Categories > Original > Mystery > A Bedtime Story

Chapter 2

by ChuChu101 0 reviews

A mysterious little drabble about a girl named Emma who's been having nightmares for days... but what makes her suddenly go to bed one night? NOT a one-shot. I'm going to make it into a chapter sto...

Category: Mystery - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Drama, Fantasy - Published: 2006-10-17 - Updated: 2006-10-17 - 1346 words

0Unrated
A Bedtime Story

Chapter 2

By ChuChu101

A/N: I really hope you guys enjoy this! I'm trying to do my best, but it's HARD thinking of what to write next!


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I can still remember those last tragic moments clearly in my mind. It makes me think and wonder why it happened to my mother, of all people... but I guess that's how life works. You have your good moments and then... you have your bad moments.

When the incident occurred, I was too shocked for words. All I thought was, "How could this be?" It was as if a part of my own heart been had ripped out, leaving an empty feeling of sadness.

I will never forget those last horrific events on the day of October 3. Heh. It almost makes me laugh at just how little I knew back then... I had no idea about ANY of it! ...at all.

I was with my mother, Flora Carter, and we were walking along in the park in the middle of a breezy autumn day. Linking my left arm around my mother's, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

"It's so peaceful here," I exclaimed quietly, opening my eyes again to gaze in wonder at my surroundings.

Mom and I had been walking along a wide, smooth dirt path with endless amounts of trees surrounding us on either side. Beautiful it was, all the fall-colored leaves, the different shades and hues dancing in my eyes.

"It is, isn't it?" Mom sighed happily.

I turned my head to look at her face. My eyes wandered for a bit, studying her. She seemed so... calm... and distant, too, like she was lost in her own thoughts and dreams.

This only made me smile. I hadn't seen my mother have such a deep, serene sense about her in a long while.

"What was it that made her so special to me?" I asked myself. As I recall these memories, I see that I never needed to ask that question. No person ever SHOULD wonder why their mothers are special to them.

My mother was the one person that I just couldn't have imagined living without. I looked up to her and admired my mom. Mother wasn't perfect... no one is, but she was the closest thing I knew to it.

During my childhood, Mom would teach me things and answer my questions the best she could. Of course, if I ever did something bad when I knew I wasn't supposed to, she would scold me and tell me not to do it again. As a little girl, I didn't always listen to her, but that didn't come as a surprise. I was still a child then.

Sleep came to me easily; for I would be tucked in bed, warm and cozy while listening to my mother tell me stories and tales about princesses and dragons, fairies and wizards, magical lands and mythical creatures... but before I would know it, it would be time to go to school in the morning again.

One thing that I remember to this day, was the much peaceful lullaby Mother sang to me each night. I can just hear her soft, yet strong voice still:

Within the woodlands, flow'ry gladed,
By the oak trees' mossy moot;
The shining grass blades, timber shaded,
Now do quiver under foot;
And birds do whistle overhead,
And water's bubbling in its bed;
And there for me,
The apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

"Jenny, dear..."

"Yeah, Mom?" I grinned, the song's tune still playing itself in my head again and again.

"Let's sit down," she said, nodding her head to a park's wooden bench nearby, "I'd like to take a rest for a bit."

"Sure!"

Hardly any noise escaped our lips. As we sat down, the howling wind whistled by, whipping my hair against my face and bringing a rainbow of reds, oranges, yellow, and browns sweeping past us. The fallen leaves traveled in the wind with no destination in mind, but just only to where the wind took them.

"Do you remember when you were just a little girl, Jenny, and I would take you to the playground and push you on the swing?"

I smiled, "Yes, of course."

Her face lightened up and Mother threw her head back, slapped her knee, and laughed heartily, "Ha-ha! You would be going so high, holding onto the ropes tightly, and yet, you always shouted back to me, 'Higher!' It just wasn't ever high enough for you! Oh no, never high enough for my Jenny...!"

She sighed and turned her head to see my face staring at her blissfully, my hazel eyes looking into her.

"Mom? Will you sing me the lullaby again? You know, the one you always sang to me before I went to bed when I was little." I waited in hope.

"Why sure, honey!"

My broad smile widened as her voice pierced the air.

"Within the woodlands, flow'ry gladed,
By the oak trees' mossy moot;
The shining grass blades, timber shaded,
Now do quiver under foot;"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and sang the next few lines loudly and with more volume.

"And birds do whistle overhead,
And water's bubbling in its bed;"

I joined in with her, singing the words from memory. Both of our voices put together became one as we sang.

"And there for me,
The apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea."

I could see her breath in the cold air. It disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Mother and I had started singing the rest of the song, remembering the words by heart.

"Let other folk make money faster;
In the air of darkened towns;
I don't dread a peevish master.
Though no man may heed my frowns
I be free to go abroad,
Or take again my home-ward road,
To where, for me,
The apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea."

We finished at the same time, holding that last note for as long as our voices would let us. Again, my grin came around, this time even laughing a bit.

"Now," I thought.

"Mom," I started.

"Yes, dear?"

"Here," I pulled out of my wool coat pocket a small, luscious blue box wrapped in a grey-blue and sparkling ribbon, "this is for you. Happy birthday, Mom!"

Mother brought her hand up to her mouth, not sure what to say at that moment, but then, she just shook her head and told me, "Oh, Jenny! You didn't need to get me a gift, really. Turning 65 years old isn't something I particularly enjoy celebrating."

My eyebrows furrowed together with worry.

"...but thank you, anyway, honey! I really appreciate it."

I watched in anticipation as she pulled the ribbon's knots out and let it fall to the ground slowly. She opened the lid, removed the tissue paper, and gasped.

"Oh! Jenny, they're beautiful!" Mother said as she lifted a pair of sapphire earrings, its beauty only growing more when she held them up to the light. Then, when she put them on, I exclaimed, "Oh, Mom! You look gorgeous! Just gorgeous!"

Mother turned to me with a great big bear hug, "Thank you so much, Jenny! I love you! You're the best daughter anyone can have!"

I blushed and grinned sheepishly, "You're the best mom anyone can have!"

We started walking along the path home, content with the day's events. That's when I noticed something different. In the distance was a shadowed figure walking. Just... walking, but with each step the person took, it brought him/her closer to us. I didn't make much of it. It was a public park after all, but when I looked back at my mother, that's when I realized something was wrong.

In her eyes was only one thing... pure terror and fright.


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A/N: I know, not much horror, but this was only the start so as to settle you guys in for what's coming up next. Please review! Sorry for the wait!
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