With Sharp Teeth and Claws
๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ญ
I peer out into the darkness.
This should be my time, but I'm paralyzed with fear.
I can see across the floor to the open closet. The monster there has long tentacles and too many eyes. I catch his gaze expectantly, and he slowly shuts the closet door. There will be no help from him tonight.
Next, I stare up into the corner where the wall meets the ceiling. The ghost girl calls that space home. Her bedraggled blond hair hangs down as she clings to the ceiling. She turns her head around backwards to avoid my gaze. No help there, either.
I sigh and consider my options. Once upon a time, I'd been able to creep out from under the bed, my claws harvesting the nightmares of its occupant. The other monsters were forced to wait their turn as I ate my fill. That is, until he brought her home.
He called it a wife, but it was clear what she was: a predator. We all felt the change in the environment immediately. The creature under the dresser was the first to go - he dared to make a grab for an earring that fell off the dresser. By the next night, all that remained was a dark smear.
The other creatures quickly fled, fell in line, or were disposed of. We three were the only ones left. The situation was desperate.
As I contemplated whether to chance peeking out, a hand full of sharp nails grasped the edge of the sheet and pulled it away. Her brunette hair draped to the floor as her face appeared. She smiled, her mouth full of sharp, sharp teeth as she locked eyes with me. "Mine," she whispered hungrily before disappearing back onto the bed.
The message was clear - it was time to move on. I said a brief prayer for the man on the bed. He had far worse things to worry about than me.
About the Creator
Catsidhe
Pronounced Cat-she: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat-s%C3%ACth
A public figure writing privately
Dark poems and fiction my specialty
Come explore the abyss with me
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Yuen Long MTR station, on the Tuen Mun/Wu Kai Sha line, at 08:32am
He caught a glimpse of his face reflected in the train station's platform glass barriers. The skin under his eyes were red. His eyes were tired. His hair, again, a mess. But this was Hong Kong, not a single person around him would care to notice. They had all been in his situation before. They had all appreciated being ignored in their own similar moments. He looked up at the arrival board. Just under a minute until his train arrived. Just three stops until Mei Foo, then it was time for another day.
By Hywel Latimyr6 days ago in Fiction
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May 15, 2023 Strange things are happening. Good-strange, bad-strange, and strange-strange. For starters, me and all my litter mates are able to stand. Some of us can even wiggle around in a clumsy manner. I say wiggle because it isnโt quite walking but it isnโt quite crawling. We just sort of stand and wiggle and fall and take a few steps and then crawl and then get up again. It is in this manner we are able to move around to some degree and explore our surroundings. Naturally we cannot go far. Which is ok, I suppose, because I am very small and I need my mother for food and my siblings to keep me warm and I feel very loved and comforted by them in some way, so I donโt know why I would need to go very far. Having four legs, I must admit, is very strange. It is not a surprise to me that it is challenging to coordinate them to move in the order they need to move. But I can get around a little bit, my eyes can stay open for much longer periods of time now, and it is easier to understand what is happening. So this is new.
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Comments (12)
Your stat is challenging your story is so beautiful you write like this you will be a great writer I wish and yes one more thing please open my vocal id and a story come later
This is so good and an excellent choice for top story. Great stuff.
fresh perspective on the classic monster-under-the-bed tale, filled with suspense and intrigue until the very end.
Congrats on Top Story!!
Well-deserved congratulations for your workโkeep it up!
I am back to congratulate you on your well-deserved Top Story!
Loved this! Congrats on Top Story!
What a threatening story! I loved it. This is such a unique look at the monster under the bed. Great job! And congrats on the Top Story!
Indeed he does. This may be the best take I've yet read, Cat. Reminds me of a joke I once played on my roommate in college.
Whoa, that was incredible. What a creative story, and you wrote it masterfully, Catsidhe! I love the way it finishes: "I said a brief prayer for the man on the bed. He had far worse things to worry about than me." Fantastic!
Fascinating story
This was deliciously intriguing!