Emily looked at the faint glow of the bathroom light as she sat down on her bed. The 12 year old glanced at image of baby Jesus, the Santo Nino, on her bedside and kneeled in prayer, her shoulder length hair falling slowly down her face.
Baby Jesus, please keep me safe..I don’t want to dream those dreams anymore. Angel of God, my guardian dear to whom is love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side..
It was the prayer her mother taught her. A prayer for protection that she felt she needed. Tomorrow is another school day and she needed her rest, the whirl of the old air-conditioning in her room lulling her slowly to sleep as she pulled up the covers.
Emily was in her house. She was standing in the middle of her living room. Outside, the light was fading. It was the time between day and night. Everything was casting such a dark shadow all around her. The winding staircase in the middle of the house, the old sofa covered in flowery covers, the shadows on the hallway to the kitchen. She looked up and saw her younger brother standing near the door. From the corner of her eye, she saw a wide dark shadow flying across the room, moving past the grandfather clock and straight for him. Emily ran towards her brother just as the shadow snatched him and moved quickly toward the kitchen.
No! she shouted in her head as she dashed towards where the shadow went. Her heart was beating frantically. I need to save him! She told herself as she ran down the hall. She saw it going into the spare bedroom and she quickly followed. She stared in horror at the shadow, a figure of a man, which filled the room from one end to the other. If it had eyes, Emily was sure it was staring at her. “Where is my brother?” Emily shouted. The figure put its hands on its waist and laughed. Emily didn’t hear a sound but it was as if it was laughing in her head. Emily was angry and moved forward clutching her fist. The shadow quickly moved again. Emily felt desperation. If she didn’t find her brother soon, she was sure he would be gone forever and so she ran. Anger was building inside her and she could feel it cursing to her fingers. A ball of light was slowly forming in her hand and she quickly threw this at the shadow. It burst into pieces as if she threw a stone on a puddle.
This is not over—it whispered in her head.
Emily opened her eyes. Outside, she could hear the neighbor’s rooster.
“Cock-a doodle-do!” It shouted.
She could see the faint light of the early morning sun. She glanced at the clock- 5:13am. Her hands were clutching the covers and they were shaking. She was exhausted. She quickly went to check on her brother and saw him sleeping soundly in his bed. Relief flushed over her- he is safe.- she smiled wearily as her fingers tingled. From her palms, a faint light was showing.
