a happy place, slowing falling back into a deep slumber, but only temporarily…

The scratching escalates, faster and wilder! The wailing blares louder than fire sirens! With eyes scrunched closed, Becky covers her ears with both hands, hoping to mute the terror. She no longer tosses and turns because her body is paralyzed by fear. She can’t even move an inch, but she has to get out of bed! It’s coming for her! It will shatter her window and climb inside! Her legs may as well be blocks of cement, but with all her might, she swings her left leg over the side of her twin-sized bed, then her right leg. She is sitting up now but has to run! No time to waste! No time for shoes! Her bare feet must carry her down the hallway to save her parents! Suddenly, Becky hears glass shatter, shards scatter on her bubblegum pink comforter! She flies off her mattress, her legs sprinting out of the room!

For a second, Becky closes her eyes while her legs move at marathon speed, the hallway never seemed so long. And just when she reaches her parent’s doorway, arms bind around her tightly in boa fashion, squeezing the air from her lungs.

“Let me go! Let me go!” She screams loud enough to shake the roof! Her arms and legs fling sporadically, fighting off the huge monster with pointy fingernails!

“Becky, it’s Mom, wake up!” Linda gently shakes her daughter, sitting on the edge of her bed. Belle and the Beast watch from the lilac wall.

“Mom! It’s coming for us! We have to get Dad! We have to leave, now!”

“Oh, sweetheart, you had a nightmare. It’s storming outside, but the three of us are safe in the house. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Oh, Mom, I was so scared! I hate the wind!” Becky manages through erratic sobs, hugging her mother, never wanting to let go.

“I don’t like it either,” Linda hugs her daughter back, loving the feel of her little girl safe in her arms. “But just close your eyes and know that Dad and I will protect you.”

And just like that, consoled by her mom, Becky lets go and rolls over onto her right side – exhaustion from the excitement finally kicking in. Her eyelids slowly close. Linda sits for a few minutes, watching her beautiful daughter fall into a peaceful sleep. Her blonde hair cascading across the fluffy pillow. Then Linda gently kisses her daughter on the forehead and quietly steps out of the room, but the earsplitting howling perpetuates. The storm isn’t due to pass for another ten hours.

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
I hope you enjoyed this revised story from a few years ago. ❤️

Click on my daughter’s image to order your copy! 🧡

Lauren Scott
Author – King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry
Author – Cora’s Quest (a children’s book)
Author – Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poetry
Author – More than Coffee: Memories of Verse and Prose
Author – Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poetry
Author – New Day, New Dreams: A Collection of Poetry
Co-Author – Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
Co-Author – Petals of Haiku: An Anthology
Co-Author – This Is How We Grow
Co-Author – Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
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80 thoughts on “She Sleeps – A short story”

      1. I think most children have nightmares. Believe it or not, it was Goldilocks and the Three Bears that did it. I had recurring dreams of a bear chasing me (and we did not have bears on the prairies).

      2. I think you’re right, although I don’t recall my kids having nightmares, but that was a long time ago. Some memories fade. The wind bothered our daughter, but I can’t think of anything that our son was afraid of. My fear of spiders kept me awake. 🙂

  2. That’s the first thing I thought of too. Like Darlene, I had a lot of nightmares. For a while I was almost a permanent fixture at my parents’ bedside in the middle of the night.

    Good story.

    Reply

    1. I’m sure many can relate to the emotions that storms often generate, Maggie. Thanks so much for your wonderful words. Fiction isn’t my go-to, but I like to dabble in it now and then. I appreciate your feedback, my friend. Hugs and lots of love! xoxoxoxoxoxo

      Reply

      2. Haha, thanks a bunch, Maggie! Hope you’re having a good day. Speaking of storms, one arrived last night and the wind woke us up in the wee hours of the morning. I can’t imagine hurricane winds because these are powerful enough, about 50-60 miles an hour. They’ll calm by later this afternoon. Anyway, lots of love, my friend! xoxoxoxoxoxo

  6. A well written story. That was what I thought, Lauren! Mother is always a comfort. My grandkids assessed the scary levels of things they watched. Nora (5) covers her eyes or walks away for the scary parts. We try to monitor their screen time. They haven’t had nightmares so far. 😍

    Reply

    1. Thanks very much, Miriam. This story was inspired by our daughter’s dislike of the wind when she was young. She and our son didn’t have nightmares, but her dislike was a good premise for a story. It was fun to expand. I’m glad your grandkids haven’t had nightmares so far. ❤️

      Reply

  7. “And just like that, consoled by her mom, Becky lets go and rolls over onto her right side – exhaustion from the excitement finally kicking in.” I have to admit. I kind of wish I could roll over onto my side, be consoled once again by mom, and forget about the scary noisy thing outside. Oh to be a kid again. Love it.

    Reply

  9. Things that dreams/nightmares are made of. One is that inability to move that you captured so well. I remember the limbs scraping across my window and aluminum roof as a child. And the graveyard that was just across the alley. Nightmares can still freeze my legs…

    Reply

      1. Certainly true of our waking nightmares, Lauren. In my sleeping dreams, I often have wolves or bears that want to eat me. Grin. The scariest by far is just a presence, a ghost, if you will. Fortunately, most of my dreams are fun, or just plain wild. I was teleporting the other night!

  13. I have nightmares like Becky, too, and Mama wakes me up by shouting a little bit.🤭 This story is vivified with thrilling scenes that make it absorbing. I like the sweet climax.

    Reply

  15. You’ve captured the wild imagination of childhood so perfectly… how dreams and reality blur in those late-night storms, and how a mother’s embrace becomes the safest place in the world. Absolutely gripping and heartwarming at once.👏🏻🙏🏻

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for your insightful comment! I really appreciate it because I don’t often write fiction, mainly poetry. So thank you again, and I’m glad you enjoyed the gripping and the heartwarming elements of this story.

      Reply

  23. This took me back to my childhood and how frightening storms could be. Thank goodness Becky has loving and protective parents. I can remember my mom soothing me in the middle of the night. A beautiful memory.

    Reply

  26. Lauren, this story is touching and scary all at once.

    Mom, comforting her daughter, everything will be all right, Becky finally falling asleep. Beautiful, tender, comforting.

    Then, in the back of mom’s mind…10 more hours of wind. Now that’s scary!

    Thank you for the story, Lauren! Well written!

    🌟🌹🤗xoxo

    Reply

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