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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1943020-Tiny-Demons
Rated: E · Short Story · Family · #1943020
A young girl is terrified by the beating of tiny drums beneath her bed.
Ellie's footsie pjs made a dull scraping sound as she shuffled into bed. They were still a bit too big, so the bumpy rubber bottoms were always grazing the floor. She sat on the edge of her tall bed, trying not to think about what would happen when her father turned the lights out and left her alone in her bedroom.

------

Before he went into his daughter's room, Derek paused a moment to prepare himself. Her nightmares had been growing steadily worse, and she was becoming legitimately afraid of going to bed. Pushing to door open slowly, he turned the corner into her brightly-colored room, dodging toys and stuffed animals on his way to the bed where she sat, already looking anxious. "All ready for a good night's sleep?" He asked  softly; the only response was a nervous look and a tiny whimper.

Derek picked her up gently and laid her in bed, slowly pulling the covers up to her chin. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then turned to make for the door.

"But Dad," Ellie began, a little too loud and a little too fast, "what about the-"

"Ellie, honey, we've talked about this. There's nothing to be afraid of. I promise. Now, get some sleep." She only whimpered again as be flipped the light switch, leaving the room dully lit by the nightlight in the corner, and slipped out the door.

-------

When her eyes had adjusted to the dim light, Ellie sat up and looked around carefully, afraid she might see something that wasn't supposed to be there. The toys scattered around the floor cast weird shadows, and she felt watched. Finally satisfied that there was nothing out of place in the room, Ellie laid back on her pillow and rolled on her side, hoping she would be left to sleep in peace tonight.

But, as she may quiet, her eyes closed, she slowly began to hear the small, terrible sound she feared so much - the small, repetitive beating of a tiny drum. And she knew she wasn't alone.

Her eyes flew open, her breath quickened, and she felt her skin prickle with goosebumps. The beating continued, somewhere under her bed. Ellie concentrated on slowing her breathing so she could hear it better. The pace was steady, pulsing, and terrible. She wanted so badly to jump out of bed and run to her father, to be held and feel safe and get far away from the tiny drum below her bed, but that would mean putting her feet over the edge of the bed, and that would mean they could get her.

They were under there somewhere, though no one who looked could ever find them. Beating their war drums and plotting to attack her in the night. Vicious. Swarming. Tiny.

Below Ellie's bed, the tiny demons were drumming away.

-------

Groggily rubbing his eyes, Derek pulled on his pajama pants and pulled back the covers on his own bed, eager to slip between the cool sheets and drift off for a few hours before the early shift. He climbed in, stretched into a comfortable position, and rolled on his side, already nearly asleep. With his ear pressed to his pillow, the rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat echoed in his head, lulling him gently into a deep slumber.

He was woken a few minutes later by a harsh cry from the next room. "Daddy! The tiny demons are coming! DADDY! HELP!"
© Copyright 2013 J. B. Anthony (j.b.anthony at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1943020-Tiny-Demons