Despite the mugginess of the room, Sienna lay huddled in a cocoon of blankets with her eyes scrunched closed. She and her mother had lived in this house for over 2 years now. 2 years of her running into her room and launching herself onto her bed so as not to touch the shadows. 2 years of layering herself in enough blankets and bedding that she would have survived an attack from a police canine unit, no matter the temperature. 2 years of terror.

She had at one time spoken to her councillor about it. She sat quietly and coloured while the therapist explained to her mother that she was simply missing her father and was imagining fanciful horrors due to having her sense of security ripped away at such a vulnerable age. This was when Sienna stopped talking to the adults. She no longer sought them out for comfort, reassurance, or assistance. No-one believed her, so no-one was going to help. She was trapped and there was nothing she could do.

As a car went past, Sienna opened her eyes, just a little. She immediately wished she hadn't. In the limited light she could see a shadow in the corner stretch and change. This strange shadow was darker than those around it, and even as she watched it, it slowly spread up the wall 'til it stood almost 7 feet tall.

In science class they had learnt about light sources and shadows. They'd discussed umbra and penumbra during the last eclipse and Sienna had absorbed every word spoken, hoping against all odds that they would tell her something useful in her current situation.

They hadn't.

There did not seem to be anything casting this shadow. In fact it was more like the shadow was absorbing light, rather than an absence of it.

In all the time Sienna had lived here she had seen this a lot. Her mother had had to get a job and, having only finished high school before marrying and settling in to a life of house wife and then stay at home mother, she had very limited career choices available. This meant Sienna was alone a lot. Much more than a child her age should have been. This was when the shadow seemed to be the most prevalent, when Sienna was home alone. This time however was different. This time the shadow didn't shrink back the way it always did.

Another car slowly followed the curve of the street where the house was situated. The large silhouette froze as the light bathed it for a moment, but it did not retreat. Sienna hadn't realised her eyes could get any wider as she watched the apparition in horror. She wanted to scream as she watched it, a long thin arm slowly stretching out towards her, but she couldn't. A small whimper is all that squeaked from her paralysed vocal chords. She slowly pulled herself so far back that she pressed against the wall. Still the figure approached, arms outstretched and hands grasping.

It was almost upon her when Sienna felt it. The terror that had filled her drained away. She was going to die. It was inevitable. That didn't mean she had to go easy!

With nothing left to lose Sienna waited another heartbeat. Waiting for that Thing to make it's inevitable move. As The long fingered hand reached for her neck, Sienna sprang from her covers!

She latched onto the hand, sinking her teeth into the webbing between it's thumb and finger. The creature tried to pull away, grasping at her to dislodge her. Sienna bit down harder. It tried to close it's hand around her head, but its long fingers just tapped ineffectually against her head, their very length meaning it couldn't bend them enough to sink it's vicious nails in. Sienna's teeth sunk in further, wedging it's thumb out so it couldn't even get a crushing grip.

As this was happening it had tried to grab her with it's other hand. Whether luck or instinct, Sienna had managed to evade it and grab the arm just above the elbow. She pinned it's forearm against her side with her elbow. Holding the arm with a strength she had no idea she possessed, Sienna put pressure against the elbow, forcing the arm to stick out straight behind her. Again this resulted in the length of the fingers making the nails ineffective.

Holding fast like a terrier on a bear, Sienna furrowed her brow and ground her teeth together. The creature threw it's head back and screamed. A small misshapen mouth emits an almost soundless shriek on a rush of air, the sound so high pitched that it was barely audible, yet caused pain to stab through Sienna's ears and cause pain behind her eyes. With a sudden jerk it manages to tear it's hands free from Sienna, her teeth ripping it's flesh as it's yanked from her mouth.

The towering figure stepped back from the bed, cradling it's injured hand. It's eyeless face watched Sienna as she crouched on her bed. Dark blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth as she sneered and emitted a feral little growl. The shadow backed away from the 10 year old and stepped back into the corner. As it pressed itself against the wall another car passed. It shrank away from the light and Sienna's face relaxed into a satisfied smirk. "That's right you bastard, this bitch bites!" The shadow curled into itself, reminiscent of a 5 year old Sienna when she had first seen the horror under the bed.

As Sienna reached for her water glass, another car rounded the bend. The light played across the room, bathing the corner in light. Sienna watched the monster fade away as the harsh light enveloped it. She spat the putrid water back into the glass and grimaced at the after taste. Knowing she'd have to clean it in the morning, Sienna returned to bed. She kicked off the blankets,leaving only a sheet covering her in the overly warm room. With a tired but contented yawn, Sienna stretched out and fell asleep sprawled across her bed, a smile still playing across her lips.