Things That Go Bump

She turned suddenly, breath caught in her throat as her stomach dipped and her heart leapt into her teeth. What was that? That tiny half-heard sound like someone caught doing something suspicious in the dark of night.

Her eyes narrowed, as if by narrowing them she could somehow see more clearly in the darkened room. Shadow spilled into shadow, one depth of black overlapping another. At this time of night, even the old familiar lines of her favorite chair seemed sinister and foreboding.

The silence was shattered by her sudden shriek as something touched her on the leg, a faint and indistinct touch that she might not have felt if she weren’t so aware of everything around her. Gasping for breath, she gathered her wits about her like a protective cloak to ward off whatever had intruded on her solitude.

Another sound, soft and curious, preceded her laughter as she realized that it had been her cat rustling in the dark, tail lightly brushing against her leg. Again, the curious meow, as if her pet were inquiring as to what was the matter.

Reassured, she reached down and scooped up the feline, snuggling her face into the silky fur in relief before turning to head off to bed once more.