Erin's story
..Underneath the lamp post,...
...In the middle of the night,...
...The bus makes a silent stop....
...A strange and fearful sight,...
...at the bus stop at your corner....
...Something big and green climbed down....
...It's looking for your bedroom,...
...and it has searched all over town. You...
...thought it couldn't find you,...
...That you were safe and you were sound....
...You thought you could hide,...
...where you never could be found. But now...
...it's almost here,...
...You know it loves, the dark of night....
...There's only one thing you can do,...
...Quick! Turn on the light!...
"Then boom!" I suddenly exclaimed, startling Eshal.
"Mom, you're scaring me!" she protested, looking up at me with wide, innocent eyes.
"You can't do that! I'm not going to believe in this stuff," Eshal said defiantly, crossing her arms.
"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked at her.
"Yeah, so try something new. And I'd prefer some tangible things over fictional ones," she replied, her tone carrying an air of maturity far beyond her years.
"So, you want something realistic?" I asked, leaning in closer.
"Yes," she affirmed with a nod.
"Do you know," I began softly, "that there are a lot of good and evil things around us? Do you believe in such feelings?"
"Mom, are you trying to say that ghosts exist?" Eshal asked, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"Maybe it's not a ghost... or maybe yes," I answered, my voice dropping to a whisper. "Or maybe it's something stronger than that, something beyond our understanding."
The room seemed to darken as I spoke, the atmosphere growing tense, almost as if the air itself had thickened. Eshal's eyes widened in fear, and she suddenly grasped my hand tightly.
"Mom, I'm scared," she whimpered, burying her face in my arm.
I quickly scooped her up into my warm embrace, holding her close. "Don't worry, baby. Your mom is here. No one is going to scare my baby."
Eshal clung to me, her small body trembling slightly as I gently rocked her back and forth. I could feel her heartbeat gradually slowing as she calmed down in my arms.
"Mom, what is that?" Eshal asked, her voice tinged with fear as she pointed toward the window.
I exhaled firmly, trying to stay calm. "It's something that doesn't belong to our world," I replied.
"Where do they live?" she asked, her curiosity piqued despite her fear.
"They're from hell," I answered, watching as her eyes widened.
"Hell?" she echoed, her small voice trembling slightly.
"Yes, hell," I confirmed, keeping my tone steady.
"But what do they want from us, Mom?" Eshal asked, her eyes searching mine for answers.
"They want us," I said slowly. "They want to destroy our humanity and our souls."
Eshal looked down, processing my words, but suddenly, her head snapped up, and she screamed, "Mom, someone is there!"
She pointed frantically to the window. The curtains were swaying gently in the breeze, and the window was slightly open. My heart skipped a beat, but I couldn't let her see my fear. I got up and walked over to the window, moving the curtain aside to look outside.
"See, there's no one there," I said, trying to sound reassuring. "It's just your imagination."
"No, Mom," Eshal insisted, her voice quivering. "I saw a black shadow with red eyes."
I sighed, trying to calm her down. I motioned for her to come closer. "Come here, sweetheart," I said, kneeling down to her level. "Look out the window again."
She hesitated but then came closer, peering out into the night. "Now see," I pointed out calmly, "those are just the lamp posts."
"But... I saw something moving. Lamps can't move," Eshal insisted, looking up at me with wide, fearful eyes.
I couldn't resist teasing her a little. "Oh, maybe it's a devil," I said playfully. "If you don't go to bed, he might take you with him."
"Mo'ma!" Eshal yelped, grabbing onto me tighter.
I laughed, lifting her into my arms. "I'm just kidding, honey. There's nothing to be scared of. As long as I'm here, no devil can hurt you."
I carried her upstairs, her small arms wrapped around my neck. As we reached her bedroom, I lay beside her, tucking her in.
"Mom, do devils really take souls?" she asked, her curiosity not yet satisfied.
"Yeah, that's what they do," I replied softly, trying to keep the conversation light.
Eshal hesitated before asking, "So, did the devil take my dad too?"
Her question made my heart skip a beat. For a moment, I just looked at her, my brave little girl who had been through so much already. The memory of that night, of Jack sacrifice, was still vivid in my mind. He had given everything to protect me, to keep me safe from the evil that had taken over our lives.
I leaned in and kissed her forehead gently. "No, sweetheart," I said, my voice soft but firm. "Your dad was a hero. He protected us from the devil. He's not gone because of some devil; he's gone because he loved us more than anything. And he made sure we would be safe."
Eshal nodded, though I could see the lingering sadness in her eyes. But then, as if on cue, her mood brightened. "Oh, I have to sleep now, or I won't be able to go to the airport to pick up Grandpa tomorrow!"
I stroked her hair gently, the soft strands slipping through my fingers as she gradually drifted off to sleep. Her breathing became steady, and I knew she was dreaming peacefully now.
Once she was fully asleep, I quietly slipped out of bed and went to the window. The night was still, but I could feel the remnants of something dark lingering in the air.