Things That Keep Us Awake

Bunk Beds

Ever since I was old enough I have shared a bunk bed with my older sister. Since she has always been bigger than me she's always taken the bottom bunk, which leaves me with the top.I liked the idea of being on top because I knew who or what was beneath my bed.In the middle of some nights I would wake up due to bad dreams, she would always hold my hand after I reached for hers.

This one night I dreamt that something had killed my sister in her sleep and was waiting for me to reach for her hand to grab me.I was so frightened that I jolted from my sleep. "Sister?", I asked, "Are you awake?" No reply.I slowly lowered my hand to the side of the bed waiting for her to take my hand. Something did grab my hand, but it wasn't my sister.I shook violently, but the thing had other plans. It gripped me tightly and threw me to the ground from my top bunk.

I crashed to the floor with a thud. The thing pounced on top of me, holding me down.It pressed it's long claws against my throat, holding down just enough so that blood came out. While it was just toying with me I took in its appearance. Piercing yellow eyes, a bony body, long claws and razor-sharp teeth.It was horrifying. I tried to fight back, I kicked, tried to claw at it, but to no avail. The creature was far too strong. I quickly looked around my room in search of a way to defend myself.

My eyes landed on the scissors sitting in the cup on my dresser.I needed to make a distraction.I screamed for my parents as loud as I could, which made the thing angry. It took its claws and cut across my chest in one swift motion. More screams escaped my mouth. I used all of my strength to knock the thing off of me. I ran and grabbed the scissors just in time too. As I turned around the creature plunged right into the scissors. I could hear the yelling and running of my parents getting closer. The thing let out an ear piercing scream before it jumped out of my window, running off into the night.

My parents busted into my room and nothing was ever the same after that. They saw my dead sister, a blood covered me standing with scissors and a busted window. Of course, they blamed me for murdering my sister. They claimed I was crazy after hearing my story and had me sent away.Every night through my window I see those piercing yellow eyes watching me.