Izy, Tay and McInTot's are (c) Tyler Davasel

Nightly Horrors

or

Monsters Ate My Pyjamas

A McInTot's fanfic by Winter

The trees outside waved their branches in the chill night breeze, casting dark shadows from the street light and paler, more subtle ones from the round, full moon. Some of these shadows found their way in through a small window facing the street, to play against a colourful rug, posters on the wall, scattered toys here and there. And into the minds of the two dingo pups that lay in bed, hiding underneath a pile of blankets.

* * * * * *

"I'm scared," Tay muttered as he scooted closer to his twin sister. "Real scared."

"I know," Izy yawned. "You've told me, like, a million times."

"But this time it's for real. The monsters are gonna get us, aren't they?"

"Dunno." Izy closed the gap between them so that they lay side to side. "I think we're safe under the blankets."

"But they're monsters!" Tay whined. "They can rip the blankets to shreds and then they're gonna get us and they're gonna..."

"Shut up! I don' wanna hear it!"

"But it's true."

"No!" Izy's voice was close to cracking now, and hearing this, Tay suppressed another rant. "They gotta follow the monster rules. The blankets is safe."

"Guess so..."

"What kinda monsters are they? Bitey ones or ghosts? Or rhinos?"

"No," Tay said expertly. "These are scarier ones. Kinda... kinda like skeletons or such but scarier."

"Are the shadows still there?"

"Dunno. I'm not gonna check."

"Tay, you always say boys are braver than girls!" Izy hissed. "Check!"

The blankets stirred, and soon a furry face peered out. Tay looked around, his ears flat back against his head with fear. Spotting the dark, shapeless things that were wavng lazily on their bedroom floor and walls, he dived back into protection with a yelp.

"They're still there."

"Oh no..."

"But it's okay," Tay said, trying to sound brave. "They can't get us here."

"But you said..."

"No, you're right, Izy. Monster rules."

"Gosh, I hope I don't have to get up to pee."

Everything was quiet for a few minutes. The pile of blankets stirred only occasionally as one or the other twin moved slightly. The shadows kept up their slow dance, totally indifferent to the children they frightened so. Then, slowly but surely, one of the twins started squirming more and more fervently, until a whimper was heard.

"Oh no, Izy, why did you have to go and say that..."

* * * * * *

"You gotta go, Tay."

"No." The boy's voice was trembling by now. "I'm too scared."

"But you'll wet the bed!"

"I can live with that."

"But I can't, Tay. It's my bed! If you wet your own, that's fine, but not mine!" There was a pleading in Izy's voice, as she pushed her brother towards the edge of the bed. "Why did you have to come over to my bed?"

"'Cause I was scared. And so were you."

"Yeah, but you came to my bed."

"Ooh." Tay sat up, squeezing his hands between his thighs. "Don't you got a bottle or something?"

"No."

"Ooh."

"Turn on the light, then," Izy suggested. "You can make a run for it, they can't get you when the light is on."

"But then mom will know we're awake! I don' wanna get told off!"

"Still better than the monsters eatin' you."

"No. Told off is worse. Ooh."

"What if I turn on the lights for just a second, then you run while they're blinded?"

"Yeah, that might work."

"Okay, get ready."

"Right!"

"On three." They both clambered out from underneath the blankets, and Tay stood up, ready to run for his life. Izy looked at him, and her eyes widened. "Tay, where's your pyjamas?"

"I dumped 'em."

"Dumped 'em?"

"Yeah, as a decoy. To trick the monsters while I got into your bed."

"Oh. Did it work?"

"Course it worked," Tay snapped. "I'm not eaten, am I?"

"No, guess so. Okay, on three."

"Right."

"One..."

"Ooh."

"Two..."

"Mommy..."

"Three!"

Izy turned on her bedside lamp just long enough to watch her brother's furry rump wiggle across the room as he ran with his hands still clutched between his thighs. Then she shut it off and dived back into safety. From down the hall she could hear splashing noises, accompanied by a sigh of relief. Izy waited until she heard the toilet flush, then she nervously left her safe haven once more. Being alone had diminished her courage, and it was only the thought of getting her brother's company back that made her reach out over the treacherous floor towards the lamp.

A hissed whisper from the hall told her it was time, and she flicked it on. In the light, Tay dashed towards her, hands clasped across his mouth to keep from screaming out loud. He dived into her arms just as she turned out the light, nearly knocking them both over the side of the bed. A moment's scrambling, then they were safe again.

"Wow," Tay panted. "That was scary."

"Oh no."

"What?"

"Now I gotta go!"

"No way!"

"Yeah way." Izy squirmed, then grabbed her brother's shoulders. "Help me!"

"Just do as I did."

"Okay. Be ready with the light."

"Yeah. Only..."

"What?"

"Izy, what if the monsters have smartened up?"

"Don't say that! Don't say that!"

"It could happen."

"Ooh. I'm gonna have to wet the bed."

"No way!"

"Tay, it's my bed."

"Yeah, but I'm in it! An' I don't wanna get wet."

"Then help me!"

"Okay." Tay pondered for a moment, then sat up, nearly throwing the blankets back. "Throw 'em your pyjamas. That worked for me."

"I'm too scared."

"Come on, it works!"

"Go with me, Tay."

"What!? I just went!"

"Maybe they don't dare to attack if there's two of us."

"Oh, all right."

There was a lot of squirming underneath the blankets, then Izy slowly peered out, looked around and tossed her pyjamas as far as she could towards the opposite wall. Long moments passed, then the two pups streaked towards the hall, and the bathroom.

Tay stood guard while Izy finished her business, looking a lot more brave than he felt. Once the toilet was flushed again, they huddled in the doorway, gathering courage. The quick dash across the hall went without incident, but then came the much more dangerous trip through the dancing shadows of their bedroom.

Crouching, scouting for any signs of red eyes or gleaming fangs or rhino horns, they did their best to induce courage in one another. Just as they were ready to make a run for their lives, hands landed on their shoulders.

"What are you two doing out of bed?"

"Aaah!"

The twins jumped, squealing to the top of their lungs, then sprinted across the room and scrambled in beneath the blankets. A moment later the ceiling lights came on, and they felt even through their own shivers how their mother sat down on the edge of the bed. She eased back the blankets to reveal a tangled mass of arms and legs, as well as two shivering furry faces with wide, frightened eyes.

"What's the matter with you two? Been scaring each other again?" She looked down. "And where's your pyjamas?"

"The monsters ate 'em," Tay piped up. "We had to... so they... you see..."

"We had to pee," Izy filled in. "An' they were everywhere, an'..."

"We were so scared!"

The twins flung themselves around their mother's neck, and she held them while their trembling subsided in her sure embrace. Once they had calmed down, she walked them around the room, showing them that there were no monsters anywhere, and telling them about the shadows coming from tree branches, streetlights and the moon. Then she gathered up their uneaten pyjamas and made them get dressed.

A few minutes later, the twins were back in their own beds, blankets pulled up to their chins and with fresh kisses on their cheeks.

"Now stay quiet, you hear?" she told them as she turned out the light. "And go to sleep."

* * * * * *

The shadows that played on the bedroom wall seemed a lot less scary and a lot more friendly now that their origin was explained. For a little while, the twins lay in their respective beds, then there was a shuffle of movement. Knowing what to expect, Tay moved over in his bed and made room for his sister. Again, they lay still for a while, until Tay began to squirm.

"Hey, Izy."

"Hmm?"

"What would you do if a viking broke in and tried to raid your toybox?"

A brief quiet moment passed, then the nightly silence was broken by giggles.