RSS
Home
Things that go bump in the night...a wee tale!
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
When I was a little girl, my sisters and I looked forward to dressing up in homemade costumes that Mom sewed and trick or treating around the neighborhood. The best part was chocolate bars from Mr. Bosley and candy apples or hot cocoa from Mrs. Shinn's kitchen. Another family made up little decorative bags of candy corn and had a plastic ghost in the trees. As kids got near, at the pull of a string, it would pop out for a proper Halloween welcome. There were no worries, just a simple time of neighbors visiting and sharing and we were all safely home by 8PM.
One year in particular, we were all a little more excited than usual because we got to stay up late and watch "Haunted House on Haunted Hill" with Vincent Price. It was one of those scary movies from the 60's in classic black and white. We had plenty of candy and of course some jiffy pop popcorn made fresh on the stove. After the movie was over we told a few more ghost stories and finally everyone was off to bed.
Being the youngest of three girls, my two sisters had to have a little fun. They made spooky sounds and threw a curler across the room that landed right next to me. It served its purpose in startling me and after a few giggles we all finally fell asleep.
But later on that night I woke up to a big thud. Assuming it was my sisters I said, "OK you guys", in my biggest, bravest 6-year old voice, "I know it's you!" But they were fast asleep. I knew that because Laura always slept with one eye open and you can't fake that.
Just then I heard another thud and a groan. My little heart started to race as I thought of everyone in Haunted House on Haunted Hill disappearing when they wandered off on their own. And since we had soft drinks right before bedtime, I really had to venture off to the bathroom! The urge must have been greater than being scared because I found myself slipping out of bed and padding down the hallway.
Tonight the hallway seemed so much bigger and longer or I just felt that much smaller. Then something swooped by me, close enough to feel the wind rush past. Letting out with a tiny yelp, I swiftly locked myself in the bathroom…all alone, or so I thought. Inside, as my tired eyes were adjusting to the dim glow of our night-light, I relaxed and giggled at the silliness of it all. Then I heard it. Another thud, a squeal and then something cold brushed by my cheek. In a flash I was out of there running down the darkened hallway. As I scrambled back towards my room I ran smack into a huge monster!! Really! He let out with a big yell, which caused me to scream really loud!
Then to my surprise, the monster flipped on the lights. It was my Father! I had scared him half to death, not to mention how much he scared me. By this time Mom and my sisters were flipping on lights trying to find out what was going on. As we were catching our breath, I retold the story of our strange visitor! They all got a good laugh, convinced it was just a figment of my overactive imagination. Then as if in my defense, the scary thing appeared, swooped by me and made a kamikaze move towards Dad.
Pandemonium broke loose in the house as a misguided bat tried frantically to escape our home! Sisters were screaming, the dog was barking and Dad heroically grabbed a pillowcase. After much ado, he sacked the poor thing, took it outside and let it go into the chilly October night air. We closed the screen door tightly and vowed never to leave it wide open again, especially not on Halloween night!
A wee tale from my youth, but still a reminder that the Lord watches over us and walks with us in the valleys, the shadows and in the beautiful warming rays of the morning!
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you, the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
~ Psalm 121 ~
Related Articles:
Comments
