3 Confusion

I struggled to scream for help and to get rid of the monster, but all my efforts went in vain. I felt like I lost my mobility. I was unable to move my body or even open my eyes despite all my efforts. I was conscious but also crippled and immobilized. In no time, I realized that the monster was all over me. I felt shudders running down my spine. I was petrified, not to mention - disgusted at the same time. Shortly, I felt myself being undressed. I had no clue what was happening to me. For once, I truly believed that the monster was trying to steal my clothes. My innocent mind was unable to think that it was way beyond robbery, in fact, I was being wrongfully touched and molested.

I struggled endlessly to move and to put up a fight while trying to make sense of what was happening to me. I felt like my soul was trying to get away from my defenseless body. I was horrified and all I wanted was my parents to help and protect me from the gruesome monster. After some time, I felt myself being dressed again as if I was experiencing dark and frightening witchcraft. I could also feel the monster getting off me. I felt relieved despite of being in a paralytic state. As soon as I felt myself alone in my room, I struggled with all my might to open my eyes and move my body again.

Abruptly I heard a loud boom of thunder and howling of the strong and vigorous wind. Goosebumps ran wild over my body. I also heard the platter of the heavy rain crashing onto my window. I felt myself in an unending combat to regain my life back. Soon, after countless efforts to regain my mobility, I felt exhausted and dozed off.

"Good morning!" my aunt wished me.

Once I heard her voice, I immediately leaped out of my bed and hugged my aunt who was in the room to wake me up for breakfast. Soon I realized that my panties were all wet. I looked at my bed with fear to see whether my lifeless body was laying on the bed away from my soul. I heaved a sigh of relief, unaware of the evil in people. I believed as per my fantasy world, that I survived from a witch crafting monster. I was a true believer of monsters, witches, dragons and numerous other mythical creatures. I was very much into mythological animated characters.

"Meredith! Let's clean up yourself." My aunt whispered.

Out of nowhere, I began shaking my hands and feet. I was amazed as I retrieved it back to normal. I immediately began moving and shaking my whole body. I wasn't concerned even a bit about wetting my bed.

"Yey! I can move. I can dance." I began singing euphorically.

"Why are you dancing?" My aunt interrogated.

"Last night a witch crafting monster, which is also a sleep monster came into my room. I think it's because I forgot to recite the prayer before I slept." I tried to explain her what I believed.

My aunt stared at me as if I was fantasizing my whole story. She also tried to convince me that I had a nightmare.

"But.. the monster paralyzed me and wanted to steal my clothes." I was confused but I kept on describing my endeavor with the monster.

Shortly after showing my moves, I suffered from abdominal pain. I sat beside my aunt holding onto my stomach. I started whining due to the sudden pain.

"You shouldn't be moving so much on an empty stomach. Let's clean yourself up and have breakfast." Aunt Lauren justified my abdominal pain.

In no time, my mother arrived and witnessed me crying in pain. She came and hugged me and made a lot of effort to soothe me. I felt comforted and protected as I felt her arms around me. I sat on her lap and cuddled her as tightly as I could. Aunt Lauren patted on my head gently and left the room. I narrated everything that I went through that night to my mother, beginning from missing my prayers to the witch crafting of the sleep monster. My mother listened to me with all ears and kissed me on my forehead. She held me in her arms and took me to the bathroom and cleaned me up.

"Hey princess, good morning!" my father wished me as my mother was changing my bedding.

I ran towards him and he held me in his arms and hugged me. I felt safe and secure in his strong arms and wished he was there with me to protect me. I began telling him all about the dark and horrific night. He gazed at my mother as if he was confirming my story. They were making eye contact to communicate with each other. As soon as my mother was done with cleaning my bed, we went for breakfast.

"Meredith! How are you?" Jimmy questioned.

My eyes welled up in tears because I had a feeling that I was going to be teased for bedwetting by my puckish brothers.

My mother began to talk about the incident and she highlighted that I never wetted my bed since 3 years of my age and she sounded concerned.

"Come here, princess!" my grandfather called me.

He cheered me up and promised me that he would protect me from the monster. He also tried to console my mother explaining to her that the loud boom of thunder and the heavy storm may cause the unfortunate incident. Everyone agreed with grandpa except me. I still believed that I had an encounter with a witch crafting evil monster.

I was surprised to see my brothers acting to kind and nice. They served me my breakfast and helped me pour milk on my glass.

"Meredith, call us if the monster attacks you again." My brother Timothy insisted.

