The Hairy Little Oogie Man by Mr. Doren Martin - HTML preview

            Micaiah, after making certain that her sisters weren’t watching, placed her rock safely beneath her pillow so that it would be there when she got up.  “There you go Oogie, goodnight!” she whispered.  Under the pillow, the rocks colors shimmered and gave off a faint glow, and then dimmed.  The Oogie was saying goodnight to Micaiah.

            Down the hall, in his own room, Izayah didn’t waste any time getting dressed for bed as the girls were doing.  Sitting on the edge of his bed, without even untying them, Izayah jerked off his shoes and dropped them to the floor.  When he’d gotten under the covers, Izayah punched his fists into his pillow a few times to plump it up, put his head back onto it, and letting out a sigh- he just laid there with his eyes closed, the thoughts of last nights events whirling and tumbling around in his mind.  He shoved his hand into his pant pocket and wrapped his fingers around his pocket watch.  Was that an adventure, or what?  Izayah thought to himself.  With a smile on his face, Izayah quickly dozed off to sleep.

            After finally getting her sisters tucked in, a very tired Alaysia, feeling the fatigue and exhaustion slowly creeping through her entire body, plopped down onto the edge of her bed.  With her elbows on her knees, her chin propped in her hands- Alaysia just sat there, gazing down at her shoes.  What a wonderful, wonderful gift the Oogie has given me!  This is the best gift ever!  She was thinking, smiling dreamily to herself.  Images began dancing through her mind of many styles and colors of shoes, all the many outfits that she would be able to wear, that she could have anytime she wanted- simply by imagining them.

            Suddenly, hearing a light knocking on her door, Alaysia’s eyes went wide in surprise.  Oh no! she thought, watching the door knob turning, the door starting to open.  Instantly, Alaysia squeezed her eyes tightly shut and concentrated.  Opening her eyes, she glanced at herself and was relieved to see that it worked, that the beautiful outfit she had been wearing was gone.  She was now wearing her nightgown and slippers, just as she’d imagined.

            “Good morning!” her grandfather said quietly, standing in the doorway.  “I see you’re up early.  Just like your grandpops, huh?”

            Alaysia, so elated to see that her grandfather was his old self again, jumped from the bed in a flash and ran to him.  She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged herself tightly to her grandfather whom she loved and adored with all her heart.

            “Ohhhhh grandpops, I’ve missed you so much!” she said, her eyes closed and a broad smile on her face.

            “My being sick must have really scared you, huh?”  “I’m so sorry that I have neglected you kids, and for the entire weekend.  I just don’t understand what happened to me.  I’ve never felt that way before!” said her grandfather confusedly.

            “It’s okay grandpops!”  “I’m just so glad that you’re all better now!”

            “Well- said her grandfather, what do you say to our at least having a big breakfast together before your mom comes to pick you up?”

            “Yeah, that would be great!” she said excitedly.  “I’ll come help you with the cooking as soon as I get everyone else up, okay”

            “I’ll get things started then.  Come when you’re ready.” he answered.    

            After he exited the room, Alaysia heard her grandfather talking to himself as he went down the hall, grumbling about having to explain things to her mother- berating himself for sleeping away the entire weekend when he was supposed to be having fun with his grandkids.

            Alaysia felt so sorry for her grandfather, knowing how much he had been looking forward to their weekend together.  She wished so badly that she could explain everything to him, so that he would know that it wasn’t his fault, that the Ogre had placed a spell on him, that it was the Ogre who had caused all the trouble.  She wished too that she could tell her grandfather all about the Oogie, about the gifts that it had given to her and her brother and sisters.  But Alaysia knew she couldn’t tell him, that he would never believe her.  No adult would.

            Letting it go, shrugging her shoulders in acceptance of how things were, Allaysia walked over and started shaking her sisters to wake them.  They are sure going to be a sleepy bunch, she thought.  Aren’t we all!

The End…..