Taking Nursery Rhymes Seriously

A big thanks to Bill Dye - who gave me this idea.

She sat there, considering what had brought her to this moment... alone on her footstool. The turmoil of the past month had exacted an emotional toll that few could survive. And yet, here she was. Surviving. And that is exactly what she would continue to do. Everyone was gone... of that she was sure. It had been three weeks since her last contact with the outside world. The big mystery was that the electricity and other utilities continued to operate as normal. That wouldn't last long, she reasoned. The creatures would eventually clog up the system or build their elastic homes in such a way as to paralyze the moving parts. None of it mattered.

She had learned from her father how to live off the land. Her soft dress and intricately detailed lace gave a false impression of frailty. She had slain hundreds, no thousands of the beasts and could continue to do so until they ceased to trespass on her territory.

"But not here", she reminded herself. They have never been able to come into this room and - because of that - she was able to maintain that last shred of sanity. She could always come here and eat some cold cottage cheese, and feel safe. It was her sanctuary, sealed off with an intricate air filtering system that would only allow the tiniest micron's passage. If only she had perfected the system before... But, she couldn't allow herself to think that way. It was time for focus. Focus... and a nice bowl of cold cottage cheese.

She felt a slight tickle on her leg. It reminded her of Lexie, her Golden Retriever that she had buried just two days ago next to her father and mother. But, it couldn't be Lexie. Slowly, deliberately she moved her gaze down her dress to the darkened wood of the stool upon which she sat. And there it was... brown and black and menacing. Her last refuge was gone; and with it her sanity. That which she had held at bay for so long gained control of her. A seeping fear became a flood. Screaming she fled the room and raced into the darkness of the night... to her certain doom.