Sleep Over

Sleep Over
It’s my first time at a slumber party, and Mandy’s birthday party was super fun! But now it’s night time, and everyone is asleep. I can’t get to sleep because I’ve never slept away from home before. Everyone else has been snoozing for hours, but I’m still awake. I really have to go to the bathroom, but I’m terrified of leaving the security of my blanket and my friends, so I just lay here: waiting. Waiting for the sun to rise and chase my fears away.

My eyes are pinned on the clock directly in front of me on the wall. I can’t understand what it says, but the small hand is pointing at the three, and the big hand is pointing at the five. My eyes are getting really fuzzy, but I struggle to stay awake and focused. I train my eyes on the window; the curtains are open just enough to see a light far in the distance outside. The light starts flickering, so I look for something else to watch. On Mandy’s dresser sits a homemade doll that is staring at the clock with its creepy button eyes. There’s nothing else to look at, so I train my eyes at the clock again. None of the hands have moved even the tiniest bit.

My eyes aren’t fuzzy anymore, so I look around again. The light outside isn’t there anymore; it must have flickered out. I turn to Mandy’s doll. Its eyes are looking right at me. I can’t look away! The doll’s mouth forms into a terrifying grin. “You look scared, what’s the matter?” she says in a voice not unlike Elmo’s; it sends shivers racing down my spine. I roll over and tap Mandy’s shoulder: “Wake up!” I shout, but she just lays there without moving a muscle. I clench my eyes shut hoping that it will all just go away. I hesitate, but I slowly open them and fix my gaze at the dresser where the evil doll was. Where is it? I immediately slam my eyes shut. There is something standing on top of my chest. I don’t want to open my eyes again, but I can’t help peaking. The button eyes of the doll are an inch away from mine. “You look scared, what’s the matter?”

I scream at the top of my lungs. “Amy! What’s wrong?” Mandy matches my scream so I can hear her. “You were dreaming,” she says once I finally stop shouting. I look back at the dresser, and the doll is staring at the clock again. Mandy’s mom comes in and takes me to get a glass of milk from the kitchen. I look up at her just before taking a sip. She looks a bit worried watching me drink the milk. “You look scared, what’s the matter?”