A God
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"There was a monster, there was a monster! Daddy! Daddy! A monster!"
For a moment I had been sure I wouldn't have been able to scream but then I could and immediately I heard my daddy's footsteps running down the hall. I was six which I thought was grown up but daddy still called me his little girl.
He found me crying beside the door, pointing into the darkest corner of my room where I'd seen the monster standing. I sobbed into his arms as he picked me up and tucked me back into bed, turning on my nightlight so I could see for myself that there was no monster there.
"See? Your perfectly safe baby girl," he ruffled my hair and wiped my last tear away. "Good night, Tessie, I love you."
"The bugs, daddy! Don't forget the bugs!"
"Oh, of course. Good night, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite!"
I giggled, daddy turning his fingers into tiny little mouths that gently pinched and bit my arms as I wriggled deeper under the covers until only my eyes peeped out. My dad stroked my hair, his hands so big compared to my tiny little ones that were hidden away. He kissed my forehead one last time before getting off my bed and turning off my nightlight. In the doorway he blew me one last kiss and shut the door behind him.
I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, unable to sleep. Every dark corner held a monster, even though daddy had said there was nothing there. Eventually I opened my eyes and looked back to the corner that daddy said was safe. I froze, seeing the shine of eyes looking back at me.
"Hello, Tessie."
When I woke up, my whole body was shaking and I fumbled for the light, grateful for it ridding my bedroom of shadows. That memory had plagued me for the last ten years, but at sixteen I was too old for imaginary friends now, or nightmares.
I rubbed a hand over my face which felt sweaty to me and sighed. I was only six when I'd first met my imaginary friend, but it wasn't until recently I realised he'd been based on a God of mischief. I snorted. How appropriate- he'd always gotten me into trouble.
There was no way I'd worship him. These days, especially these nights after my dreams, I cursed the name Loki.
For a moment I had been sure I wouldn't have been able to scream but then I could and immediately I heard my daddy's footsteps running down the hall. I was six which I thought was grown up but daddy still called me his little girl.
He found me crying beside the door, pointing into the darkest corner of my room where I'd seen the monster standing. I sobbed into his arms as he picked me up and tucked me back into bed, turning on my nightlight so I could see for myself that there was no monster there.
"See? Your perfectly safe baby girl," he ruffled my hair and wiped my last tear away. "Good night, Tessie, I love you."
"The bugs, daddy! Don't forget the bugs!"
"Oh, of course. Good night, sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite!"
I giggled, daddy turning his fingers into tiny little mouths that gently pinched and bit my arms as I wriggled deeper under the covers until only my eyes peeped out. My dad stroked my hair, his hands so big compared to my tiny little ones that were hidden away. He kissed my forehead one last time before getting off my bed and turning off my nightlight. In the doorway he blew me one last kiss and shut the door behind him.
I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, unable to sleep. Every dark corner held a monster, even though daddy had said there was nothing there. Eventually I opened my eyes and looked back to the corner that daddy said was safe. I froze, seeing the shine of eyes looking back at me.
"Hello, Tessie."
When I woke up, my whole body was shaking and I fumbled for the light, grateful for it ridding my bedroom of shadows. That memory had plagued me for the last ten years, but at sixteen I was too old for imaginary friends now, or nightmares.
I rubbed a hand over my face which felt sweaty to me and sighed. I was only six when I'd first met my imaginary friend, but it wasn't until recently I realised he'd been based on a God of mischief. I snorted. How appropriate- he'd always gotten me into trouble.
There was no way I'd worship him. These days, especially these nights after my dreams, I cursed the name Loki.
