by Ron Van Sweringen

The little creature slipped in through a keyhole in the bedroom door. Her gossamer gown floating about her on the air. Silver moonlight through an open window, fell across the bed, illuminating a sleeping child and her golden ringlets.

The Night Fairy drew near the child, opening her magic purse, sprinkling tiny grains of starlight into her ear. They tinkled like crystal wind chimes, causing the child’s lips to smile.

Soon the Night Fairy settled on the child’s shoulder, preparing for the night’s vigil of guarding against the evil Sleep Ogre. The Ogre in his black-hooded robe, hid in dark places: like under a bed or in the closet, waiting for a chance to steal the child’s pleasant dreams and replace them with nightmares.

He was known to be cruel and devious, using any tactic to overcome the Night Fairy who possessed the magic lamp of light and goodness.

The child’s Mother opened the bedroom door quietly, to check on her sleeping daughter. When she saw her happy smile, she retreated quietly.

“Now is my chance,” thought the Sleep Ogre as he climbed up the back of the bed’s mattress. “If I can surprise the Night Fairy, perhaps I can extinguish her magic lamp.”

In a dark corner of the bedroom, on an over-stuffed slipper chair, a large tabby cat named Jack, slept with one eye open. Now everyone knows that tabby cats are born curiosity seekers and they miss very little. So when the black-robed Sleep Ogre climbed onto the mattress, the tabby cat’s ears went up. Suffice to say, the Ogre looked for all the world, just like a little black mouse to the hungry Tabby cat!…… Pleasant dreams.

You can find more of Ron’s short stories here in KRL’s Terrific Tales section.

All of the pieces of art in this story were done by Drusilla Kehl of The Illustrated Rat. To see more of her work go to her website and check out KRL’s article about Drusilla.

Ron Van Sweringen, painter and writer, 76 years old resides in Vero Beach Florida with his Carin Terrier,’ Punkin the lizard catcher’. Recent exhibition of Astroismart at the MENNELLO MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART in Orlando, Florida. Astroism is the art of air born painting, created by Ron Van Sweringen. The artist’s paintings have also been exhibited at the CORCORAN MUSEUM OF ART in Washington, D.C. and in the WHITE HOUSE during the Reagan and Bush administrations. Ron began writing 5 years ago and to date has had 54 short stories published and three Novellas.