BEDTIME STORIES
Prudence trembled beneath her blankets as Father’s tale came to a close. “And that,” he said as he locked his eyes onto her own, wide open in terror as they were, “is why you don’t talk to the pink demons.”
“I... I didn’t...” no, it couldn’t be true, could it? She was a good girl. Mother always said so. But then she’d come home from school and mentioned that there had been a monster on the playground during recess. Nobody knew where it had come from, but it was clumsy and awkward and told them they were going to die if they didn’t ‘upload,’ whatever that meant, and they’d hit it with sticks until it fell apart. Prudence had never seen anyone as angry as Mother had been when she’d breathlessly related the tale to her this afternoon.
“You’re a good girl,” said Father, and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. He smelled like his workshop, like oak and sawdust and safety. “Not like Charity. So you won’t talk to any of these ‘Pinkie’ creatures, will you?”
“No, Father.” After hearing that? She wouldn’t dream of it. “Will... would you check my closet for monsters?”
The stout, steady bear of a man allowed himself a small chuckle. Prudence was a good girl, and he would keep her safe from all the monsters. The imaginary ones living in her closet were far simpler to deal with than the real ones. “Of course I will. Then you’ll go to sleep?” At Prudence’s nod he walked over to the closet and opened the door. Of course, there was nothing but her wardrobe hanging there, but he made a show of checking every crevice. “Goodnight, sweetie.”
The candle’s flame went out, and Prudence was left there trembling in the darkness as Father went off to join Mother in the master bedroom. How could Charity have been so gullible? So selfish? Prudence wasn’t like that. She wouldn’t fall for such an obvious trick.
Then the whimpering in her closet started.
Prudence steeled herself. She had to be strong for her friend. Her friend who held off the monsters every night but couldn’t bring herself to show up when Father or Mother went to look. That was probably why they thought she was imaginary. She got out of bed and tiptoed over to the closet, careful to avoid the treacherous floorboard that would give her away to the rest of the family. The door creaked as it opened.
There, trembling in the moonlight, was the little yellow horse she’d befriended over the last few months.
It looked up at her and winced. “Oh, I’m sorry Prudence,” she said, “that story was just so scary.”
Prudence smiled despite herself. For whatever reason, she found it easiest to be brave and not let the idea that there was a giant monster out there waiting to eat her right up when she had to comfort her unusual friend. The friend who was so unlike those ‘Pinkies’ that Father had warned her about. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” she whispered. Just those few words made the little yellow horse visibly relax. She stepped back to beckon her out, and Fluttershy acquiesced. “Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?”
“Oh!” The little yellow horse seemed thrown by her offer. “I couldn’t. I mean, I wouldn’t want to impose...”
“It’s okay,” said Prudence, “you promise to protect me from the other monsters, right?”
“I... I’ll try...” Fluttershy screwed up her face, “No. I will. I’ll keep you safe from those nasty Pinkie... things.”
“I know you will.” Together, the two of them walked back to Prudence’s bed. Prudence miscalculated her steps in the dark and winced as she stepped on the floorboard she was trying to avoid. But no noise came of it. The two of them climbed into bed together. Fluttershy draped a foreleg over her and she was safe. Safe from the monsters and the demons. Sleep was creeping up on her, well earned after a long day. “Fluttershy?” Her voice was weak and trailed off, but she could beat back the encroaching weariness for just a few more moments.
“Mmhmm?” From the sound of it, Fluttershy was as exhausted as she was. Prudence hoped she wouldn’t mind the indulgence she was about to request.
“Tell me again about the world where there aren’t any monsters.”