A Dream to Behold ~ Chapter Three

Today's muse: Protagonize

read chapter two

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B is for Bezaldar

The entire group of children was silent as they digested this information, the hush hovering for nearly ten seconds. Then everyone began talking at once, panicked voices shouting questions, demanding answers.

“What do you mean ‘he’s back’?”

“Who’s back?”

Philip glanced up at his friend, who appeared to have lost the capacity to speak. Billy simply stood there, his mouth convulsively opening and closing. He looked down at Philip imploringly, as if to say “You tell them.”

Sighing, Philip turned and faced the children, each one of them staring hopefully at him as though he had the answer; as though he was their salvation.

Just as he had stood, he realized, almost seven years ago, staring wide-eyed at Jeremy Weizman who had held up his G.I. Joe action figure for all to see, before passing it around for inspection. When the toy reached Philip’s hands, he had carefully turned it over, saw the B etched into Joe’s back. There were green flakes wedged in the crevice then, too. The same green flakes he had just seen on Teddy’s button eye.

Soon after that, strange things began happening in the neighbourhood.

At first, they were small incidents, inconsequential really. Since there was no explanation for these mysterious acts, the adults simply meted out retribution to the children who, in their view, were obviously to blame.

Cameron Trawley was sent to his room when his mother discovered the empty cookie jar. Lizzy Ilkes was grounded for a week when her parents saw her room: the bedspread was tossed on the floor, books were strewn everywhere and dirty clothes simply lay in a pile beside the door. Quite possibly the worst incident was Nick Marchant being suspended from school because he didn’t hand in his homework for a month.

The thing was, Philip knew these kids, was good friends with them. He knew that Cam didn’t eat those cookies—he hated oatmeal. Lizzy was always meticulous about keeping her room clean which, everyone agreed, was pretty weird for a six-year old, but still didn’t really explain how it became so dishevelled. As for Nick, he kept insisting something was eating his homework—and they didn’t even have a dog.

The occurrences began to happen more frequently, driving the adults to become fanatical in their punishments. It wasn’t long before the playground was often seen empty and sleepovers were a thing of the past.

Philip remembered all too well what it was like last time. How bad it got. And now it was starting all over again. There was no question …

Bezaldar was back.

Deliberation

Today's muse: Protagonize

The rules: Select a word to be the title of your 11-line poem. The last word of each line must be a word of no less than four letters created using letters from the title of your poem. (Note: For the record, I want to point out that this was not easy, but was a lot of fun. I failed at my first attempt by using three-letter words. Following directions has never been my forte).


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Deliberation

“He partied at a festival, was filled with great elation,
and staggered out knowing he was too filled with libation;
his drunkenness forgotten—completely in denial.”
screamed the burly big-shot lawyer hired for the trial.

“If this man had only thought, used only half his brain,
that woman’d be alive now, and we would not detain.
Instead I’m here before you; my temper in a rile.
In fact, I must pause now, to swallow down my bile.”

The prosecution rests, no longer does berate.
The drunkard sits and waits while the jury does debate.

The verdict’s in, the man has sinned, the public does elate.

That Damn Fridge

Today's muse: Protagonize


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That Damn Fridge

It mocks me
A sentry in the kitchen
Its brilliant whiteness glittering fiercely
Taunting me with its mouth-watering sins

Be gone with you!
Oh, vixen of pastries
Temptress of sweets
Harlot of calories

You seductively call my name
Like a lover’s caress
Luring me closer
Until I succumb

I am your slave!

A Dream to Behold - Chapter Two

Today's muse: Protagonize

read chapter one

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Confirmation

The next day, Teddy accompanied Shawna to school, his button eye carefully tucked in her pocket. It was imperative that the other kids know the truth, saw the proof for themselves. She told Katy Wilson about the evening’s events on the bus. Katy had sat with her hand clamped over her mouth the entire time, her rounded eyes peering out over her fingers.

As was expected, word spread quickly to the other children in her classroom; even beyond to other grades, as some of her friends had older siblings. Which is why, at recess, there was a large gathering of children standing in a semi-circle around Shawna, all waiting with mingled excitement and dread. Holding Teddy in one hand, and his lone eye in the other, she raised her arms for everyone to see, eliciting loud gasps from the crowd.

Shawna recounted her tale for the benefit of those who hadn’t yet heard, although judging from the nods and lack of surprise, it appeared that everyone was well-informed.

“What do you think it is?” asked a timid voice from the back.

Shawna shrugged. “Don’t know.” There was a murmur among the crowd as some conferred with their neighbour, speculating on the horror.

“We only have this,” she said loudly, her voice cutting through the whispering, bringing silence. She turned the button eye over in her hand, examining it again, although it was now burned in her memory. Etched onto the back was a large B. Flakes of some green substance were embedded in the scored letter.

“What does it mean?” asked a third-grader, for the button was being passed among the crowd, giving everyone the opportunity to study it.

Shawna shrugged again. “Don’t know,” she repeated.

“What are you kids up to?” Shawna jumped at the voice behind her. Whirling around, she recognized Philip Sanders, a grade-eight student. Not trusting someone who was practically a grown-up, Shawna said nothing, protectively hiding Teddy behind her.

