Remember the monsters
'Goodnight, Dexter' my foster mother softly said from the doorway, flicking off the light switch as she left. She pulled my door nearly to a close, leaving a slight gap. I heard her footsteps walking to the next room, towards Deb's room next to mine to perform her nightly light switch routine. Doris also left Deb's door slightly open, like she had with mine. I had stayed awake late enough to know that this was just so that she could check up on us later on without waking us with the noise of the handle.
It must have been about half eight, but it was winter so no light could enter through the windows and the house was completely dark upstairs. I stayed awake until I head my foster parents check up on us before they made their way into their own bed. Not long after I could hear loud snoring coming from my parents' bedroom and I figured I was the only person left awake in the house.
I figured I was wrong when I could hear Deb breathing through the walls, fast, scared little breaths. It was late; she should be asleep by now. I got out of bed and pulled on my dressing gown to warm my body from the cold. It was only a short distance between my door to Deb's door and I tiptoed as quietly as I could to avoid waking up the adult Morgan's.
'Deb' I whispered through the gap in the doorway. I didn't want to frighten her.
'Dex' Deb whimpered, wiping the moisture from underneath her eyes. I walked over to Deb's bed, kneeling down beside her. 'They're running on the walls, can't you see them?'
'What, Deb? What do you see?'
'The monsters. They're going to eat me, Dex. The big black monsters. I looked around the small room, only seeing the darkness.
'They're just shadows, Deb. Just the absence of light is all it is.'
'I'm scared' I could hear the fear in her small voice.
'I'm right here, Deb.' I reassured 'I will never let anything happen to you.'
'You promise?'
'I promise.' I replied. I meant it. I know I meant it. Ever since I had known Deb I had sworn to look after her. I didn't even know why; that was just the way it was.
'Will you stay with me, Dex?' Deb's voice was pleading.
'Of course I will.' Deb passed me one of the pink pillows from her bed and a settled myself onto the floor sleeping in just my dressing gown and pyjamas.
'You're the best big brother in the world. I love you, Dex.' I almost didn't understand how someone could love me as much as Deb did, but I liked it.
'You're safe, I promise. Now get some sleep'
And then we sat in the silence of the night. After a while I looked up at Deb, the slow intake of breath as her chest rose and fell. She looked so peaceful.
She looked peaceful now, too – minus a wire or two.
I pressed the switch keeping Deb alive. And leaned in towards her ear to whisper the only thing I had ever known.
'I love you, Deb.'
