Under the Bed
I can't sleep. I keep tossing and turning in bed because I just know he's there. Every night, I stick to a routine that's mostly normal. Brush my teeth, wash my face, put on my pajamas, and check the monster under my bed. Many years have passed since he decided to move in, but I still haven't gotten used to him. He's like a roommate in a way, one that could eat you at any given moment. I will admit that he is pretty amicable but that doesn't mean I trust him. All my friends tell me that he's just an innocent monster and that I should be more hospitable to him, but that's pure nonsense. Anyways, I finally decide to check on him. I lean my head over the bed and when I peer at the space under, I see nothing. He's probably hiding again which I don't really understand. I should be the one hiding from him.
I can hear the child and I realize she's coming to check on me. I scurry into my dark corner so she won't see me. I've found it best not to show my face when it's her bedtime. She's an irritable human but especially fussy around bedtime. My friends ask me why I haven’t just found a new home when my current environment can be a bit hostile. They’re not wrong about the hostile part but it’s difficult to explain. I feel a sense of responsibility for this child as if I am a guardian that needs to protect her at night. Besides, she hasn’t evicted me yet so I see no reason to leave until that happens. I realize the sound of her moving around the bed has been replaced with her steady breathing. I crawl out from the floor and see her face in a peaceful rest. It’s not often that I can look at her without getting a scowl in return. Knowing that she’s finally fallen asleep, I retreat to my place under the bed and now I can sleep.
Umme Khan is trying to become friends with the monster under her own bed. Although, it's not going too well at the moment.