A Night to Remember

I had a dream. It was a dream where all my teeth fall out. It was terrible. I couldn't speak properly. I sounded like a baby mumbling. That dream was scary enough that it jerked me awake. And I was relieved that it was just a dream.

I walked out of my room to the kitchen to have a cup of water. I didn't feel sleepy so I went out to the house and sat in our garden.

It was cold outside and the winds were caressing my face. It carried along with him some pollens which caused me to sneeze but soon afterward, I smelled something terrible. It smelled like a dead carcass.

I pinched my nose and went back to the house. I sunk myself into bed and closed my eyes to get back my sleep. I tried to touch my tooth with my tongue and regretted it when the pain hit me.

"Ashley?"

I opened my eyes to see my little sisters standing at my door, hugging her teddy bear tightly in her embrace.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Are you having a nightmare as well?" asked Taylor. "Because I see that you are struggling in your sleep."

"Oh, it's just the toothache. It's been very painful lately."

"Can I sleep next to you. I am scared to sleep alone."

"Do you have a nightmare?"

Taylor nodded.

"The shadows. I am scared of the shadows."

I patted on my bed to ask her to come on.

"Come on, we will sleep together tonight."

Taylor's face lighted up and she came up beside me on the bed. We hugged each other and without being aware, we have fallen asleep.

The next day came and the town was noisier than usual.

I was holding my sister's hand as we walked through the market to accompany my mother buying groceries while my mother was holding mine, tightly.

Everyone had an ashen looked on their face. Even Mother.

Taylor seemed to be disturbed by the atmosphere.

"Mom, why is everyone looking so sad today?" asked her.

"Shh, don't ask anything, Taylor, or else the monster will come and get you."

"Is it that time again?" whispered a man.

"No, it can't be. It's too soon. We haven't prepared enough…"

"Is that why they took the child?"

"Oh God, just how greedy this demon is…"

"We better call for help…."

"But, you know the last time we did… it didn't end well."

"Ya…."

"I'm sick of it. I'm sick of living in constant terror."

Their words came into my ears and I couldn't help but feel unease at the current atmosphere. What are the villagers all talking about? A monster? I don't understand. But mother wouldn't tell me anything and she was gripping my hand tightly. Sometimes, I could hear her mumbling a prayer for safety.

We came home a bit restless. My mother wouldn't speak as much but she was clearly anxious. Her anxiety made both of us anxious as well.

Then, a knock came on the door.

It was already night and it was a bit peculiar for someone to visit us in the middle of the night.

My mother jumped up at the sound of the knock and darted a look at the two of us.

"Ashley and Taylor, would you two please go to your bedroom. And please don't come out no matter what happens."

"Mother, what's wrong?" asked Taylor.

I sensed something was terribly wrong and I knew that now was not the time to be questioning mother. Her face had turned pale.

"Let's hurry, Taylor. Let's go to bed." I grabbed her arms and pulled her with me.

"Ashley, what is happening?"

I shook my head. "I don't know."

We went to our bedroom and mother locking the door.

Taylor came and hugged me.

"Ashley, I am scared."

"Me too, me too."

Just what was going to happen. I have no idea. But something bad is definitely going on.

From the doors, I could hear the conversation of a man between my mother but I couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Psst…." Came a sound from the windows.

It shook the two of us that our hair all erected and goosebumps formed all over the body. The sound was so soft and at the same time creepy.

"Psst, hey….." there it went again. The mysterious sound calling us from the window. Our back was facing the window so we didn't know who was it that was calling out to us. But from the shadows of we could make out of a silhouette.

Taylor had her head buried into my embrace. And I was stiff. Blood started to drain from my face. Then, my tooth started to ache. It was unbearable. Like a person drilling its hand into my skull. I squeeze my eyes hoping that it would squeeze the pain away. Tears started dripping from my eyes due to the pain.

"Psst, Psst, hey….."

Then, I started hearing the mysterious voice knocking on the window.

"Ashley," Taylor started whispering to me. "This…this…is the same voice I heard in my dream last night."

Oh no, I said to myself.

"Don't worry, Taylor. Sister is with you. We are going to be okay."

I closed my eyes and begin to pray.

"Psst, psst, hey….. yoohoo," said the voice. "Two little darlings….."

Then it knocked on the window again. Three knocks.

Go away, go away. Please go away. What do you want from us?

"I just want to play. Can't you and your sister play with me," said the voice. "Would you open the window so that I can play with you guys. Pretty please."

No. Go away!

A series of footsteps was heard approaching the door.

"Tch!" said the voice and it went quiet and the silhouette disappeared.

The doorknob was turned and I saw the chief village was in front of us. Mother was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, you girls, come and follow us," demanded the chief villagers.

We were scared stiff that I could stand up and my hand wouldn't let go of my sister.

"What's wrong, hurry up!" shouted the chief. There was a sense of urgency in his voice.

We managed to walk up and follow him out. In the living room, I saw my mother was sitting with her hands on her face.

"Mother?" asked Taylor.

Mother was crying.

"What's happening," I asked the chief.

"Don't ask questions!" shouted the chief.

"Why is mother crying?" asked Taylor.

The chief didn't respond and asked us to follow him.

"They are going to get you, little girls," said the mysterious voice. "You have to