I nodded happily and smiled at Tom. He smiled back at me and we high fived. I wondered about the change in their behavior towards me until aunt Lauren gave a thumbs up to my brothers. I realized that aunt Lauren already talked about the incident with them. However, I felt glad that my brothers were also supportive and protective of me. Aunt Lauren prepared baked beans with chapatti which was my favorite breakfast meal. We chit-chatted and enjoyed our breakfast. Despite of all the love I was receiving, I felt that I was still unwell. The thought of the evil monster revisiting me scared me to death.

"Mom! Please recite the prayer with me before I sleep, or else the sleep monster might attack me again. It's a witch crafting monster who has evil spells." I became more imaginative and terrified as I kept thinking about it.

"of course, honey!" my mother agreed.

"You should have called Jimmy; he wasn't in his room. He was awake last night. Right, Jimmy?" Tom inquired.

Jimmy stared at his mother and justified her that he was awake to help an old friend to complete an assignment. Aunt Lauren didn't like her kids to stay up late although they were grownups. My mother tried to convince my aunt not to force her discipline tactics on her kids as they are not children anymore. Nevertheless, she disagreed as she was more like my father since controlled parenting ran in the blood. Jimmy hated her mother's way of interfering in his life. He hated to be influenced by other people, especially by his family.

"Hey, Meredith! Aunt Lauren will be leaving now. You must bid bye to her happily and wish her a happy journey," My father mumbled.

I looked at my aunt and before I could interrogate her, Tom jogged my memory, "Aunt has to look after Uncle Peterson's mother, remember?"

I shook my head gloomily. My father glowered at me for putting up a long face. He gets annoyed when things don't go the way according to his desires.

I got misty-eyed as I saw my aunt holding her suitcase. She dropped her suitcase and opened her arms. I ran towards her and went right into her arms. I felt loved when I felt her arms around me. She assured me that she would be back soon.

Jasmin held me in her arms and consoled me as I was crying my heart out. They all tried different techniques to cheer me up.

Shortly, my grandpa came up with the idea of going to the circus held at the town hall. He knew that I had been longing to see the magic shows at the circus. He used to spoil me rotten. My father booked the tickets online in a twinkling of an eye. We arrived at the circus just before the magic show began. The magician wore a long black cloak with a black coat. I admired his get up.

He demanded a volunteer from the audience. My father pointed at Jimmy and we all voted for him. Jimmy anxiously went onto the stage. The magician made him lay on a bench and blindfolded him. Soon we were astonished to see him floating about an inch or two, above the bench. I turned and hugged my father who was sitting next to me. He hugged me back and tried to convince me that it was just a delusion. I didn't believe him as I clearly remembered my encounter with the monster. I was so sure that it wasn't just a nightmare. However, I was confused about the incident because of my obsession with mythological creatures. I was unable to distinguish between the real world and fantasy. I never thought that the human race would be more evil than my fantasy world of witches and monsters. My innocence became my weakness. I was about to battle with the most wicked creature disguised as my family.

We had dinner at a restaurant across the town hall, as we were starving and exhausted at the same time. My parents ordered seafood and orange juice for them, while Jimmy and Tom ordered macaroni and cheese with hot chocolate. Timothy and Jasmin were too tired and unwell as they went on a long ride on the merry-go-round at the circus, so they insisted on having just a lemonade. Grandpa ordered pasta with white sauce for both of us. I was excited to have my favorite meal. Soon my mother requested the waiter to serve my dish with boiled brussels sprouts. I frowned at her.

"Wow! Your favorite sprouts." Tom grinned.

Timothy chuckled and they both began to pick on me as usual until my father warned them. Ultimately, they were back to themselves. Jimmy offered to sit next to me and eat the sprouts with me. I smirked at my brothers as I didn't have to eat all the bitter tasted veggies for myself.

"Jimmy loves brussels sprouts. He always eats them along with his meals. It's his favorite veggie." Jasmin enlightened us.

My mother smiled and encouraged all her kids to be like Jimmy. He was fit as a fiddle.

We arrived home after the delightful dinner and I was extremely tired and drowsy. I desperately wanted to sleep. My mother requested my father whether she could spend the night with me as I had an unfortunate incident the other night.

Before my father could answer, Jimmy volunteered "Don't worry! I will check on her from time to time as I will be working in the living room with my laptop to assist my friend."

My father agreed and my mother prepared coffee for Jimmy due to his kind gesture. Jimmy was sipping coffee as he was surfing through his phone. Shortly, I went up to my room along with my mother and had a quick shower. As I was getting my jammies on, Jimmy entered my room. He offered to tuck me in my bed and my mother recited the prayer with me and left the room. Jimmy kissed me on my cheeks and smiled.

END OF CHAPTER 3