"Hello, Mom? Could you turn our light on outside. I'm coming home."
Darkness ran chills down my neck. When returning from Grandma's house, I had to run over a little bridge past my aunts house, around a garage and then I could see our door. Typically, I waited too long and even with Grandma's outside light on, there was this spot of deathly darkness.
I would plunge through that dark spot. My nerves would be raw and my senses desperately searching for anything that might be dangerous. As if emerging from the depths of the ocean I would burst around the corner see the light on at our house and it would be OK - I could breath again.
Our house, dark and creaking, would terrify me at night. Somehow, I would wake up and be all alone - listening.
"Was that a footstep?"
Suddenly, I heard another creak and I abandoned my post. I was on my way to mom and dad's bed.
"Wait. The hallway is too dark."
I would sit there at my door, listening intently to ensure that whatever was out there was not close to the hall; and then, I would rip across that carpet with my little feet and jump between my mom and dad and all fear would melt away.
As a scout, I entered a new world of fearlessness. I was no longer afraid of the dark.
Our first camp had us all on horses, down the coulee and at a bend of the Old Man River. After campfire tales, and the usual raw/burnt tin foil dinner. My friends and I got in my tent to share more stories.
"Do you think the murderer really did get out of the prison yesterday?"
"Yeah, didn't you see the RCMP drive through town today?"
"....oh...."
How did everyone get to sleep so fast? The wind in the trees spoke to me and it wasn't a lullaby. The bugs were so much louder. Then, there was the sound of the breaking branch.
I lay silent. Barely able to inhale. Another branch broke and I heard a footstep close by.
"What was that, can't anyone else hear it? Why is everyone just sleeping? That murder did get out and he's amongst us."
I was ready to scream, but I couldn't. He would hear me and then I would be the first victim.
Suddenly, the scoutmaster was burst out of his tent.
"Aw...come here girl...." the scoutmaster spoke gently.
Calmly the horse came up to him and he lead her back to the temporary coral.
I lay in my cold sweat. I was nearly murdered...by my own fear.
Darkness ran chills down my neck. When returning from Grandma's house, I had to run over a little bridge past my aunts house, around a garage and then I could see our door. Typically, I waited too long and even with Grandma's outside light on, there was this spot of deathly darkness.
I would plunge through that dark spot. My nerves would be raw and my senses desperately searching for anything that might be dangerous. As if emerging from the depths of the ocean I would burst around the corner see the light on at our house and it would be OK - I could breath again.
Our house, dark and creaking, would terrify me at night. Somehow, I would wake up and be all alone - listening.
"Was that a footstep?"
Suddenly, I heard another creak and I abandoned my post. I was on my way to mom and dad's bed.
"Wait. The hallway is too dark."
I would sit there at my door, listening intently to ensure that whatever was out there was not close to the hall; and then, I would rip across that carpet with my little feet and jump between my mom and dad and all fear would melt away.
As a scout, I entered a new world of fearlessness. I was no longer afraid of the dark.
Our first camp had us all on horses, down the coulee and at a bend of the Old Man River. After campfire tales, and the usual raw/burnt tin foil dinner. My friends and I got in my tent to share more stories.
"Do you think the murderer really did get out of the prison yesterday?""Yeah, didn't you see the RCMP drive through town today?"
"....oh...."
How did everyone get to sleep so fast? The wind in the trees spoke to me and it wasn't a lullaby. The bugs were so much louder. Then, there was the sound of the breaking branch.
I lay silent. Barely able to inhale. Another branch broke and I heard a footstep close by.
"What was that, can't anyone else hear it? Why is everyone just sleeping? That murder did get out and he's amongst us."
I was ready to scream, but I couldn't. He would hear me and then I would be the first victim.
Suddenly, the scoutmaster was burst out of his tent.
"Aw...come here girl...." the scoutmaster spoke gently.
Calmly the horse came up to him and he lead her back to the temporary coral.
I lay in my cold sweat. I was nearly murdered...by my own fear.
6 comments:
ive heard that a lot of timesQ!
Who knew you were such a good storyteller? And a funny one at that.
So maybe my calling 911 in the middle of the night for just such a sound wasn't so stupid?
I was just a little kid....
You have no idea how many different personal life experiences came flooding to my mind as I was reading your post.
Great writing!
I came here on Carrot's recommendation and am so glad. Good story.
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