One night, when I was six, Mama told me about a monster who roams the house at night.
“Stay in bed and do not leave your room until morning. The monster looks for young flesh to eat every night. Be good and sleep,” she whispered and then kissed me on my forehead.
In the night I heard footsteps. Heavy footsteps clunking through the house. I stayed in bed.
The next night, I heard the same thing. I became curious. I went out of my room slowly. I crossed the hall, the parlor, the dining room…as I approached the kitchen I was snatched. I was so scared I passed out.
In the morning, my arm was swollen and painful. Mama took me to the doctor. My arm was broken. I explained that it was the monster. The doctor chuckled and plastered my arm.
The next morning, Papa was not at breakfast. But a gruesome monster sat in his seat. I shivered and wet myself. Mama grinned and served the monster eggs, sausage, and toast with elderberry jam.
“I do enjoy elderberry jam,” said the monster.
Papa never came back and at each meal sat the monster. Mama seemed unconcerned. On some mornings, I woke up with different injuries. I knew it was the monster but I had stopped speaking altogether. Nobody understood that I lived in a nightmare. Is it even a nightmare if it persists into the day?
When I was twenty years old, I was courted by a man Mama selected for me. After three months he proposed. I accepted as I wanted out of the house with the monster and Mama who didn’t even realize Papa was gone.
I married, honeymooned at the lake, established a home and became pregnant. My husband was not affectionate. I was not bothered by this. I didn’t really like being touched. He also didn’t say much to me. This was fine with me as I still had not quite regained my voice.
One morning, I woke up and there were angry purple bruises and red marks all over me. I got out of bed, made breakfast, and called my husband to the table. As I sat down the monster appeared. He grinned and sat down and looked at me expectantly. I pushed the elderberry jam towards him.
“I do enjoy elderberry jam,” said the monster. My husband never came back.