by Debbie L. Miller
A talisman is an object thought to have magical powers. Some believe it will bring good luck or fortune or ward off evil. A talisman might be a ring, a crystal or a smooth stone. In times past, a rabbit’s foot or monkey’s paw.
A rosary or a string of prayer beads is a kind of talisman.
A shape shifter is a figure that changes form at will. Perhaps there’s one under your bed.
She strokes the talisman beneath her pillow. Outside, the wind howls. “Let tonight be different,” she prays. She kisses the rosary and sets it on the nightstand as she climbs into bed. Branches fling themselves against the battered house and rain pelts the bolted windows. She clutches the covers. The shadow beneath her bed shifts, stirs. Icy lips on hers. The storm passes, the room is still. A bony hand strokes her hair and jolts her awake. “Abigail,” it whispers.
Are you frightened when the wind howls? Scared when rain beats against your window? Does the thought of being caught in a thunderstorm fill you with dread? Do you believe evil lurks in the shadows of night?
Would you be terrified if you were kissed by icy lips? Do skeletons give you the heebie-jeebies? Are you afraid of being alone in a big, old house? Do you fear things that go bump in the night?
