The Darker Side of Imagination

When I look back on my last story, I realised I have made a horrible mistake. I only revealed one side of Imagination's coin. The way I wrote her in made it seem like she was all unicorns and rainbows. What could be funner than a friend like her in your brain? I admit, childhood was a blast with Imagination by my side. At least, during the day was great, anyways...1

I first learned of Imagination's horrible 'side-effects' far back when Logic wasn't even around. Around the stage of my life when pots of stew were witch's brew and chairs were the goblin king's throne. Life was just one giant ball of cotton candy waiting to be devoured by whomever grabbed it first.2

It all began the night I decided I was much too old to be sleeping with a night light. What I really wanted most, however, was to impress my younger brother, who still had his. I was admired for such a feat for a minute or so until it dawned on me that I would actually have to sleep in the dark the whole night. (This is before Logic showed up, remember?) 3

It didn't bother me too much until I looked at my room. Somehow it had transformed from a safe haven into the goblin king's cavern. I attempted to creep in slowly to avoid the unseen eyes of his minions. I could hear them smack their lips with pleasure. I could almost feel a scaly claw floating behind to swipe me up like mas-4

"Chicken!"5

I nearly jumped a foot at my brother's call.6

"I am not a chicken!"7

"Scaredy-Cat! It's just the same room only less see-able!"8

I gulped. He was right, even if it didn't seem that way. 9

"I... Well, ya see-."10

An echoing voice quickly called through my ear.11

"Don't worry! We'll fight 'em off just like during the day!"12

My face brightened. Of course! My comrade in arms Imagination would get me outta this jam in no time! We'd just make some repellent or something and I'd go to sleep in no time. 13

"I was just actin', ya see. I'm totally ready to go to sleep. G'night!"14

"Yeah, well, g'night. Good luck."15

My brother was hesitant to believe my claim, but it was also getting late. He closed my door just as I just reached my bed, plummeting me into pitch-blackness. That's when I wished I could have called the whole thing off.16

I looked warily at my bedsheet, which now served as a make-shift fortress. Monsters were certainly not afraid of The Rugrats, so I was pretty much a sitting duck for anything with sharp teeth.17

Hideous sharp teeth with loads of spit just waiting to bite anything that screamed.18

"Psst..."19

It was Imagination again.20

"What on Earth do you think you're doing? Do you wanna scare yourself into a coma?! Quit foolin' around!"21

"I could use some help, here!"22

Imagination sighed angrily. 23

"Fine. Just close your eyes and I'll help ya out."24

With a sharp breath I plunged into seemingly darker darkness and waited further instructions.25

Only there didn't seem to be anything at all.26

There wasn't a single noise in my brain other than my own thoughts. I looked everywhere but couldn't find Imagination. Did I accidentally shove her into the back of my mind? 27

Maybe she ran away forever. 28

Just the thought of being all alone within the claws of the leviathan turned my spine into a snake. All hope was lost until I could have sworn I heard a bird's call. I returned to my mind in order to investigate.29

There, about a yard in front of me stood a bird as large as a horse. It's whole body looked as though it were as hot as flame, so I was too timid to go even a step further, lest I be burned to pieces. 30

"I-Imagination?"31

She was a shape shifter, but normally she turned into whatever I wanted. The bird only turned it's hideous face to stare me down with eyes greener than all of Oz. I was glued to the spot as it's sickle-shaped beak bobbed rhythmically to analyze me. It's claws began slapping the ground as it's whole body began to circle me. The creature sprinted in circles at a breakneck pace to confuse it's juvenile prey.32

It stopped right in front of me. 33

"Wha- What was that fo-."34

It screamed. Holy cow, did it scream. It let loose a wail that shook my mind to it's core faster than a pancake can burn. It drowned at all my thoughts so I could only focus on that accursed shriek. It's neck lifted high in order to repeat the sound when my eye spied a flash of metal.35

The creature seemed to own a necklace that was an exact replica of what Imagination always wears. The monster's identity was revealed once I put two and two together.36

"Wait! Wait! Listen to me! You're Ima-."37

Too late. She repeated her cry and began to leap into the skies. What a relief. For some reason she seemed to be leaving me alone.38

At least until the speck above me began turning back into a regular bird again.39

I could only stare dumbstruck as it dove toward me like an oncoming train from above. Three...Two...One...40

The sensation of flight took me by the back and thrust everything forward. Imagination grabbed me by the claws and started flying up again! It...It was flying away with me! Imagination was running away with me! We were gonna get outta this place and into a better one!41

I sighed. At least things were looking better. The view was fantas-42

Oh wait, the view from above was absolutely horrifying.43

Every horrid thing was reaching up from the ground to take me away. The goblin king, the bogeymen, that bully kid, and even...Was that my first grade teacher? My eyes and ears were full of every ghoulish thing I could ever imagine, and Imagination was only fueling the fire. She'd dip and dive so I'd swing so close into harm's reach that it felt so real.44

She screamed again. So loudly this time that I woke in a flash into the real world. I took it as a small blessing, but the world I returned looked exactly like the world I just came from. Those nightmares were still there! They were under the bed and behind the posters and in every cranny and nook. What was my last line of defense?!45

"Mom! Dad!"46

I raced to my parent's room before anything had the chance to think twice. The room was flooded with sweet,sweet, light as they helped quiet down Imagination. They said she was overactive. They didn't know the half of it.47

The next morning, what looked like a business card landed in my brain.48

'OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION CAUSING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS?'49

I nodded eagerly as I read further.50

'Call on Logic to help you out!'51

What harm could it do?