Scared of the Dark · 29 April 2010
int.house.night
It is pitch black. As the title and credits go by, there is the rustle of sheets and a grunt or two that could be a person snoring, an animal readjusting, or a monster breathing.
Danielle
(screaming at the top of her lungs)
DADDY!
A grunt is heard through the door as MOMMY pushes DADDY out of bed. Danielle is hyperventilating but is trying to keep quiet. The only other sound is that of Daddy coming to Danielle’s room. Even though it is still dark, you can tell that he steps on a squeeky toy, then a sharp toy, and consequently hits his knee on a table in the hall. He can be heard fumbling his way down a corridor he knows well, but which has thrown him off due to obstacles that injured his foot.
daddy
(short screech)
Ouch!
(mumble)
Doggone toys.
The door opens and a night light throws a soft light onto a child’s bedroom. There are mobiles and toys and such around the room. Danielle is underneath the covers shaking.
DANIELLE
(muffled a bit from being under the covers)
Daddy?
DADDY
(very tired)
What is it, baby?
DANIELLE
(still muffled a bit from being under the covers)
There are monstews in my woom. Can you get wid of them?
Daddy sighs but knows the routine. Instead of trying to convince Danielle that there are no monsters, he will shine lights under the bed and into the closet to make sure that the monsters are gone. After all, they do not like light.
DADDY
(a little less tired because he is waking up slightly)
Okay. Are you ready for the lights?
DANIELLE
(tentatively)
Yes.
Danielle slowly pulls off the covers and watches carefully as Daddy gets ready to switch on the lights. He turns them on and grabs a small flashlight from Danielle’s dresser. This has happened before. He turns the flashlight on but no light shines. He points it in his eyes and shakes the flashlight and suddenly it turns on. It is fairly dim but he blinks as the light gets him right in his eyes.
DADDY
(sleepily but boldly with the false bravado fathers save for their children)
Okay. Let’s see what monsters are under your bed.
Danielle peers over the bed a little apprehensive but wants to see her brave Daddy in action. Daddy shines the lights under the bed. He sees what appears to be several monsters. He rubs his eyes in disbelief but when he is done, the monsters are still there.
DADDY
(rattled)
Let’s see what monsters are in your closet.
DANIELLE
(boldly)
Go get ‘em Daddy.
DADDY
(not so boldly)
Yeah. Let’s see what’s in here.
Daddy opens the closet slowly and points the flashlight into the closet. He sees monsters there too. He quickly closes the door so that Danielle cannot see. But she has.
DANIELLE
(vindicated)
See! There awe monstews! Shine the wight on them and make them go away!
DADDY
(more rattled than before)
Okay…
He gets ready to open the door and shine the flashlight that has become puny in his eyes. He gulps hard.
DANIELLE
(boldly)
Not that fwashwight! This one!
Danielle is on the ground next to her dad. She is holding a flashlight almost as big as she is in both hands. She also has on a welder’s visor (in the up position) and a pair of dark sunglasses.
DANIELLE
Take my sungwasses and when I say so, open the doow.
DADDY
(almost whimpering)
Okay.
Daddy takes the sunglasses from Danielle’s eyes and puts them on. He grabs the closet door handle tentatively. Danielle shakes her head and the visor comes down in front of her face.
DANIELLE
(muffled from the visor)
Weady?
Daddy nods weakly. He gulps hard.
DANIELLE
Open the doow.
Daddy opens the door as Danielle turns on the flashlight which she has pointed at the door. A blinding light is shone on the monsters. Hisses and steam come from the closet. Danielle then turns toward the bed. Daddy looks into the closet over his glasses and then goes to the bed and pulls up the covers. Steam and hisses come from under the bed as well. Danielle turns off the light and takes off her visor. Daddy hands back the sunglasses into her outstretched hand.
DANIELLE
(sleepily)
Thank you Daddy.
DADDY
(somewhat dazed)
You’re welcome.
Daddy turns off the light as he slowly walks out the door. He ponders what went on. As he closes the door behind him, he hears easy breathing from his child who has apparently already fallen asleep. The light from the night light gets less as he closes the door. It becomes dark again as he closes the door all the way. He shuffles back to his own bedroom. He steps on the squeaky toy again but not the sharp one. He gets back into bed and hears a small grunt from his wife beside him.
A louder grunting animal noise can be heard as Daddy’s breathing just starts to settle into sleep. It gets louder and Daddy’s breathing can be heard to sound like it is starting to hyperventilate.
DADDY
(scared)
Danielle! Bring the light!
A click is heard. Then a door opens. As the door opens, a bright like can be seen to overtake the scene. When the door is all the way open, everything is white light.
© 2010 Michael T. Miyoshi
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