An Anecdote about Achluphobia

She sat on her bed,

Her head in her hands.

Eyes bloodshot and tired,

Looked at the small clock.

4:47

Only three hours till sunrise.

That's what she hated about winter.

Not the cold,

Not that the earth seemed dead.

But that the darkness came out to play,

For so long.

The light above flickered.

It was a utilitarian light,

That shouldn't flicker.

No, the girl thought.

No, no, no. 

And the room was swamped in blackness.

Someone spilled their ink over her room.

She could hear her heart,

Thumping away, nervously.

Short.

Erratic.

Ga-thump.

Ga-thump.

Ga-thump.

Ga-thump.

Ga-thump. Ga-thump. Ga-thump.

Somewhere, something skittered.

Creepy crawlies crawled.

Animals scratched.

Dogs whined.

Her heart continued to beat rapidly.

She hummed her little tune to herself.

Told herself,

Under the covers

Nothing can hurt me.

Not in my same land of Nod.

Remembered her mothers words;

"You are not afraid of the dark, you are afraid of what you think

Waits for you in it. Everyone is afraid of fate, some just more than

Others."

The girl remembered that she could be strong,

She pulled the covers and went to sleep,

For the first time in a month, her dreams

Where full of peace.

A small glimmer of sunlight peeked through the window.

Glittering off the dazzling white snow.

And illuminated her 'friend' hiding under the bed.