Summary

Eight-year-old Susie Briggs confronts her fear of monsters under the bed, only to discover a horrifying reality when her brother Pete goes missing.

Abstract

Susie Briggs, an eight-year-old girl, struggles with fear instilled by her brother Pete's tales of monsters lurking under her bed. Despite her parents' efforts to reassure her, Susie's anxiety peaks when she hears strange noises one night. Her father investigates and finds no monsters, but the night takes a terrifying turn when Pete's screams lead them to his ransacked room, with claw marks and blood everywhere, and Pete nowhere to be found.

Opinions

Pete's stories contribute to Susie's vivid imagination and fearful disposition.
Susie's parents, particularly her father, are portrayed as caring and reassuring figures.
The story plays on common childhood fears, such as monsters and the dark, to create a suspenseful atmosphere.
The author, Lori Carlson, effectively uses suspense and horror elements to engage the reader and deliver an unexpected twist.
The narrative suggests that sometimes, children's fears may be rooted in real dangers, subverting the typical 'it's just your imagination' trope.

FICTION

Under the Bed

Flash Fiction — Dark Tales Series

Eight-year-old Susie Briggs crawled into her pink Princess bed and slipped under her covers. She shivered, closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep, but her ten-year-old brother’s words kept echoing through her mind, just like every night.

“Don’t let your feet hang out of the covers, Susie. There are monsters under the bed and they will grab your feet, jerk you out of bed, drag you under the bed and eat you!”

Pete was like that though. Always scaring his little sister. Little men in light bulbs would be shocked if she turned on a light. An old hag lived in the fridge who turned the light on and off when the door was opened or closed and, if Susie opened the door too often, the hag would put a curse on her. There were even trolls under the bathtub. Susie’s dad tried his best to dispel these stories, but Susie lived a fearful life.

She closed her eyes tightly and gripped her teddy bear. Her breathing was shallow. Her heart raced. Finally, she did as her mom had told her. Deep breaths. In and out. In and out. She finally fell asleep.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Susie bolted awake. Her eyes widened as she looked around her dark bedroom. She noticed her feet. The covers were off. She jerked them back and threw the covers over them.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

She felt something tug at her covers. She was too late. The monster was coming for her.

Tap. Click. Tap. Click.

Susie pulled the covers up to her chin. The sound was coming from under the bed. She held her breath. Maybe if she didn’t breathe, it would go away.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The bed began rising and falling. Shaking, Susie curled her feet up to her chest.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The bed shook from side to side. Susie let out a shrilling scream and pulled the covers over her head.

“Susie? Susie?”

She heard her dad calling out to her. And then the door burst open.

“Susie? What’s the matter?”

Her dad was on the bed. His weight stopped it from shaking. He pulled the covers from off of Susie’s face.

“Bad dream?”

Susie shook her head. With a trembling finger, she pointed under her bed.

“Oh Susie, how many times must I tell you. It’s just a story Pete made up to scare you.”

Her dad smoothed back Susie’s long blond hair and pulled her into a hug.

“Will you check, daddy?” Susie sobbed.

Her dad laid Susie back down on the bed and stood up. “Of course, I will.”

Susie watched as her dad turned on the light, crouched down and searched under the bed.

“No monsters,” he said as he stood up and smiled at his young daughter.

Just as her dad went to turn the light back off, there was another loud scream. It was Pete. Susie jumped out of the bed and ran down the hall behind her dad. They burst into Pete’s room and her dad switched on the light. The bed was turned over. Clothes and toys were strewn all over the floor. Claw marks were etched into the wooden floor and across the walls. Blood was plastered across everything. And Pete… Pete was gone.

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Lori Carlson writes poetry, fiction, personal essays, creative non-fiction, and articles. She focuses on Spirituality, Life Lessons, Self-Awareness, Relationships, Mental Health, and LGBTQ+. She is the Owner/Editor of Promptly Written and Not For Bedtime Stories. You can find her older stories on her Medium Blog, Ravyne’s Nest.