4 Into the darkness

I returned the smile as I let out a weary sigh. He tucked me into bed and covered me with my soft and furry blanket.

"Don't worry Meredith, I'll protect you from the monster. I've got a magic spell from the magician" He promised me.

I felt safe and secure. On top of that, I was so sure that Jimmy would shield me from the monster through the magic spell. I desperately wanted to know more about the spell. Nonetheless, I was feeling drowsy and I chose to sleep. He patted me on my back till I dozed off.

I was sleeping comfortably on my bed when I heard the door squeak. I felt a chill of fear as I struggled to hide myself under my blanket. In an instant, I realized that I was defenseless again, I had lost my muscle tone. I knew that I had to go through the same experience all over again. In no time, I felt someone hovering over me. I felt like I was losing my breath, but soon I heard the door slam softly. I wasn't sure whether I was alone in my room or worse – whether the monster was watching over me.

Dark thoughts captured my mind as I kept on struggling to open my eyes. I made a lot of effort to scream for help but it was pointless. My innocent mind was yelling for help but no one heard my screams.

Shortly, I heard the door open again, but it was low and slow, unlike the previous time. My heart skipped a beat when I felt the monster touching me. I felt his filthy and nasty fingers all over me. I struggled even harder to put up a fight, but all my attempts went in vain. Shortly after the monster climbed onto my bed, it began to undress me from the waist down. I desperately wanted it to take my clothes and walk away from me. I was so confused and horrified at the same time.

All of a sudden I felt an intense spike of pain. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I kept on battling with the pain. I was petrified but I had no way out as I was laying on my bed motionlessly.

In no time, the monster put on my pants and got off my bed. I was puzzled, as I felt him wiping off my tears and my thighs vigorously. I was trying to make sense of everything, but I was too young to understand the wrongful acts against me. I wondered why the monster hurt me and wipe my tears - and not to mention my thighs. While I was trying to reason out everything, I heard the door slam. I felt exhausted after making vain attempts to move myself when I eventually dozed off.

"Hey, Meredith!" I saw my parents sitting beside me when I opened my eyes.

I quickly hopped onto my mother's lap and started crying my eyes out. My parents were worried about me so they tried to convince me that everything was fine. They kept on questioning me about my sudden outburst. I wetted my bed again. I felt dirty and sick. I was all covered in urine. I was attacked by the monster and no one came to protect me. I had so many reasons to cry but I couldn't speak as I was extremely terrified and shattered. I didn't know how to explain the wicked and senseless actions of the monster. I also had a feeling that no one was going to believe me just like the previous time.

"Where is Jimmy?" I shrieked at the top of my voice out of nowhere.

I was bursting with anger. My parents tried to calm me down as I kept on screaming. In no time, my brothers came into my room and so did Jimmy and Jasmin.

I rushed towards Jimmy and started to pound on him with my bare hands. He looked shaken but he tried to calm me down. I didn't know that I had so much anger in me - not to mention the violent behavior.

"Why didn't you save me from the monster?" I kept on repeating myself furiously.

My father held my hand and dragged me away from Jimmy. However, I tried to get back at Jimmy with all my might. I kept on screaming and fighting off, till my mother wrapped her arms around me. Soon I came to my senses and my deafening screams came to an end soon. I sneaked a peek at everyone in the room once I calmed down. They all looked baffled.

Jimmy walked towards me slowly and sat on his knees. He kissed me on my forehead and I stealthily peeped at him with guilt.

"Sorry, princess! I nodded off in the living room. I was drooling on my laptop when I woke up." Jimmy justified.

I kept my head down and remained silent as I was ashamed of the way I reacted. Soon my mother held me in her arms and took me to the bathroom.

Jasmin offered to clean my bed and while my father helped her. I was whining as my mother cleaned me up. She tried to convince me that it was just a nightmare. I refused to believe her but I kept quiet. After getting dressed I went down for breakfast.

"Come here darling!" My grandfather called out.

My grandpa was already sitting at the dining table and he kept my pink chair beside him. I walked to the chair at a snail's pace. Tom carried me to the dining table and I began to eat my breakfast soundlessly.

"Meredith, let's talk about your behavior today." My father uttered in a brusque manner.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I was hauled over the coals by my father. I knew that I had no way to justify the unexpected behavior in front of my family. We had to adopt certain rules as we were a prominent and reputed family. My father began to make me understand how their wide-spread business and strict discipline brought our family fame and good name. My grandfather advised me to control my anger while he wiped down my tears. My father patted me on the back when I began weeping. I was overwhelmed with guilt and shame. I was a well-mannered and obedient child until that morning.