Philip saw the bear, knew what it probably meant. A large crowd of terrified kids usually only meant one thing. He reached behind her and, when Shawna struggled, simply said “Let me see the damage.” Shawna released Teddy, looking at the group for guidance.

“It’s ok,” she didn’t recognize the girl who spoke, “he’s my brother.”

Philip held Teddy up for inspection, turning him over several times, running his thumb over the bits of thread that made up his empty sockets. He nodded sagely.

“And there’s this,” said his sister, handing over the button eye.

Philip held it respectfully in his hand, turning it over to see the engraving. He sighed heavily, shaking his head mournfully. He looked back and called “Hey, Billy!”

Oh no! thought Shawna. They’re going to play Keep Away now. This wasn’t going at all like she’d planned.

But before she could rescue Teddy from Philip, Billy joined them and he and Philip were now conversing in low, urgent voices. When they stepped back, Philip handed Teddy over to Shawna, then reverently placed the button eye back in her hand. He sat down on the bench with his elbows on his knees, his head hanging down. Shawna sat beside him and waited a moment, then timidly asked in a quiet voice “What does it mean?”

Philip hesitated, seemingly not able to speak, or perhaps he was too frightened. Maybe he thought she was too little to hear the truth. But she wasn’t. She was six-going-on-seven! She was big enough, she thought, sitting up straighter.

Taking a deep breath, Philip looked down at Shawna, then across the mass of children, staring wide-eyed at him.

“It means he’s back,” he said flatly.

read chapter three

A Dream to Behold - Chapter One

Originally posted at Protagonize


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Running Loose

Jerked suddenly awake, Shawna sat up in her bed, her little chest heaving, gasping for breath. Carefully reaching over she snatched Teddy up, squeezing him against her in a strangle-hold, knowing he’d protect her, despite the fact that he was missing an eye.

Shawna strained her little ears, listening for the slightest sound, the tiniest warning. Then she heard it. A slight creak of the floor. Someone—or more accurately—something had stepped on the loose floorboard at the end of the hallway.

She eyed the large expanse of her bed, the boundary defined by the SpongeBob SquarePants bedspread. That was one good thing about getting the new big bed. And just about the only good thing. She had pleaded with her parents to keep the old bed, but they had patiently explained that Grandma and Poppa could sleep in her new big bed when they visited and she could sleep on the camp cot. Shawna had tried to explain to them that the old bed was much safer because there were drawers beneath it and nothing could escape. Never mind the fact that she would be even more vulnerable on the cot!

But they wouldn’t listen. They had simply laughed at her, dismissively waving their hands, telling her that there was absolutely nothing under the bed.

What did they know? Shawna snorted into the dark. They were grown-ups, and grown-ups didn’t understand monsters. In fact, they couldn’t even see them, every kid knew that. But Katy Wilson’s brother told her that his best friend Mark Henderson’s older sister told him that their little cousin saw a monster.

That—in Shawna’s mind—was proof enough.

And now, one of the monsters living under her bed was wandering around the house. She knew there were more of them...there always were. One had obviously escaped already, the rest were just waiting for her to make a move, or worse, a mistake. Kneeling on the bed, she contemplated how she was going to reach the salvation of her parents’ bedroom, knowing that the moment she stepped onto the floor, she would likely be attacked. As she considered whether she could run fast enough, she saw a shadow slowly creep over the crack below her door, plummeting the room into complete darkness.

With a squeal, Shawna dove under the covers, yanking them over her head, knowing instinctively, as all children do, that bed sheets offer an invisible force shield that no monster can penetrate.

Trembling uncontrollably, Shawna squeezed her eyes shut, whimpering quietly, willing the monster to simply crawl back under the bed. She heard the squeak of her door as it opened slowly. Her hand edged over, reaching for the comfort only Teddy’s fur could provide, but she found only empty air. Horrified, she realized he must have fallen off the bed. Paralyzed with fear, Shawna shrank under the covers, imagining the gruesome tortures that Teddy would endure.

As she wondered if the protection of the bedspread would fail, wondered what would happen if she dared try and rescue Teddy, there was a loud—SNAP!

The room was immediately drenched in light.

Sharp footsteps carried across the room toward her bed, then suddenly stopped. The covers were snatched from her and Shawna tremulously opened her eyes, looking up into her mother’s face, who appeared to be holding back a smile.

“I know you’re scared, honey, but believe me—there is nothing under your bed.” And to prove it, Valerie Phillips got down on her knees and peered under her daughter’s bed. Popping her head back up, she announced brightly, “all clear!”

Valerie picked up her daughter’s teddy bear and, turning the stuffed toy over, noticed that he was becoming quite worn. “Teddy’s getting kind of old, don’t you think?” She waved the bear in front of Shawna, then tucked him in beside her. As she left, Valerie glanced back, Shawna’s terrified face stared back at her. Shaking her head, Valerie left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Left alone in the dark, Shawna pulled Teddy closer to her, smug with the knowledge that she, herself, now had proof of the monster conspiracy, for she had seen Teddy’s face clearly when her mother had swung him over her.

Teddy was now missing the other eye.

As she lay grieving for Teddy’s blindness, she heard the distinct tink, tink, tink, of a button bouncing across the floor, followed by the unmistakable sound of hollow, mocking laughter coming from under her bed.

read chapter two