Chapter Text
Imogen couldn’t sleep. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t. She curled her little fists into the blankets over her chest as she felt her heart beating beneath it, loud and constant. Thump thump thump thump.
There was another flash behind her curtains and she gasped a little breath and shut her eyes tight until she heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. It was getting louder. Loud enough to rattle her windows in a low hum. She hated thunder.
Mostly cause she didn’t understand it. How could it be so loud and so bright? Where did it come from? Where did it go off to? How hot was it to the touch? Papa told her she was too old to be afraid of it. That 7 year olds shouldn’t be afraid of anything anymore. But on nights like this, it couldn’t be helped.
She was stuck here, chasing sleep and trying to hide deeper and deeper under her blankets. Breathing in and out in a sharp exhale every time the light bolted and cast strange shadows over the room.
But then there was a different sound, different from the rumbling and the thumping of her heart and the tight little breaths that escaped her. Something hard to describe but maybe... a shift? Or a sigh. Her eyes shot open and she looked around for the source.
The door was still closed, the chair hadn’t moved, the furniture was all where it had been. Nothing out of the ordinary, but she was positive that it was... different somehow.
“Hello?” She said to the room. She wasn’t expecting a response, or maybe she was. But she wasn’t expecting it to come in the form of a cheery-
“Hello to you too.”
From under her bed.
She peeped a small squeak, and tightened her hold on her sheets curling her legs up, ready to spring.
“Sorry! Sorry! I think I must’ve scared you.” Said the same voice, and now hearing it again, and knowing to expect it, she realized… it didn’t sound all that scary. It sounded like another young girl. Maybe around her own age.
“N-no. Not scared.” Imogen said, recovering her ground and uncurling slowly. “Just surprised is all.”
“Well that’s good. I usually end up scaring and upsetting people, and rarely ever mean to do either.” The voice said with unmistakable relief.
“Probably cause they ain’t expectin’ ya to be under their beds.” Imogen said, peering over the edge of her mattress to look down at the floor. It looked like floor, nothing odd.
“Probably… but I never mean to be. It just sort of… happens.” The voice said, sounding thoughtful.
“Happens?” Imogen asked, genuinely curious.
“Yeah, I go to bed in my room and wake up… here. Or sometimes in other places. But always under beds. Always in the dark.” The voice said, sounding unsure. Like she knew what she was saying to be true but not why. “And people seem to be afraid of the dark.”
“Well… not me.” Imogen said, trying to sound strong. She was beginning to realize that this voice sounded kinda… sad. She didn’t think that they should be. “I ain’t afraid of much, papa says 7 is too old to be afraid.”
As she said that another bolt of lightning decided to flash behind her curtains and give her a little jumpstart. She rocked in her spot and reclutched the fabric of her sheets. The voice seemed to notice.
“Are you alright?” They asked, sounding more worried than judgmental.
“Y-yeah, just startled me.” She said trying to regain her composure. She didn’t want the voice to think she was silly, especially after her big attempt at bravery.
“Are you… startled often by lightning?”
“I… I don’t know, I suppose so.” Imogen sighed curling her knees up to her chest. “It’s just- it’s really bright and out of nowhere, then you know it’s going to be loud but not when, and then it just keeps happening.” She said with an exasperated wave of the hand.
“That makes sense. It really is a bother.” The voice agreed. “But… maybe one day you wont mind it so much.”
“Maybe…” Imogen said softly, leaning her head over her arms and letting a quiet settle in the room. The voice was oddly helpful for a stranger under her bed. And she felt… comfortable around them.
“I don’t think 7 is too old to be afraid of things.” The voice said after some time, breaking the silence that had settled. “I’m 7 and I’m still scared of lots of things. Do you want to know one?” The voice asked with a sly, conspiratorial tone. Like a great secret was being shared.
“I-I guess so.”
“I’m afraid of choking on my steak.” She said proudly and Imogen couldn’t help but to chuckle, completely caught off guard.
“What?! That’s your big fear?” She asked, hearing her giddy laugh from under the bed.
“Yes. I almost did once when we having dinner. I was just so hungry and my parents said, slow down and chew your food, and I followed their advice just a bit too late. My father had to slap me on the back and pick me up and shake me. I was practically blue in the face.” She said, a surprisingly cheery tone for someone recounting a near death experience. “But it worked ya know? Being scared of that I now think to chew my food a lot slower. All night if I have to.”
“I didn’t know monsters under the bed could be scared.” Imogen said in thought. She also didn’t know they chewed steak and had families.
“Well that’s cause I’m no monster.” The voice said, very sure of herself. “I’m just a person, same as you.”
“Oh- I’m sorry, I just… I don’t know many people who appear under other peoples beds.” She said, not wanting to offend her new guest. It was hard to picture this kindly spirit as a red eyed, sharp-toothed beast from the legends. She sounded more like someone she’d see at the schoolyard, climbing through the bushes and picking flowers.
“Yeah… I don’t know any either…” The voice said with a sigh.
“It’s not that I’ve minded.” Imogen said hurriedly. “It’s… it’s been nice having the company.”
“Hmm… it’s been lovely talking to you too… not many people give me the chance. It’s usually a little more… startling for them when I appear. Lot’s of shouting, you know the ‘demon! demon! everybody run’ schtick. I’m sure you can imagine.”
Imogen could. People could be so silly, jumping to conclusions before knowing the details.
“That’s a shame for them, cause you’ve been nothing but helpful.” Imogen said, a yawn following the end of her words as she rolled back on her side.
“You’re tired.” The voice said, stating a simple fact. “You should rest.”
“Yeah, ‘spose I should.” Imogen said, eyes suddenly very heavy with the late eve weighing down on her. “Will you… be here when I wake up?”
“I don’t think that’s how it works...” The voice said, realization sitting between them.
“Hmm…” Imogen said, suddenly having to fight to stay awake. “But you’ll come back, won’t you?”
“I don’t know that either… But... I hope so. I liked meeting you.” The voice said fondly.
“Same here.” Imogen said, voice becoming groggy. She really had to try to stay awake now, but she wanted to. She needed to know one more thing.
“Before you go… Do you have a name?”
“Yes! Of course, how rude of me. I’m Laudna.”
Laudna. A nice name. Sounded like a song one would sing to themselves out in the fields.
“Nice to meet you Laudna. My name’s Imogen.”
“Imogen. Oh that’s lovely. Very fitting.” Laudna said approvingly with a sweet hum. “Well, don’t let me keep you up any longer, sleep well Imogen.”
“You too Laudna.” Imogen blinked heavy behind her eyelids, but smiling all the same at the prospect of her new friend. It wasn’t until then that she realized… the storm had long since faded. Not even a hint of thunder left to rumble behind.