Thursday, October 30, 2003
Night Before
It was the night before Halloween. Momma had placed the ceramic pumpkin and the haunted houses that blink in the window. Two glow-in-the-dark ghosts, the witch flag with the green face and the crystal ball hung over the three lighted jack-o-lanterns on the porch. It seemed like everything called, “Come and get me bogeyman.”
My brother’s costume for trick or treat hung in the closet, but I didn’t have one. No sir, you wouldn’t catch me outside after dark on Halloween!!
At bedtime as I went up to my room my brother passed me in the hall whispering, “Don’t forget to run when the tarantula comes to get you.” In my bedroom Momma kissed me good night, turned off the lamp and shut the door as I drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly I jerked awake, sitting up, trying to focus, the only sound was my ragged breathing! I finally saw the lamp, its white shade reflecting a spot of moonlight through the window. What was on the shade? It looked like a large bug climbing on the inside of the shade.
I can’t tell how many legs it has! I don’t know if it is moving! Is it the tarantula?
I have to turn on the lamp so I can see where it goes! I don’t want to put my hand in there! But I can’t risk finding it on my bed in the dark!
I reached slowly up the base of the lamp! Oh no, did it just move? I have no choice, taking a deep breath, I slowly moved my hand up the base to the switch. I feel a scream growing in my throat, but I stifle it. I can’t risk upsetting the bug.
At last I can feel the knob. Turning it light flooded the room. There is nothing inside the shade! Where did it go?
Looking up through the bottom I see the metal bars that shape and hold the shade. I see the harp and the finial that has an oblong base and a small ball-shaped top. I have found my bug. The angle of the moonlight and the shadows of the shade. Man, I almost wet the bed!!!!
