The Evil That Comes At NIght

The young Princess stared out the window at the impending nightfall. The shadows being cast by the trees caused their trunks and branches to appear to be stretching toward the castle like arms and fingers ominously reaching for her. Her stomach began to twist into knots when she heard the Nightingale’s faint song in the distance. The dull ache that always starts in her neck began to slowly creep its way upward and wrap its clenching fingers around her head, seemingly digging the tips into her eye sockets. These were the usual precursors to the nightmare that had become her reality nearly every night.

The Princess sighed deeply. She will be defeated again. The darkness was coming and being powerless to stop it the Princess would, once more, succumb to the pain and anguish that had become part of her meager existence. Soon, Mother would be along with hot tea that she would be unable to drink and fluffing pillows that would bring no comfort to the Princess’s throbbing head. Mother would help her into bed as the dizziness came and tuck the covers around her tightly. Her gentle kiss to the forehead almost, just briefly, seemed to ease the sneaking torture.

The young Princess heard the creak of the top step and the gentle tiptoeing of her Mother coming down the hall.

As Mother had done so many nights before, after the tea and pillows, she would take her place in the chair by the window watching over her child. After lighting a small candle and opening a book to pass the time she would begin to steel herself to face the darkness by her child’s side and try, helplessly, to defend her from the Evil wickedness that would surely come as it had so many nights before. The Princess could sense the Hag gaining strength and knew when she was nearing. Sparkles and zig zags of light began to flit across the darkening room. Shadow people appeared to be skulking in the corners foretelling of their Witch Queen's arrival. The Princess squeezed her eyes tightly shut and turned away from the window pulling the heavy quilt tightly up and around her neck. She felt comforted in knowing her Mother was but footsteps away even though the evil woman, who was imminently approaching, had no fear of anyone.

The Princess tried to take her mind away to a place of soft light and soothing colors. She desperately needed that place of love and protection. Perhaps, this time, sleep would come and slow the impetus for the torment that she was facing. She subdued her breathing and intently concentrated on the feeling of her lungs expanding and contracting. The slow and methodical pattern eventually eased the Princess off to half sleep.

Suddenly, just after entering the borderlands, the Princess awoke with a start. She heard the rustling of the Hag’s dress and knew she had made her way into the room. The tingling of fear began at the bottom of her feet and slowly slithered its way up her body. She felt paralyzed and the blood pulsing in her ears was getting louder and louder. She shook her head from side to side and whispered “no”. Mother, hearing this, slammed her book shut and came towards the edge of the bed. “She’s here, isn’t she?” Mother asked. The Princess nodded and opened her eyes wide staring at the ceiling awaiting the awful face that would soon appear on the other side of her. She slipped her hand from under the covers and reached out. Mother seized her hand and clenched it tightly while falling to her knees looking around the dimly lit room for signs of the intruder that would never make itself known to Mother.

The Princess gasped as she felt the slight pressure of something crawling up onto the bed with her. Upon hearing the Princess draw in a sharp breath, Mother held her daughter’s hand tighter and pressed it to her pounding chest. The Princess’s eyes darted in the direction of the presence crawling toward her even as she felt paralyzed with terror. There was the old Hag, on all fours, like an animal leaning toward the Princess’s face. She appeared small, but had an old withered face. She seemed like a child who had aged but never grew in the physical sense. The Hag bared her teeth and licked her lips. Then the whispering began as it usually did. The incoherent utterances spewing from between her cracked and shriveled lips. The Princess was continually unable to make out the murmurs except for one word. As the vile creature leaned in closer to the Princess, the scream that hopelessly needed release became lodged deep in her throat. Her muscles drawn tightly with horror and panic were too useless to follow the command from her brain to get up and get away from this place quickly.

Mother leaned across the Princess and faced the presence that was invisible to her. She firmly and sternly said “Get away from my child you evil and gruesome wretch and go back to the Hell where you came from. I will not let you steal her soul!” Mother covered the child with her own body in an attempt to shield the young one from the wickedness. The Hag, nearly touching the Princess’s face now, bellowed a laugh that Mother couldn’t hear yet the Princess felt the hot, wet breath against her ear. The creature, still mumbling the evil promises and threats, finally, was close enough to scream the only word the Princess could ever recognize.

“RUN!!!!”

At that moment, the spell seemed to be broken. The scream that had been stuffed down inside the Princess came exploding out and she thrust the covers, which had become burdensome to her, away and kicking them out from her body that was, now, soaked with sweat. She leapt into the waiting arms of her Mother. The Princess felt the tears cascading from her Mother’s face and sensed the angst inside her Mother’s heart. The entity was gone again for now. She always vanishes nearly as quickly as she comes. Mother rocked the princess like a baby and stroked her hair holding her tightly. The agonizing pain that had encompassed the Princess’s being had taken a reprieve, temporarily, after the dreaded encounter with the evil witch. After some time had passed and longing for sleep nudged her, the Princess slid off of her Mother’s lap and back into the solace of her featherbed. Mother fluffed the pillows and tucked the covers in tightly around her child. Mother’s gentle kiss to the Princess’s forehead almost, just briefly, seemed to ease the sneaking torture.

Mother walked over to the window and took her place in the chair beside it. She opened a book to pass the time and steel herself to face the night by her child’s side and try, helplessly, to defend her child from the Evil wickedness that would surely come as it had so many nights before.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

S/F 👍🏽 Awesome!

a reply to: TNMockingbirdGood read! I'm glad it is still light out where I am because the creepy hag gave me quite a fright! Thanks for giving me that spooky feeling😊

a reply to: peppycat

I'm glad it's light where you are too!
And, thanks!

a reply to: Quantum12

Thanks Q!
Hope you both enjoyed it!

a reply to: TNMockingbird

That was great and we want more!!

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: TNMockingbird

That was great and we want more!!

Yes! More please!😊

That was really good. I wish I could write like that.

a reply to: notquiteright

What you write comes from you so it would be good. Try one. I will read it for sure. We are all unique!

a reply to: notquiteright

Thank you for your kind words.

I wish I were more musically inclined.

That would be such a horrific experience to encounter every single night!
Thank you for your story!

a reply to: kaelci

Yes, I'm afraid it would be.

Thanks for reading Kaelci!