Chapter 179: The Monsters II
March 15. Spindlewood, Somerset
"Shhhhh... Back to bed, love. Mum and dad have visitors; we’re having a party. Promise you won’t come out. Promise you won’t make any noise? Promise to be a very good girl and behave? Promise?" Her mum said all too hurriedly than usual, but she did understand, Sam nodded.
"Okay. Back to bed. We might be noisy, but you won’t come out, right? You won’t come out no matter what? And you will sleep, right?" Lilian said, hurriedly pushing her back to the bedroom, checking her back repeatedly. Hearing footsteps approaching, she turned to her three-year-old. Her eyes wide, tears were flowing freely out of her eyes.
"You know what sweetie, why don’t you sleep under the bed? That’ll be fun, right?" She suggested, voice shaking but trying to remain calm in front of her daughter. "Yes?" She insisted, earning a confused nod from the three-year-old. Why not? She thought. She can sleep under the bed. Mum said it’ll be fun. So it must be fun.
"Now, mummy and daddy’s friends might be noisy. But you won’t come out like you promised, okay? And you’ll be very quiet too. You won’t say a word, right? Promise me." Her mum said, wiping the tears soaking her cheeks.
The three-year-old looked at her mother in confusion, but she nodded and said, "Promise."
Her mother looked at her very sternly, and she knew her mom was serious, "I will be cross, very cross, if you don’t keep your promise. Understand?" she stated firmly, lovingly touching her daughter’s cheeks with her shaking hand. She hurriedly urged her three-year-old under the bed. Even handing her favourite brown rabbit stuffed toy.
Lilian gave her one last look under the bed, "Promise?" She repeated firmly, her long finger placed on her lips in a gesture of silence. The three-year-old nodded and promised one more time by copying her mum’s gesture. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep after her mother left.
It felt like the young girl slept long already when her slumber was interrupted by the loud noises, banging, and screaming. And she felt a bit frightened. But mum said they’d be noisy and that she was supposed to be quiet and most of all she wasn’t supposed to go out.
Seconds later, she heard her bedroom door open loudly, slamming against the wall in full force. As if threatening to unhinge making Sam jump and she bit the whimper that almost passed her quivering lips.