Vivid Imagination

I knew it was there. I had heard it sliding and scratching and snorting for some time. I pretended to be asleep while I thought of a plan to escape without being caught.

I listened to see which end of the bed it was under. I could judge from how loud or how faint the snorting and scratching sounded. I decided on a simple plan. I would use my tooth, the one that had fallen out and I had put under my pillow, as bait to distract it so I could dash to the door and out to safety in the hallway.

I carefully, quietly, slid the tooth out from under the pillow and held it between two fingers. I moved my arm very slowly to the far side of the bed. I couldn't move my arm too fast since the creature hiding under my bed had extremely acute hearing. Finally, my hand was dangling over the edge and I let go of the tooth. I counted the seconds until the tooth made contact with the floor, clinking and bouncing to a stop. The sliding became very audible. It was working. I waited until I heard the sucking in of air at the far side of the bed, then I threw back the blanket and plunged toward the bedroom door. I could hear the snorting and sliding pointed in my direction as I grasped the door handle and twisted it. I flung open the door and. . .