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Lanky
Lanky is under your bed
It has a bloody head
If you get up in the night
And try to take flight
You'll surely end up dead
Kali White tried not to cry or scream. She'd been in trouble for those things before and really really tried not to repeat her mistakes. The chorus rang in her ears even after waking up in a pool of sweat. Lanky is under your bed. There was no Lanky, she told herself weakly. No Lanky, no other monsters whose stories had been repeated to her since she was young. Now ten years old, she had to put away those lies from her childhood. She was almost a grownup now. Ten years old meant almost fifteen which meant almost eighteen.
But she knew she was only ten and she had to pee so bad it felt like a dam was about to burst. She couldn't do that in her room. The last time she had peed the bed was two years ago. A nightmare had taken her, infiltrating her mind and she had awoken to a wet bedsheet and a rancid smell. That did not end well for her.
Her stepfather, Carl, had swung the door open later that morning to wake her up for school. She pretended to sleep, feeling dirty and stained laying in her own bodily fluid. It didn't work.
"Kali, wake the fuck up", Carl had bellowed, his voice still groggy from the early morning and the alcohol from the night before. He sniffed the air like an animal zooming in on its prey. "Is that PISS I smell, girl? Eight years old and still pissing the bed?" He shoved the door forcefully, allowing it to bang against the wall. "Don't pretend like you're sleeping. You think we're made outta money? You think we can afford to wash your pissy bedding and clothes every fucking day?"
As he stepped further into her room, Kali started crying. Not out loud, oh no, but tears had ran down her cheeks and gave away the fact that she wasn't sleeping. She cursed her body for its weakness. Carl smiled and unbuckled the belt on his pants. "We need to learn a lesson little girl." He had closed the door and that's really all she remembered. At least, that's all she allowed herself to remember. She could sense the pain of the belt as it turned smooth flesh into ravines, welts, and bruises. But she couldn't…no…. wouldn't…remember the details.
The pain in her bladder was cresting to the point where she couldn't think of anything else. If she didn't relieve herself right now she would burst and suffer the belt, or worse, again. She didn't have much flesh left that was unscathed from the wrath of Carl. Her mother would turn up the stereo and pretend not to notice as he lashed at her, tattooing her body and soul with every painful blow. No, she had to get up.
Still, she hesitated. Because Lanky is under your bed. She gasped at the thought but gasped again at the thought of Carl. Two evils, none necessary or lesser. Punishment was certain. Kali slowly drew back her blanket and sat up. The bathroom was just on the other side of her bedroom door. Five steps, she thought. Just five steps to the door. Two more to the bathroom. Good plan. Except it wasn't.
She hesitated but another bladder shattering wave caused her to wince in pain. She slid a leg out from underneath the blanket and slowly moved it to the side of her bed. There is no...
It has a bloody head
If you get up in the night
And try to take flight
You'll surely end up dead
Kali White tried not to cry or scream. She'd been in trouble for those things before and really really tried not to repeat her mistakes. The chorus rang in her ears even after waking up in a pool of sweat. Lanky is under your bed. There was no Lanky, she told herself weakly. No Lanky, no other monsters whose stories had been repeated to her since she was young. Now ten years old, she had to put away those lies from her childhood. She was almost a grownup now. Ten years old meant almost fifteen which meant almost eighteen.
But she knew she was only ten and she had to pee so bad it felt like a dam was about to burst. She couldn't do that in her room. The last time she had peed the bed was two years ago. A nightmare had taken her, infiltrating her mind and she had awoken to a wet bedsheet and a rancid smell. That did not end well for her.
Her stepfather, Carl, had swung the door open later that morning to wake her up for school. She pretended to sleep, feeling dirty and stained laying in her own bodily fluid. It didn't work.
"Kali, wake the fuck up", Carl had bellowed, his voice still groggy from the early morning and the alcohol from the night before. He sniffed the air like an animal zooming in on its prey. "Is that PISS I smell, girl? Eight years old and still pissing the bed?" He shoved the door forcefully, allowing it to bang against the wall. "Don't pretend like you're sleeping. You think we're made outta money? You think we can afford to wash your pissy bedding and clothes every fucking day?"
As he stepped further into her room, Kali started crying. Not out loud, oh no, but tears had ran down her cheeks and gave away the fact that she wasn't sleeping. She cursed her body for its weakness. Carl smiled and unbuckled the belt on his pants. "We need to learn a lesson little girl." He had closed the door and that's really all she remembered. At least, that's all she allowed herself to remember. She could sense the pain of the belt as it turned smooth flesh into ravines, welts, and bruises. But she couldn't…no…. wouldn't…remember the details.
The pain in her bladder was cresting to the point where she couldn't think of anything else. If she didn't relieve herself right now she would burst and suffer the belt, or worse, again. She didn't have much flesh left that was unscathed from the wrath of Carl. Her mother would turn up the stereo and pretend not to notice as he lashed at her, tattooing her body and soul with every painful blow. No, she had to get up.
Still, she hesitated. Because Lanky is under your bed. She gasped at the thought but gasped again at the thought of Carl. Two evils, none necessary or lesser. Punishment was certain. Kali slowly drew back her blanket and sat up. The bathroom was just on the other side of her bedroom door. Five steps, she thought. Just five steps to the door. Two more to the bathroom. Good plan. Except it wasn't.
She hesitated but another bladder shattering wave caused her to wince in pain. She slid a leg out from underneath the blanket and slowly moved it to the side of her bed. There is no...