"I will be with Meredith tonight." My mother declared abruptly.

"I'll also be awake tonight and I promised that I will not let the monster hurt you again on my watch." Jimmy tried to reassure me.

I nodded with a vague smile as I was not so sure that he was capable enough to fight with the monster. On the other hand, I blindly trusted my mother.

I spent all day in my parent's room with Jasmin and my mother. My father and my brothers checked on me from time to time. They all seemed pretty concerned about my well-being. I missed school and my playtime at the park as I was feeling unwell. My grandfather bought me new toys to cheer me up. However, all his efforts went to drain. I was desolated and silent as the awful memories of the monster kept on intruding my mind. My innocent mind couldn't think beyond my fantasy world.

I invented my own fantasized story. "An evil monster attacking a little girl to steal her belongings and her family protecting the girl through magic spells."

However, in a matter of time, I was about to open my eyes to the real and evil world around me.

My mother swore to protect me from the monster as she rocked me to sleep at night. She put me down on my bed once I closed my eyes. I fell asleep comfortably with my mother by my side.

I woke up at night as the thunder cracked. I was all alone in my room and my mother wasn't in the room. I believed that my mother was abducted by the monster which scared me to death. I trembled with fear and cried my eyes out.

Shortly after I began crying, the door opened with a squeak. I was under my blanked weeping. My eyes stealthily peeped at the door with fear. Fortunately, it was my mother. She was holding a bottle of water. I ran to my mother in a flash. She convinced me that I was safe as she put me back to sleep. She also guaranteed me that she scared away the monster.

"Good morning, Meredith!" My father murmured.

I looked at my father with sleepy eyes. My father sat beside me as I was engaged in my usual pandiculation process of yawning and rubbing my eyes.

"How was last night? Did you sleep well with your mother?" My father inquired.

"Mommy chased off the monster," I responded.

I was glad that my mother shielded me from the monster. My mother was my hero. I truly believed that the monster wouldn't return to hurt me again.

"The monster is gone!" I yelled as I saw my family in the living room.

"I helped your mother to protect you from the monster" Jimmy boasted.

My mother smiled at him and chuckled. I thanked Jimmy as my mother's gesture showed me that she agreed with him.

"Did you use the magic spell on the monster?" I inquired.

"Indeed I did. I used the blue magic wand from your toy box." Jimmy answered.

I believed every bit of his words. However, my mind was still focused on the pain and fear I endured the last few nights. Nevertheless, I was at peace as I believed that I won the battle against the monster.

We played hide and seek as my mother prepared my favorite lunch - pasta with white sauce. I wore my crown to celebrate the victory. Jimmy handed me over the blue wand and I swang it to declare that we defeated the monster. My brothers cheered as I held up my wand. I felt like a warrior. I was completely blinded by the mythological world. We watched my favorite animated movie - the wicked monster with a spell.

"Lunch is ready!" My mother announced.

I wanted to watch more movies from my collection, but my father decided to have lunch first. Therefore, without any complaints, we all went to have lunch. I had orange juice with my favorite meal. I went on boasting about winning the battle against the monster like a blabbermouth. They all listened and chuckled as I kept on jabbering.

Soon after lunch, I felt drowsy and heavy-eyed. My mother insisted me to take a nap. I went upstairs with Jasmin and my father, as my mother was busy washing dishes. I waved goodbye to grandpa before I left. Jasmin made up my bed while my father was holding me. As soon as I laid down on my bed, I nodded off.

I was awoken by a sharp prickly pain and was dumbfounded as I realized that the monster was back. I couldn't move but I knew that my pants were pulled down. It was already on top of me. I felt extreme pain under my belly. I began shivering with fear as tears rolled down my cheeks. I struggled to fight off, but I was motionless. I truly believed that I was combatting with evil witchcraft. I could neither scream nor move. The monster began to wipe off my thighs vigorously like the last time. I could also feel water pouring down on my thighs and on my bed as I was being cleaned up. Before he climbed out of my bed, he wiped off my tears with my pillowcase. I was terrified and confused at the same time. I felt a bit relieved as the monster got off me.

"I will be back!" The monster whispered.

It scared the living daylights out of me. I realized that it was a familiar sound and I recognized the voice instantly.

END OF CHAPTER 4