Story in the Dark

It was an average day for the Conner family. Mother, Father and Daughter sitting eating supper at the dinner table. The smell of meat loaf circled throughout the kitchen and the dog lay drooling at their feet. It could have been taken out of a book. The perfect scene of the perfect family. 

Emmaline, the mother, was about to begin washing the dishes when the light flickered. 

“Looks like we need a new bulb,” the father, James, remarked. He picked up his novel and opened to the beginning. Valorie, the girl, slipped some food to the basset hound, Charlie, who was curled up under the table. 

“I’ll pick one up tomorrow,” Emmaline said with a small sigh and a long look at her occupied husband. 

The light flickered again. “Perhaps we should retire to the sitting room,” Emmaline suggested. Valorie jumped up and ran down the hall. The light flickered again. Then again. Then it was out, and the room was bathed in darkness.

Valorie’s four year old scream of fear came from the other room.

“What’s going on?” Emmaline called to her husband. The light of the moon allowed her to barely make out his silhouette. 

“The power’s gone out,” he replied calmly. “See the streetlamps are out and the neighbor’s houses have all gone dark.” 

“MOMMY!” came Valorie’s cry of terror. 

“We’re coming honey don’t worry!” Emmaline assured her. She reached for her husband’s hand and, linked together, they stumbled warily down the hall and into the sitting room.

“Monster! No!” Valorie shouted. 

“No dear,” her mother replied. “It’s mommy and daddy. We’re coming over to you okay?” 

Valorie nodded though they couldn’t see her. 

Her mother and father groped in the dark until they found her and the three of them sat down on the carpet. 

“I’m scared mommy.” 

“Don’t worry honey the power will be back in no time. I will tell you a story while we wait for the light to come back on.” 

“Okay.” 

Valorie climbed into her fathers lap and grabbed hold of his hand. Her mother cleared her throat. 

“The story begins like this: 

~*~

“A young princess was just going to bed in her tower when a strange wind blew through the room and all the candles were blown out. The princess was terrified of the dark and she clutched her blankets with trembling hands. The sun had just sank below the horizon and the only light that could be found was from the stars.

“But to the young princess the stars seemed foreign and cold. The stars couldn’t keep her safe from the shadows and the monsters that lurked within them. All the princess needed to do was get up and light the candle but something slithered across the floor and if the princess dared to leave the safety of her covers then they would take her away. 

“Locked in the confines of cotton and wool the princess waited desperately for the morning, not daring to close her eyes. 

“When the sun finally rose above the horizon the princess looked around her room and found nothing but a light coating of slime on the carpet. She went about her day as always and returned to her room again that night after supper. 

“The princess crawled underneath the covers and was about to close her eyes when again a wind swept through the room and darkness followed as the candles were blown out. And once again the princess heard the scrape, scrape, scrape of a scaly tail across the floorboards. She heard the hiss of air between pointed teeth and smelled the noxious breath of the terrifying monster that lurked only a few feet away. 

“The princess did not dare to fall asleep. She stayed awake all night in silent vigil.

“The next day went by the same as the last. But on the third night the princess was so tired and overcome by fear that she hid beneath her blankets and sank into despair. Her cries pierced the cold night air and she was answered by a low long hiss.

“But just then the princess heard a happy little twinkling that sounded like crystal bells. The princess poked her head out from underneath the blankets and saw something bright hovering in the air before her eyes. 

“In front of her flew a small fairy. The fairy had tan skin and beautiful golden hair. Her wings looked as though they were made of silk and she wore a dress fashioned from the beautiful pink flowers that grow in the meadow by the river. Sparkles of silver and gold floated down from her and landed on the princess’s blankets before disappearing. 

“When the fairy spoke her voice was musical and sweet. It brought back happy memories of ripe fruits, redolent flowers, and little creatures that dwell in the groves. ‘Why are you afraid, little princess?’ the fairy asked. 

“‘The monsters are here to take me!’ the princess responded and her eyes were tear stained and her voice was hoarse. 

“But the fairy told the princess, ‘Don’t be frightened by the monsters. If you are brave you will scare them away.’ 

“‘But it is dark and scary and the monsters will eat me,’ the princess cried in dismay. 

“‘It is not dark here. There is always light. Look at the stars. The stars are fairies and we will give you hope. Do not be afraid princess. Be brave and you will keep the monsters away.’ 

“But the princess only cried and when she blinked the fairy was gone. The slithering noise was closer now. The princess pulled her knees to her chest and looked out of her window. She saw the stars and in her ears she heard the twinkling of bells. 

“‘I am not afraid of the dark,’ the princess told herself. ‘I am not afraid of monsters.’ The hissing stopped and then started again louder. ‘I am not afraid of monsters,’ she repeated sternly. She swung her legs to the floor and stood up. In five small steps she reached her bureau where she kept a candle. The princess ignored the terrifying noises behind her and grabbed a match. 

“It seemed that the shadows themselves rose to grab the little princess but then the candle was lit and when she turned around there was nothing to be seen but her own familiar room. The princess crawled into bed and fell asleep to the sound of tiny twinkling bells. 

~*~ 

Valorie looked up at her mother. James put his arm around Emmaline. 

“I am not afraid of the dark, Mama,” Valorie said. She stood up. “I will go light a candle.” 

“Yes my dear,” her mother whispered.