Clutched in little Davey’s arms, Teddy pretended to
sleep. It was the dangerous time
of night when nasty things took shadows from the walls to wear and
insinuate themselves into Davey’s slumbering world.
Teddy had one button eye open, studying the corner of the
room opposite the window. A pile
of storybooks was stacked on the table beside the rocking chair. A blanket was tossed over its
back. The moonlight melded all of
these things together into a strange dragon shape on the wall.
“Why do they always leave the curtains open?” Teddy
thought. “The creatures won’t be
able to resist that.” It was
true. The shadow was menacing
indeed. It was also true that the
creatures couldn’t resist it.
The shadow started to move. It drew itself out dramatically, slowly wrapping itself,
serpent-like, around Davey’s bed.
Never beaten, Teddy sprang to action with the confidence of
a nightlight.
