The Tooth Fairy, Part 1

The Tooth Fairy

Part 1, Scary Stories

Alex watched as the six year old picked up the old pair of pliers.

“Bet you won’t do it!” He taunted at his younger brother.

“Will too!” Kyle yelled, opened his mouth, reached the pliers back into his mouth, gripped the tooth, and closed the metal around it.

“You’re not gonna do it! You’re chicken!” Alex laughed and started to make chicken noises.

“I’m not chicken!” Kyle tried to say around the metal tool in his mouth before he twisted his hand around, his face screwing up with pain as he pulled the tooth straight out of the gum lining. “See!”

Alex did see. There was blood all down Kyle shirt, making the six year old look like a murder victim. But he didn’t seem to even notice. He was prancing around uncaring as he held up his prize for all to see.

“Alexander Benjamin Maddoc! What did you do!” It was their mom, framed in the doorway.

“I pulled my baby tooths out!” Kyle held his tooth up proudly and grinned revealing the gap in his mouth.

“Good job, honey. We’ll take a look at your mouth in a second. And then we can put your tooth under your pillow for the tooth fairy to come get. But first...” And her gaze returned to Alex, “You young man, are gonna march right up those stairs and sit in your room until I’m finished with your brother. You’ve got some explaining to do!”

“But mom––” He started and stopped as she raised her hand.

“No buts, Alex, upstairs now!” And that was the final word.

And Alex stayed up there for the rest of the night after his mother had heard the whole story about the pliers and the dare. He didn’t see either of them until later when she came and tucked Kyle in and placed his tooth under his pillow. She closed the door and click off the light, only the orange night light giving a strange hue to the bedroom.

“Alex.” It was Kyle’s voice, “Are you mad at me?”

“Go to sleep, Kyle!” Alex grumbled.

“Alex.” Kyle again, “I pulled my tooths out. Did you see?”

“Yes, now go to sleep.” Alex turned over and covered his head with his pillow.

“Alex.”

“What is it Kyle!” He sat up in his bed, ready to tackle his little brother.

“Is the tooth fairy really real?” Kyle was playing with the tooth.

“Oh, er, of course she’s real.” Alex said, and Kyle couldn’t see the grin that spread over Alex’s face. “In fact. I’ve caught her before.”

“Really?” Kyle sat up in his bed.

“Yip. It was when I was six years old. Almost two years ago.” Alex whispered.

“Wow. That was forever ago!” Kyle whispered back.

“I know. Anyway. I set a trap.” Alex didn’t get much further before Kyle interrupted.

“How did you trap her!?”

“Shush, it doesn’t matter.” Alex stammered, “Anyway. I trapped her in a jar and I said I wouldn’t let her out unless she took me to see her fairy kingdom.”

“Did she!?” Kyle bounced up and down on his bed, “Did she, did she, did she?!”

“Yes.” And Alex paused for effect, “But it wasn’t very nice at all.”

“Really?” Kyle gulped, looking towards the open window. “How come?”

“It was scary.” Alex whispered. “There were trees that tried to eat my fingers. And there were fairies that cut off your ears. And there was the Queen faerie. She was a witch.”

“A witch?” Kyle swallowed.

“Yes, and she said that she send the tooth fairy out to find kids who are naughty and who do bad things.” And Alex paused here. “Like tell on their brothers, for example.”

“I’m sorry, Alex.” Kyle stammered, “I didn’t mean to.”

“Too late now.” Alex said smartly, “But anyway. When a tooth fairy finds a little boy or girl who is being very very bad. She sends... more faeries.”

“Good or bad ones?” Kyle asked, inching under his blanket more.

“The worst ones.” Alex said darkly.

“What was that!” Kyle yanked his blanket up further, “I heard something. By the window!”

“Maybe that’s them.” Alex couldn’t believe his luck with the timing of the branch outside. “Anyway, they’re the worst because they have pale white skin, small beady black eyes like a beatle, and long thin fingers with razor sharp claws that can reach in between the space between doors and windows and open any of them.”

“Any of them! Even our door!?!” Kyle asked, clutching the blanket. “Go on, and then what!?”

“They slowly turn the lock on the window frame.” Alex said, not noticing the lock on their own window frame turning slowly.

“And then?” Kyle was shaking.

“They raise it just barely. Just an inch. Just big enough for them to slip through unnoticed. Like shadows.” Alex spoke darkly, not noticing the small gap between the window and the window sill or the darkness on the floor.

“And then what?” Kyle asked his heart beating hard.

“Then they wait.” Alex spoke solemnly. “They wait for someone to come along and step into the shadow.”

“What happens if you step into the shadow?” Kyle was on the verge of tears.

