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The dark
Like many young children I was afraid of the dark, believing that monsters lurked in the shadows.
Every night my parents used to check my bedroom. At the end of the search, they would announce: “There's nothing here Charlotte, now go to sleep.” After the door was closed and the light turned off, I laid awake imagining every noise to be a validation of my belief.
At the age of ten, an event occurred which convinced me that monsters did not live only in my imagination, as mum and dad so often told me. That night started like any other. After searching my room and, as usual, finding nothing, my parents kissed me on the cheek and said goodnight.
When the noises started, they sounded like muffled voices. This was strange because our house had no immediate neighbours. So, where were these sounds coming from? I listened and in time, was able to distinguish music too. This carried on for most of the night then, sometime before dawn, it stopped abruptly and I soon drifted off to sleep. The subsequent nights followed the same pattern. I began to look tired. When my parents noticed and asked me about it, I said: “I think that there are monsters in my room.” They looked up from their breakfast, then mum said: “Not this again Charlotte, it’s your overactive imagination. Monsters do not exist honey.” “Have you actually seen one?” asked Dad. “Well.... no, but I’ve heard them,” I answered. “There is nothing to worry about. You just imagined it all. Now quickly eat your breakfast or you will be late for school,” remarked Dad.
The next night and for several nights after, the strange sounds persisted. All I could do was lay awake and listen. I tried again to tell my parents about the strange noises. In an attempt to help me get a good night's rest, they banned me from watching television before bed but this didn't help. One night, I was so fed up with the noises keeping me awake that I took a torch up to bed and began my investigation. As I suspected, I didn't have to go very far, the sounds were coming from under my bed. I crawled...
Every night my parents used to check my bedroom. At the end of the search, they would announce: “There's nothing here Charlotte, now go to sleep.” After the door was closed and the light turned off, I laid awake imagining every noise to be a validation of my belief.
At the age of ten, an event occurred which convinced me that monsters did not live only in my imagination, as mum and dad so often told me. That night started like any other. After searching my room and, as usual, finding nothing, my parents kissed me on the cheek and said goodnight.
When the noises started, they sounded like muffled voices. This was strange because our house had no immediate neighbours. So, where were these sounds coming from? I listened and in time, was able to distinguish music too. This carried on for most of the night then, sometime before dawn, it stopped abruptly and I soon drifted off to sleep. The subsequent nights followed the same pattern. I began to look tired. When my parents noticed and asked me about it, I said: “I think that there are monsters in my room.” They looked up from their breakfast, then mum said: “Not this again Charlotte, it’s your overactive imagination. Monsters do not exist honey.” “Have you actually seen one?” asked Dad. “Well.... no, but I’ve heard them,” I answered. “There is nothing to worry about. You just imagined it all. Now quickly eat your breakfast or you will be late for school,” remarked Dad.
The next night and for several nights after, the strange sounds persisted. All I could do was lay awake and listen. I tried again to tell my parents about the strange noises. In an attempt to help me get a good night's rest, they banned me from watching television before bed but this didn't help. One night, I was so fed up with the noises keeping me awake that I took a torch up to bed and began my investigation. As I suspected, I didn't have to go very far, the sounds were coming from under my bed. I crawled...
