The shadows wrapped around me and forced the book from my hand. I let out a yelp and struggled to hold on to the book. The long, tentacle-like, icky blackness felt oddly hard and yet, my fingers fell right through it. Like it was made from fog.
"Help! Somebody help me! Please!" The tentacles twisted around my ankles and slowly dragged me towards the shadows in the corner. Tears pooled in my eyes as I clawed the floors. Blood poured from my cracked fingernails as they racked across the ground.
'I'm going to die! I'm going to die!' The same thought danced around my head. All I could see was black. This was the end. I knew it. I was going to die alone and somehow, I knew that these dark tentacles were from the Boogieman. 'Why?! Why does he want to die so much!?'
"Why?!" I screamed as my legs were over taken by the shadows.
"Because you hold the light." A deeply accented voice rang out. Large, golden whips lashed at tthe tentacles. A little golden man floated above my head. FLOATED! One little, golden eye winked at me as a larger man, with the deep accent, pulled the book from a dark shadow. The golden whip wrapped wrapped around my waist and I was yanked free.
"You are fine, da?" The was so large he held me up in the air like a toddler.
"Uh...I'm fine now. Please put me down." He repositioned me on the floor and I took a few steps back towards the light in the middle of the room. I think I will always and forever more, be petrified of the dark. "Who are you people?"
"I am called Nicholas St. North, but my friends call me North. This, here, is my friend, Sanderson or Sandy for short. We will be staying with you for while. But, this is not important now. What important now, is why dark things try to hurt you?"
"You mean the tentacles? I have no idea...wait how did you beat them? Are you like the Boogieman?" My mind was running a thousand miles a minute, what was I suppose to do? Allow some random stragers to stay in my home? Nah uh. No way.
North's eyes bugged out when I compared him to the Boogieman, Sandy only huffed and blew air out of his nose.
"We tell Jack all strange things later. Now your Auntie is in need of cook she says. She told us to find you, da? Now go." I was shooed down the stairs and into the kitchen were I found my Auntie waiting for me. Before she could start yelling, I jogged over and began fixing a large pot of vegetable soup. I checked off the ingredients as I went to keep my mind off of things.
"One pound of beef, two cans of corn, two cans of mixed vegetables, one pack of seasoning..."
-time skip-
After dinner, I was told to prepare the rooms for our guests. They went straight to bed without answering a sinlge one of my questions and believe me, I had a lot. A few hours later, I walked into hte living room to find my Auntie C drunk on the couch. SHe looked up at meand held out her arms to me like a little child.
"Jackie!" She wailed. I pulled her close and ran my fingers through her dirty, greasy hair.
You're probably asking, "Why are you being so nice? She hurts you." She's my aunt, my family...my mother's sister. I can't hate her. SHe just misses Mom and turned to other thingsto get her mind off of things. I kind of understadn how she feels. But I need to be strong. For her. I fell asleep singing t hesong Momma made up, just for me: holding my Auntie colse, promoting nothing but protection
Hush my darling, be still my darling
I'll love you for all time.
Calm my darling, be calm my darling
I'll love you for all time.
Just close your eyes.
And dry your tears
And know that I'll be here tonight.
Though darkness comes,
They bring your fears
But I'll be here tonight