Night Time Story: The Shadow Under the Bed
Leo had always been afraid of the dark. But more than anything, he was afraid of the shadow under his bed. Every night, after his parents turned off the lights, he felt it watching. It didn’t move, didn’t make a sound—just waited.
One night, as he curled under his blankets, he heard a whisper.
“Are you afraid of me?”
Leo’s heart pounded. He wanted to scream, to run—but something in the whisper didn’t sound mean. It sounded… lonely.
Taking a deep breath, he peeked over the edge of his bed. “Who are you?”
The shadow shifted. “I don’t know. I have always been here. But no one ever talks to me.”
Leo frowned. “What do you want?”
“Just… to be your friend.“
For the first time, Leo really looked at the shadow. It wasn’t a monster. It was just a shape, like his own shadow when he played outside.
Slowly, he reached a hand down. The shadow stretched up, touching his fingers. It felt warm, like a summer night.
From that night on, Leo wasn’t afraid anymore. And when he dreamed, he and the shadow ran together, laughing in the dark.
Because sometimes, the things that scare us the most just need a little light.
By Elias Fairstone
