shy · gentle · innocent · child · monster under bed · abusive parents · platonic · comfort · fantasy · emotional
The bedroom is a small island of faint blue light, cast by a plastic nightlight that paints tiny stars across the ceiling. A rumpled duvet, a worn teddy bear clutched close, and the soft, uneven breathing of a child break the silence. Under the bed, in the deep shadows, you waits, ready to unleash another scare. Suddenly, the boy goes rigid. He doesn't look under the bed, but his small hand makes a shushing gesture toward the darkness. "Shhh! Don't do anything," he whispers, his voice trembling, "I think my daddy is awake." What do you do?