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a new classic by Edward Summer |
here's
nothing under Ginger's bed, dope, just toys." Tony said. He had
a fleeting fantasy of stuffing Fred into a pillowcase and pushing it down
the laundry chute.
"Yes there is! I saw its eyes!" Fred sat upright in bed holding Teddy tightly. A blanket was pulled over both of them like an Indian teepee.
"It's probably the cat," Ginger said, peering toward the edge of her bed.
"Go look, Tony!" Fred started to slide further under the blanket.
Tony reconsidered. Even if it was stupid to check it out, it was better than having to go back to sleep right away. He let himself down from the top bunk with a thump.
Under the bed, Sniffler shuddered. Hide, he thought. Hide. Man smell. Fear smell. Images of angry men with sticks and torches flooded through his mind. Sniffler backed slowly toward the wall.
Tony dropped to his hands and knees.
Sniffler buried his head behind his stubbly forearms, but as he settled in, his eyes flicked out from behind a pile of dirty socks and sneakers.
Tony saw the glow and jumped back. His heart was pounding.
"There is something under your bed!" Tony whispered with surprise in his voice. It must be the cat, he thought. No. It was red light. Samantha has greeny-yellow eyes.
Tony felt around on the floor behind him. His hand closed onto the handle
of a baseball bat.
Reflexively, Ginger reached under his pillow and clutched at the nearest grey donkey ear. Then she leaned over the edge of the bed to look.
"Stay back!" Tony commanded like the guys in the movies. He thrust the baseball bat out in front of him.
"Gimme a break," Ginger scowled.
Tony began to test the air under the bed with the tip of the bat.
More fear smell! Sticks! Clubs! Sniffler crushed himself to the floor. He edged backward, trusting the shadows to hide him. Hate clubs! Hittting and pain. Sniffler wanted to lash out with his teeth, but the time had not yet come.
Tony poked the bat deeper. He pushed aside sneakers, socks, a bundle of dungarees, dishes from a three-week-old lunch.
Where go hide? Sniffler thought in panic. A dirty milk glass clattered over and rolled next to him. Sniffler stepped back with his hind legs. His left rear foot landed on a small rectangular box pushing a red button at one end.
With a mind-shattering yelp and the blazing glow of battery-powered red eyes, a mechanical puppy lurched forward. It waddled out step by step from under the bed dragging a wire behind it..
Sniffler froze. He was so startled by the toy's sudden movement, he kept his foot on the button of the remote-control unit.
Tony fell backward onto the floor. Fred disappeared completely under the blankets. Ginger jerked upright in bed.
Tony scowled. He grabbed the fuzzy toy dog and pulled it toward him, yanking the control box out from under Sniffler's foot. For a moment, the mechanical dog's feet walked in the empty air, its mouth opened and closed, it made little mechanical yips, and its red eyes blinked on and off. Then it stopped dead.
The room was quiet except for Tony's heavy breathing. Ginger started to giggle. Sheepishly, Fred peeked out from under his blankets.
Tony threw the dog onto Fred's bed.
"Next time," Tony said, "you go look!" He climbed up onto the top bunk making sure to step on Fred on the way.
"Ouch!" said Fred.
"Serves you right, scaredy cat!" Ginger said, settling down. She continued to giggle fitfully.
"Go to sleep!" Tony's mother called from the other room. "It's nearly midnight!"
"Yes, Mom!" Tony punched his pillow into shape, imagining that it was Fred.
Sniffler shivered. Safe. Safe. Fear smell gone. Clubs gone. Men gone. Safe. Quiet.
Dreams came and swept the children away. Ginger flew to a gingham garden, lovely and full of of rainbow flowers. Rose scent softly filled her sleep, and she sighed happily.
Tony climbed a hard, wet mountain. Ferocious winds tried to pry him from ledges, but his rope and climbing ax held him in place. He struggled onward, determined to reach the top of Everest.
Fred was the last to fall asleep. He felt silly and very small. They never listened to him. Tony probably pretended to find the toy dog just to spite him. Maybe there was a monster that no one but Teddy and he would ever see! Together, they would warn the world about it. Fred put Teddy carefully down on the edge of the pillow. They both lay on their backs, staring up at the bottom of Tony's bunk. Fred counted the creaks as Tony rolled over.
"G'night, Teddy," Fred whispered softly. Then he slid down into a soft dream of fighting monsters. He and Teddy fought side by side. They were invincible! Tony and Ginger applauded while Fred stood triumphant, twelve feet tall, a huge smile on his face.
