Things that go bump in the night

A Sunday Scribble - Thing's that go bump in the night.....

Thump, thump, thump. George lay in bed trying to shut out the repetitive banging as the wind played drums with the back gate. He watched the digital numbers changing shape beside his bed until he gave in to the noise. Pulling on a worn dressing gown and shoving his feet in the nearest shoes that came to hand he padded downstairs.

Outside the wind howled and, just to spite him for waiting so long, it had now begun to rain. He trudged round the side of the house in the direction of the gate battling an umbrella that was determined to take him on a flight of fancy.

Bang, bang, thump, thump... the noise pulled him closer. It was dark down here. Really dark. If he'd had his wits about him George might have considered that it was darker than it should have been in the middle of a city with a street lamp just metres away. George wasn't scared of the dark though. He knew where he was going and carried on towards the thump, thump, bang, bang.

He ran his hand down the wall, fingers grazing slightly on the rough brick. How much further was that damn gate? At last the wall ended, but where brick should have become wood instead was... what was it? George pulled him arm back in surprise. What little hair remaining on his head stood rapidly to attention. The banging stopped.

"Hello George" murmured a smooth voice, "been a long time... " George reached instinctively for a weapon that wasn't there. A weapon that hadn't been there for 25 years. He looked into the glowing eyes and watched disinterestedly as the sharp fangs began to protrude from the creature's lips. He clicked his fingers and the sky lit up in a shower of sparkling colour. Lightning streaked through the sky ripping apart the branches on the beech tree towering above them. One solitary branch was ripped from the trunk and flew rapidly to earth, impaling itself on its journey down through the heart of the creature of the night.

"Bloomin'vampires... never learn" yawned George as he fastened the gate and wearily made his way back to bed.