SWEET DREAMS
by W. Bledsoe
Dieter glanced quickly over his shoulder as he hesitantly started to move towards his room. An unfortunate event had delayed his home-coming for hours, but he knew, as soon as his father would hear even the faintest sound, his excuse wouldn't have a chance to be heard.
Facing the stairway leading to his bedroom, he sighed softly - it would take an eternity before he would be hidden under covers. Stretching his body to the limit, he reached far before tightly gripping the banister to pull himself up and lessen the impact of his steps. He had already learned to avoid certain areas of each stair. Most stairs slightly creaked, but when tip-toeing onto their edges, all would stay silent. Maybe tonight he would also be able to avoid the sound of terrible rage of his honorable father, who now could be heard snore loudly from his master bedroom.
The bright full moon's ominous light had found a tiny slid through the curtains above him, allowing it a chance to illuminate parts the hallway leading to his bedroom, while creating mystifying shadows on others. One shadow looked like a large, pudgy hand, reaching out at him with more than five fingers and sharp pointy finger nails. Another shadow resembled a makeshift cross, one might find in a pet cemetery. But it was the shadow of a tall looming tower that frightened him most. The towers seemed to be moving from side to side in an unpredictable manner with several bulging eyes peaking out at him through tiny oval windows.
Suddenly, he felt a slight touch against the back of his legs. His body almost stiffened to stone, but soon he realized, only his beloved cat, Sleepy, could greet him this gently. Bending over carefully he reached down to caress her sleek, black fur, and instantly, a wave of tenderness started to flow through his entire body. Using his left arm, he swiftly whisked Sleepy off her feet and kissed her gently on her head. If he was very careful now, they soon would be snugly lying in his comfortable, cozy bed together.
Only three more steps!
He reached out even farther this time. He was so close now, he could almost feel the warmth of his bed cushions. His heart started to pound faster with excitement when,
"squeak"
his heart almost stood still. He had stepped on one of Sleepy's toys and almost tripped. Someone had to have heard this!
Holding onto Sleepy's soft body real tight now, he stood still and listened for any sounds coming from his parent's room. Had he heard the swishing sound of a bedspread being flipped back forcefully? No! This couldn't possibly be heard from where he was standing. He was just imagining it.
Still unable to move, he barely allowed himself to blink. He felt his heart almost pounding through his chest, yet it was utterly silent.
"Baaaahhh!"
He ultimately had been forced to release some air. Unsure of how long he'd been standing still, he finally decided to press on. Slowly, and even more carefully now, he lifted up his left foot and placed it softly onto the second-to-the-last step.
Just one more step!
He started to feel somewhat at ease and even allowed himself to relax a little before,
"flick,"
he heard the dreaded sound and his surroundings instantly came to light. No! Not again! Why couldn't he have been more careful? Share terror made his hands tremble so much, he'd almost dropped Sleepy.
Swiftly, he released his cat from his firm grip and gingerly kicked her rear -- he had to get her out of the way now. He then desperately tried to raise his chest, but his shoulders wouldn't let him. Instead, his neck bent and allowed his head to take a bow. His heart was now beating with even more force than ever, but still, a cold chill embraced him, forcing him to stay frozen steady. Sighing only once, he took in one deep breath and mentally started to prepare himself for what soon he would have to face.
Maybe he would be lucky this time. Maybe he would be knocked out after the very first blow.
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