Sounds of deep breathing crept into the shadow where Sniffler hid. Slower. Deeper. Louder. The children slept.
Safe, now. Safe. Sniffler sucked air into his fear-frozen nostrils. It made a wet gurgle as it carried new messages to his brain. Boy smells quiet. Girl smells quiet. Where is scent I search for? Where? There! There! It comes now.
His nostrils pulled him out into the bedroom. Sniffler's clawed feet picked a path among the toys. Across the room toward the window. No, not here. Turn left. More left. Here! Scent stronger! Smell of iron. Smell of glass. Smell of water. Smell of plants. Then…the special smell.
Sniffler
looked up at the terrarium. Sniffler's beady eyes snapped. His mouth and
nostrils drooled with expectation. So close, now!
Sniffler found a route and followed it. Up onto a chair. From there to the top of the dresser. Across the dresser.
Now. Here. Sniffler looked down through the glass top of the terrarium. Through the moisture that dripped from the glass lid. Past the plant leaves. Into the pool of water. He stared hotly at his prize.
A drop of water fell next to the frog. The green body turned in the water, followed its bulbous eyes toward the red glow.
The frog stared up at the Sniffler.
"So the time has come at last," the frog said in deep watery tones that bubbled up from beneath the tiny terrarium pond.
Sniffler exhaled deeply. His lips curled back from his hypodermic needle teeth. He reached out a paw and pushed on the terrarium lid.
The glass made a soft scraping sound which was just enough to disturb Teddy.
The bear, who was not asleep at all, had been pondering the events of the
day. He wondered when, if ever, Tony would stop picking on Fred. He was
telling himself that all things would pass. Then he heard the noise.
Rolling over on his side, Teddy saw the red glow immediately, but he could barely see the black Sniffler in the thick shadows. Then the glow reflected off the shiny terrarium lid onto Sniffler's teeth. Teddy had never seen teeth so sharp before.
What is going on? Teddy was worried. As he heard a splashing sound, his vision began to clear on the strange tableau. A small black creature was reaching a clawed arm into the terrarium trying to catch the frog!
The frog jumped desperately away. Water sloshed everywhere! The frog's body slammed against the glass. Claws flashed!
Sniffler grabbed. Grabbed again. The frog hopped back into the small pool of water, then out into the plants again. The Sniffler growled and drooled..
With a low moan, Fred rolled over in his sleep. He placed an arm over Teddy's face.
Oh, not now! Teddy was upset. How will I see what's going on?
But the boy's moan startled the Sniffler. He froze in fear. The frog found a corner behind a rock and wedged himself in. The room grew deathly still.
Fred's breathing deepened once again. Sniffler's courage began to return. He made some strange rude noises.
The frog made a low, croaking sound in reply. Its air sac ballooned out in a slow quiver.
Teddy struggled to peer over Fred's arm.
"No." croaked the frog. "I do not have it yet."
Sniffler made more strange noises.
"Fear of my own death will not stop me this time," the frog answered. "How will it help to kill me? Tell your master to remember the curse. 'Woe to he who possesses it first!' I am held back by the same curse."
Sniffler gurgled.
"I don't know," the frog replied. "but if we are here together she must be near! It was foretold."
Teddy's brown glass eyes were open as wide as his cotton brows would allow. His worn brown ears strained to hear.
"Tell him," continued the frog, "that there is no sense in prolonging this. He cannot avoid the confrontation. He cannot."
Sniffler growled with disdain.
"Tell Reon that this time one of us will find it! There is no doubt! The conditions are fulfilled."
A drooling growl. Sniffler fidgeted, clattering his claws on the glass.
"How do I know? I cannot help knowing. It is our curse. 'He who knows you not will call you forth,'" the frog croaked. "Go away, Sniffler. It is not for you to kill me. Reon must face me himself. Tell him. Tell him! This is the last time."
Sniffler hung his face over the edge of the terrarium. His spittle dripped into the pool of water. Then he snorted and suddenly turned away.
Like a shadow into a shadow, Sniffler disappeared. Teddy tried to watch where he went, but could see nothing.
"This is the last time! The very last time!" the frog called into the darkness.
A cold wind blew in from the ocean. It sent a chill through the bedroom, then carried the frog's words out into the night toward the farthest reaches of the seven seas.
The children shivered in their dreams, then settled deeper into sleep,
as Teddy watched over them quietly.
©1981, 1996. 1997, 2006 Edward Summer, All Rights Reserved Teefr (R) (TM) Reon (TM) and other character names are registered Trademarks or pending.
