It had four legs and a lumpy torso that looked like it had been dumped on top like a lump of clay. It's head was a weird mix between an ant and a bird - all big eyes and rough pincer-things next to a mouth with two teeth that looked like a cartoon bear trap.
And it was sawing the legs off all the living room furniture while I crouched halfway down the stairs, muffling my breath with my sleeves and hoping it was just looking around the room. I swear it kept glancing up at me but its eyes had so many tiny pupils that I couldn't properly tell.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when my older brother snuck up behind me and tapped my shoulder. "Just leave it be," he whispered, "That's just what it does and it's better to let have the chair legs than our own." and with that he pulled me by the hand back upstairs, checking behind us when he thought I wasn't paying attention.
I stayed in his room that night, huddled next to him, pestering him with a thousand questions while he just shushed me and said he'd tell me in the morning. That night it felt like the morning could never come and when it did I wish it hadn't.
For as long as I can remember, mum and dad have always gotten up before us and we weren't allowed out of our rooms until they came to get us. I thought it was because we'd get in their way while they were making breakfast and getting themselves ready for work but now I know better.
They creep around the house to make sure it isn't waiting for us.
We'd never be able to outrun it and neither would they but they can at least fight back.
It doesn't usually stick around but I just know that the one day they don't check, it'll be waiting for us.
And it was sawing the legs off all the living room furniture while I crouched halfway down the stairs, muffling my breath with my sleeves and hoping it was just looking around the room. I swear it kept glancing up at me but its eyes had so many tiny pupils that I couldn't properly tell.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when my older brother snuck up behind me and tapped my shoulder. "Just leave it be," he whispered, "That's just what it does and it's better to let have the chair legs than our own." and with that he pulled me by the hand back upstairs, checking behind us when he thought I wasn't paying attention.
I stayed in his room that night, huddled next to him, pestering him with a thousand questions while he just shushed me and said he'd tell me in the morning. That night it felt like the morning could never come and when it did I wish it hadn't.
For as long as I can remember, mum and dad have always gotten up before us and we weren't allowed out of our rooms until they came to get us. I thought it was because we'd get in their way while they were making breakfast and getting themselves ready for work but now I know better.
They creep around the house to make sure it isn't waiting for us.
We'd never be able to outrun it and neither would they but they can at least fight back.
It doesn't usually stick around but I just know that the one day they don't check, it'll be waiting for us.
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