“They get you!” Alex yelled and jumped at Kyle’s bed.

Kyle screamed and then kicked Alex off, the older brother laughing, “It’s not funny, Alex!”

“You should have seen your face!” Alex laughed, “It was priceless.”

“Boys! You better be in bed!” Their mother’s voice rang out.

Alex quickly jumped over into his own bed and dover under the covers. He wasn’t sure what woke him up several hours later. It was the middle of the night and he was cold. He saw the faint gap in the window and shivered, pushing himself out of his bed. He walked to the window, stumbling over toys in the dark. He was certain they had closed the window before they got into bed. He snapped it shut and as he did, he realized he was standing next to the nightlight. And in its orange glow he finally saw the puddle of shadows he was standing in.

He felt their small claws before he could see their pale skin and black beady eyes. He didn’t even have enough time to scream before he fell into the puddle of darkness. The room was silent. In the morning they would wake up to find Alexander Benjamin Maddoc missing and no matter how long the police would look they would never find the boy again. But in those last few moments of midnight hour, a small form fluttered and sparkled across the room before landing next to Kyle’s pillow. She was small and dainty and had eyes like black beetle eyes. She picked up the tooth and examined it. Nodding with satisfaction she produced a coin and left it in place of the tooth. And then with a wicked giggle she was gone.

SNIP

The moon was bright. The hiss of cricket song rose in swells and crescendos from the savanna plains. The crush of eucalyptus breathed in through the gentle silk hanging over the window.

He lay on his bed. Not a sound to disturb him. Mother and Father were already gone. Sister also was asleep. The sandman had visited them all except for Young Alexander. He lay on his bed and counted the stars that peaked through the window and the soft sussurring silk.

SNIP

He heard a sound in the dark. His glance fell across the interior of his bedroom.

SNIP

The sound again. Most assuredly inside, not out. Young Alexander looked about the room. The crate of toys with an ominous crack of darkness peeking through it. The rocking chair in the corner. Had it creaked?

No rocking chairs did not go SNIP

They creaked and wobbled. Young Alexander looked across the room. The tension was palatable. The fear raised his heartbeat like a crescendo of an orchestra. His lips felt dry.

SNIP

This one was closer. For a moment he contemplated calling for his mother and father. But he knew their room was too far away. He would have to go to them.

SNIP

And he was most certain this time that it came from beneath the bed. Young Alexander held his breath. Would he dare to jump to the floor and run down the dark hallway to his parents’ room. The ominous SNIPPING SNIPPING SNIPPING sound behind him all the way. Coming from each and every shadow.

SNIP

He waited. He waited and waited. The creak of his own heart and the ratatat of his breath the only sounds in the room. Young Alexander knew that the sound would come, but only once his feet touched the floor. He pulled them closer to his body. Hugged his knees to his chest. No. He would not run down the dark hallway with the SNIPPITY SNIP SNIP right on his heels.

SNIP came the soft sound right from beneath the floorboard by his head.

Young Alexander threw the blanket over his head. Clutched it tightly down. Not a gap, not a single gap. No place for a finger or a long, reaching blade to come through and SNIP him.

He breathed raggedly and then held his breath.

SNIP came the sound again.

Young Alexander felt hot and clammy. He knew he was using up his air. And when it ran out he would die, there in his bed. Hiding from the SNIPPING sound. He knew the second he threw his blanket off, the SNIPPING would be there, waiting for him. Waiting in the dark of the room.

Young Alexander knew he had one choice. He could throw the blanket off. Jump out of his bed. And run as fast as his small legs could carry him until he reached his parents room. With the SNIPPING at his heels, going for his toes.
Or.
Or.
Or he could stay there. Under the blanket slowly suffocating to death. Judging from the warm, uncomfortable cloyingness he knew he wouldn’t have much more time to consider his options.

Finally, in one act of brave desperation. He threw the blanket away. Up, up, up towards the dark ceiling above him. Certain that the SNIPPING was waiting there for him. Certain that the blanket would arrest it, even for just a small moment.

And then he ran. Padded feet of footy pajamas tapping away, as he ran. His small legs aching, his heart beating, his lungs screaming, his voice crying,

“Mother! Father! Help! Help! Murder!”

When he returned to his bedroom, clutching to his father’s robe, the light was lit. And the room was not so scary anymore.

“There now, Alexander, be a good boy and go back to sleep. There’s nothing here.” His father said.

Young Alexander got back beneath his covers. Said goodnight to his mother and father. And then slowly let his eyes fall shut. And in that last moment, before he crossed from our world into the Sandman’s lands. He heard it one more time.

SNIP