The thunder crashed and rain poured down by the gallon. Lightning flashed, sending light through the windows of a house, and upon a small girl's figure huddled on the floor underneath a table. In her arms she clutched a stuffed dog, it's tiny bell on the collar tinkling with every terrified shudder that coursed through the girl. She looked up from her fort across the room into the hall at the door to her mother's room.
Slowly, the girl inched toward the door. The dog's bell jingled with each movement the girl made and sounded merry despite the storm. The room flooded with light once again and thunder boomed in its threatening with its booming voice. The girl's scream pierced through the air and she hugged the dog to her chest, it's bell clanging loudly.
Once the girl gathered her courage, she inched forward once more. She stretched her hand up as far as her arm could go. Her fingers brushed the knob of the door, but thunder roared, and the girl screamed again, pushing herself against the door.
The door fell open, a maw gaping to swallow the terrified child. She raced to the bed inside and threw herself up onto it and the mother asleep inside. All through this the bell rang cheerily. To the sound of the scream, the bell, and the feeling of her child flinging herself onto the bed, the mother woke. Gently she caressed the girl and the dog. Gently she sang a lullaby. Gently she soothed the anger and fear of the storm away.
Slowly, the girl inched toward the door. The dog's bell jingled with each movement the girl made and sounded merry despite the storm. The room flooded with light once again and thunder boomed in its threatening with its booming voice. The girl's scream pierced through the air and she hugged the dog to her chest, it's bell clanging loudly.
Once the girl gathered her courage, she inched forward once more. She stretched her hand up as far as her arm could go. Her fingers brushed the knob of the door, but thunder roared, and the girl screamed again, pushing herself against the door.
The door fell open, a maw gaping to swallow the terrified child. She raced to the bed inside and threw herself up onto it and the mother asleep inside. All through this the bell rang cheerily. To the sound of the scream, the bell, and the feeling of her child flinging herself onto the bed, the mother woke. Gently she caressed the girl and the dog. Gently she sang a lullaby. Gently she soothed the anger and fear of the storm away.
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