The Boogie Man

“ . . . and he was never seen again.”
“Never?” My six-year-old was bug-eyed.
My 12-year-old scoffed. “Mom, there’s no such thing as boogie men.”
“No? Now go to bed, I’ll put the campfire out.”
Flames cast flickering shadows through the trees. Had something moved? I glanced about as the embers died.
I crawled into my sleeping bag, bone-tired.
Rustle.
I sat bolt upright. What was that?
Silence.
Just my imagination.
Snap!
No, there was something outside! I held my breath.
Silence.
I breathed.
Rustle! Snap! Something hurled itself against my tent.
I screamed.
My twelve-year-old laughed. “Boogie man got ya!”

99WordChallenge #BoogieMan #Campfire #GhostStory #Halloween #MargaretGHanna