Late one chilly Halloween night, I awoke just after midnight. A brown owl sang balefully in the oak tree outside my bedroom window. I noticed that the window was open and became alarmed. Surely I had shut it just before going to bed, as always. But now, curtains flapped wildly about in the stinging wind. I approached fearfully, intending to shut it quickly. And saw the bat!
It hung from the valance, beady eyes staring straight at me - hungrily, menacingly. I began to back away, entranced by it’s stare.
In my haste, I ran into the bed. I considered getting back into it and covering myself with the heavy quilt. But what if I threw the covers off of me, in my sleep. No - that wasn’t the answer. The hall door was on the other side of my bed. I had to pass by the window to get to it. But, what if the bat darted into my path, trying to get back out? And what if it was rabid? And how did my window get open in the first place? I distinctly remembered closing it. Imagination took me back to childhood lore. The vampire bat!
Rationality finally restored itself. It was just a harmless creature trying to get out of the raging storm. I could grab a broom and chase it back out of the window, then shut it and go back to sleep. Of course. Clouds moved across the moon, plunging my room into darkness. I felt an involuntary shudder pass through my body. Heard flapping wings close by. Very close by. I fell to the floor and crawled up under the bed. Just a harmless bat - that’s all it was, I told myself. Probably flying back out the window right now.
Soon, I began to make my way out from under the bed. Moonlight flooded the room again. I saw the bat. It was the largest one I had ever seen and it was now hanging from the canopy above my bed! Closer, still watching me. It’s malevolent eyes followed me as I backed towards the hall door, panic invading my senses. But in my mad dash for safety, I opened the wrong door and found myself staring into the inside of the closet! How could I have gotten so confused? And where was the bat now? Again, I heard those terrible wings beating in the chilled night air. Something brushed against the side of my head, as I entered the closet so I slammed the door. I would stay here all night if necessary. By now I was truly terrified. This bat was no ordinary bat. It should have fled from the room as soon as it saw me.
I quickly grabbed a belt and wound it around the handle of the door and anchored it by tying it to the coat rack. Now, it could not be opened. “What am I doing?” I asked myself. Bats don’t open doors (or windows). A simple case of hysteria, no doubt. Then I remembered the light. Of course. The closet light. Bats don’t like light. I would be safe in the closet with the light on! Clumsily I fumbled with the switch and almost broke it off in my haste. I breathed a sigh of relief when sixty watts of energy lit up the inside of the closet. Then I heard movement above my head. I looked up and screamed when I saw the bat as it began to spread it’s big, black wings, eyes riveted on my own!
