Goodnight, Luna

“The end. Are you sure you like this story? It’s a little scary.”

“I’m not afraid of anything, mama!” Eyes rolling, Luna’s mother crawled out of bed, exiting her young daughter’s small bedroom.

“Do you see what time it is? You were supposed to be in bed thirty minutes ago, now it’s already 9:00. Goodnight, Luna. I love you,” whispered her mother as light shrunk behind the door. The little girl watched footsteps shuffle away from her room through the space between the door and her red rug. Then, she rolled over in bed, turning her back to the entrance. Shadows of a stuffed bear on her nightstand grew tall, with her princess night light shining, almost projecting a spotlight from below. Beside the black bear casted against the wall, eyelids drooped, lips drooled, and Luna drifted into slumber.

Tip. Tap. Tip. Luna awoke. She swore she heard something moving in her room. Her blood-red digital alarm clock read 2:59 A.M. Who would be up at that hour? Stomach sloshing, she pulled her legs to her chest, holding together like a clenched fist. Luna lay for a few minutes, her curled body imprinting a small crater in the center of her baby pink, full sized bed. 3:07 A.M., and sleeping failed while anxiety grew. She unraveled her limbs, stretching out like a star. Her left foot extended just past her patchwork quilt. The chill of the air pierced her skin. She snapped her leg back under the covers, quick movement broadening her eyes and alertness.

3:12 A.M. Creeeeeaaaaak. Muscles tensing, Luna retracted into her fetal state. What is that noise? I know mama’s not awake right now. It sounded close. She listened, observing the noise. Oak floorboards beneath her groaned. Luna wrapped her skinny fingers over the lining of her quilt, dragging it over her face. Ruffled bangs poked out and over the top. One panel smacked another near the end opposite Luna’s head. Then another smack, closer. Her breath turned shaky. Her heart picked up its pace. One more panel, even closer, then silence. Suddenly, she heard faint thumps. Imagination running wild, Luna pictured large footsteps climbing from below. No, there’s nothing in here, she thought, mama’s right down the hallway, no one else is home. 

Fixating on each shadow displayed against different surfaces, Luna searched for movement. Outlining the incoherent shapes, she felt relieved when no one could be found. Clink. The night light fell out of its outlet. The room shifted almost blacker than a witch’s cat, only subtly brightened by red numbers and the moon shining through semi-transparent curtains. Luna tightened her grasp. Someone is here. She shut her impulsively widened eyes. A shadowy figure emerged from the hole in her floor. Flashing green light seeped through cracks in the panels. Slithering around painted wooden trim, iridescent goo soaked a trail toward the end of her bed. This slimy beast slowly unrolled itself, one segment at a time. With each fold straightening out, it morphed into a new shape. Snake? Bat? Beetle? Man? Luna froze. Goosebumps rose, her skin now a leather case of bones and tissue. What is happening? Who is in here? The beast’s eyes wandered around her room. Its neck twisted, creating slimy, labiallic noises.

If I move at all, he will know I’m here. If he knows I’m here… Luna did not understand the monster’s potential, and did not even know where to begin. She desperately wanted to completely protect herself with her bedding, but could not even tremble, as she believed the monster would sense her presence. Luna imagined herself pulling her fingers and the rest of her hair underneath. Then, she thought, the beast would crawl over to her side, ready to pounce. Blood squirting everywhere, gouging her insides, it would drag her below to its unfamiliar world. This scene reeling through her mind, Luna held her breath. I won’t let him see me. I won’t let him hear me. If I can’t see him, he can’t see me. I won’t let him see me. I won’t let him hear me… 

The beast casted shadows across her room, glowing goo surrounding her bed and infecting her rug. The past few minutes felt like hours, and Luna wanted to know the time, how long until morning. Maybe mama will come get me? Please, mama, come save me. She peeked at the clock: 3:20 A.M. Volt green goo lit up her room, instinctively forcing her eyes to snap closed. She waited in petrification. Marfanic fingers crept over the foot of her bed frame. Pulsing through sheets and covers, slime oozed across Luna, pooling in crevices outlining her locked body. It morphed again, this time spurting short, black strands of hair forming a blunt bob and bangs. Young, human eyes popped in and out, rolling into a dent over Luna’s lap. Two wet, bright red retinas remained. It advanced closer and closer, until it was breathing on the girl’s face. No. No. No no no. No no no no. Nonononononono.

“Goodnight, Luna.”

The last gasp of air rushed through her lungs before its imitating hand grappled her neck. It squeezed every drop of life out of the girl before she could begin to scream. The monster kept hold of her while clawing back beneath the bed. It returned to the wood panel hole, goo looped around the room. It threw her down, heart pulsating with passion watching her tumble. It jumped in, and a snakeskin tail followed suit, whacking the clock to the ground on its way through the portal, setting the alarm off. It paused, growing nails to stab the floorboards, returning them into place from below.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Turn your alarm off! Ugh,” The mother called from down the hall. Beep! Beep! Beep! Feet dragging, she made her way to her daughter’s bedroom. The doorknob twisted, and the mother stepped inside. “Good morning–” The mother’s jaw locked open, “Luna?!” The remains of the beast stared back from the wrinkled quilt. She crashed to her knees, sobbing, shrieking. Covered in sticky goo, and adding more slime from her running nose, the mother pounded the floor. “What happened?” she screamed. “What happened to my Luna?”