The Dark Cupboard

Sonya's toy hare fell behind the cupboard door, and without him she will not sleep. Inside it is black and something rustles. Sonya wants to go herself — but Alice will go first, because she is older.

Sonya's hare fell behind the cupboard door. The door stands open, inside it is black, and Sonya waits at the frame in silence: without him she will not sleep. Alice looks through the gap — it smells of brooms and dust, the hare is nowhere in sight, and something rustles in the corner. Going in is scary. "Maybe in the morning?" — but Sonya shakes her head, nearly crying. Alice fetches the torch, only the batteries are old and the beam falls short of the back wall. Sonya wants to go first, so Alice takes her hand and eases her behind one shoulder. Alice will go first. A step over the threshold — the floor is cold, a board creaks, the heart bangs in both ears. It is really scary. Something rustles again: the broom sliding down the wall. Only a broom — and the hands still shake. The beam finds the hare behind a bucket. In the morning Alice opens the cupboard again and just looks.