my ambition monster

I went to a writing workshop last week where they had us each write a story in 15 minutes. This was mine, cleaned up a little.

My ambition is a monster under my bed, one I feed nilla wafers to and ruffle behind the ears while it makes goofy 'blubblubblubblubblub' sounds.

Sometimes.

Sometimes, my ambition is sinister. Shapeless. And silent. A black nothingness that makes my hairs stand on end.

Sometimes, all the nilla wafers in the world aren't enough.

Driving home, my car's headlights catch a cat torture-playing with a mouse. I slam on the gas to give the mouse a chance to run. The cat stares through me, snatches the mouse in its teeth, and leaps into the dark.

I'm gutted. "I'm glad I've never been hunted."

But when I get home and walk into my bedroom, the silence is deafening. Goosebumps prickle up my neck. The lights flicker.

I shove a nilla wafer under my bed and jump back. The electricity cuts off and all goes dark. Seeing nothing, I tremble as I hear the wafer slowly

s
__l
____l
______i
________i
__________i
____________i
______________d
________________d
__________________e
____________________e

across the floor, followed by silence.

...

...

...

"Blublublubblublublubbbblubbb." My shoulders relax.

Tonight, my ambition is my friend.

But tomorrow, it'll likely want blood.