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I Can't Sleep! There's a Monster on the Couch!

A Childhood Memory of Overactive Imagination

By Jasmine AguilarPublished 10 months ago 4 min read
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I Can't Sleep! There's a Monster on the Couch!
Photo by Rico Van de Voorde on Unsplash

You know how overactive our minds can get as our imagination strays us away from reality and persuades us to believe there’s something there that really isn’t? This is especially true with the mindset of a kid and I was no exception.

As a kid, I had a very overreactive imagination. I still do and I let that imagination come out full force in my writing!

When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark. Terrified actually. My senses would go into overdrive and I would start to believe there were things in the room that actually weren’t there.

I remember one such incident very well. Once, as I’ve done numerous times, I spent the night at my aunt and uncle’s. I had my own room there which was a considerable distance from their room. Well at least to a seven year old kid it was!

My room was connected to the upstairs family room. If you were in my room, you would have to pass through the family room before stepping out into the hallway. After that, you would turn the corner, pass the attic door, and come to my aunt and uncle’s bedroom. To your immediate left, would be the banister.

Walking that path at night as a kid felt the near equivalent of walking through an elaborate maze of a mansion. I tried to avoid being out in the dark hallway at all costs.

The Incident

I woke up unsure of what time it was. I just knew it was still dark and I needed to use the bathroom. The closest bathroom was connected to my aunt and uncle’s room, so I had to go into their room and there to the immediate left was the bathroom.

I laid there and debated the usual. Did I really want to get out of bed? And in the dark? Did I really have to use the bathroom that bad?

Okay, I’ll hurry to the bathroom, and hurry back into bed. With just enough light to see where I was going, I headed to the bathroom. Of course I had to pass through the family room first. Why I didn’t turn on the light to see is beyond me. Kid logic, I guess.

As I passed through the dark family room, I turned my attention abruptly to something I saw out of my peripheral.

A large dark shadowy figure sitting on the couch.

It was staring right at me. It’s piercing stare felt evil and ominous. I dare not turn my head to get a better look at whatever it was. I took a deep breath and hurried through the family room and down the hall to the bathroom. I hurried through the hall in probably record time. I wasn’t sure if that thing I saw on the couch was following me or not and I wasn’t about to turn around and find out!

After I used the bathroom, I stood there in my aunt and uncle’s room for a few seconds heavily debating on heading back to my room. That meant I had to pass through the family room. And that meant having to walk past the monster on the couch.

It was settled. I would stay there in my aunt and uncle’s room until it was light. I was just content with curling up on the soft carpeted floor and spending the rest of the night there.

My aunt stirred from her sleep. “Jas, it’s 4:00 in the morning. Go back to bed,” she yawned before turning over back to sleep.

Was I going to head back to my room? Hell no! Was I about to tell them I saw a strange creature on the couch? Not a chance! They would just say what most adults would say.

It's just your imagination.

Most likely too tired to get out of bed themselves and escort me back to my room, my aunt and uncle allowed me to sleep where I was.

Daylight finally came and the light gave me just enough confidence to finally head back to my room. I prepared myself as I walked through the family room.

Of course, there was no monster. The only thing on the couch was an oversized pillow that sat kind of lopsided. Was that what I saw last night? A pillow?

It's amazing how the darkness can make the ordinary look like something far more sinister.

However, back then, a seven year old convinced by their imagination, would have told you very differently.

No, I really did see a monster on the couch!

Childhood
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About the Creator

Jasmine Aguilar

Fascinated by pop culture and its effect on society... movies, music, books.. and pretty much anything.

I love writing and write a little bit of everything including a science fiction WIP!

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/J.A.Rose

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