THERE'S A CROCODILE UNDER MY BED

THERE'S A CROCODILE UNDER MY BED

Daniel awoke and as he stretched and yawned, he froze, his foot was hanging out of the bed. Quickly he pulled it under the covers and began to wiggle his toes. "One, two, three, four, five" he counted and he wiggled his foot just to make sure. He let out a sigh of relief. The crocodile didn't get him this time, but it was close. He could hear the beast under the bed breathing, just waiting for him to get up and then... Daniel shuddered at the thought of being eaten by a crocodile. He had seen it's big white teeth and it's black beady eye staring out at him. He had heard the swish of it's tail and the thud of it's feet as it walked around just waiting for him to hang an arm or a leg over the side of the bed, then snap. It's jaws would close around the limb and it would be gone in one gulp. Daniel pulled the covers around him even tighter, he could hear his mum making breakfast and soon she would call him.

He knew if he waited long enough his mum would come upstairs and open his bedroom door to wake him. That would be the signal for him to run and not look back. Sure enough, after ten minutes of calling he could hear his mother coming along the hall, he got ready. As soon as she opened the door, a streak of lightning shot past her and knocked her sideways.

"Daniel, what is it? What's the matter?" called his mother. She was half afraid to look into the room for fear of what she might find. Peering round the door frame she stared into the dark room. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom she suddenly realized what she was doing. Aware that she was being silly she crossed the room to the window and opened the curtains. Beams of sunlight streamed into the room and lit up all of the dark corners. She looked over her shoulder just to make sure. Nothing. Nothing but toys and clothes and a half eaten sandwich. "I've told that boy not to eat in his room. Daniel" she called "Daniel, come here this minute."

Daniel was standing at the bottom of the stairs. There was no way he was going back up there again, he had decided to sleep downstairs, tonight and forever. He thought that the settee in the front room would make a good bed. Or the little sofa in the back room, but then he would be under his room and the crocodile might fall through the floor and onto his head. No, it would have to be the settee in the front room.

"Yes mum", he called up to his mother "did you call me?"

"You know very well that I called you" she scolded. "What the heck are you trying to do, scare me or something. You almost knocked me down in your rush to get downstairs. What's the big hurry?"

"Mum I've told you, there's a crocodile under my bed." Daniel said "I've decided to sleep down here, in the front room on the settee from now on, alright.." This wasn't so much a question as a statement, he had made up his mind.

His mother made her way downstairs and shook her head. "No Daniel, we have had this discussion and you are not going to sleep downstairs. There is not a crocodile under your bed." she stated. "I've looked, your father's looked, your grandparents' have looked and even the man who came to read the meter looked. None of us could see a crocodile. Don't you think it is just in your imagination?" Her tone softened "listen, I'll go up now and vacuum under your bed, if there is a crocodile, I'll suck him up the hoover and put him out with the rubbish, OK? Now go and eat your breakfast."

"But mum" Daniel's protest was in vain, his mother was already half way up the stairs with the hoover. He would have to wait for his father, he would understand.

Daniel wandered into the kitchen and started to tuck into the lovely breakfast his mother had prepared. He could hear the drone of the vacuum cleaner in the distance and wondered if a large crocodile would fit into the bag. The kitchen door opened and his father walked in, yawning and stretching, he went straight for the coffee and poured himself a large mug full.

"What is your mother up to now" he asked with his eyes half shut "It is not even nine o'clock on a Saturday morning and she is already doing housework" he slumped down in the chair and stared at the food in front of him. He finished the mug of coffee and went to get a refill when a whirlwind shot past him and out into the garden. He could hear the rattle of the bin lid being dropped, then replaced and the whirlwind then appeared back in the kitchen.

Daniel looked up, that was his mum in full flight.

"Right Daniel" said his mother "I have just put anything that was under your bed into the bin, so no more talk of crocodiles under your bed from now on."

"It's only one crocodile" corrected Daniel "and you haven't got a hoover bag big enough for that crocodile."

"Not the crocodile under the bed thing again" sighed his father. "I thought we had sorted that out, we have all looked and couldn't see a thing" he yawned and began to doze off. His elbow started to slip off the table and all at once his face fell slap bang into a plate of scrambled eggs.

Daniel started to laugh, but stopped before his mother threw the tea towel in her hand at him. "Look mum and dad" he started "I know you don't believe me but it is true, I have got a large crocodile living under my bed and I am frightened that he will eat me up." He turned to his mother and said "one day you are going to open my bedroom door and all you will find is the odd leg bone or just my head sitting there." His eloquent plea went unheard as his mother started to clear the breakfast plates before they had even finished.

"Hey" said his father "wait till I've had at least a mouthful of food before you start clearing it away."

"You look as though you have already had enough" said his mother pointing to the side of his father's face "look, you've got scrambled eggs coming out of your ears!" They all laughed as his dad brushed away the bits of egg and tried to swipe a slice of toast. "Anyway, we have a visitor today" said his mum changing the subject. "Aunt Em is coming and I want this place spick and span, so go and tidy up, she will be here soon."

Good thought Daniel, Aunt Em will know what to do with the crocodile under my bed. He was almost to the top of the stairs when he realized where he was going. Well, he would have to get dressed and all his clothes were in his room, what a dilemma. He crept up to the open door to his room and peered in, he looked across at his bed, then peered under it. "Phew, no crocodile" he muttered, but he knew that in the day time it disappeared, only to return at night. He quickly rushed in and grabbed some clothes and ran to the bathroom to get dressed. He heard the front door and could hear Aunt Em arrive. When he had finished getting dressed, he ran downstairs to greet her. There was no one in the hall and his mother and father were still in the kitchen, where was Aunt Em?

"Mum" quizzed Daniel "did I hear Aunt Em arrive a minute ago?"

"She has gone upstairs to see something or other" said his mum "go and see if she wants a cup of coffee, there's a good lad."

As Daniel started up the stairs he could hear Aunt Em talking and laughing. Who was she talking to, where was she, the hairs on the back of Daniel's neck stood bold upright. As he walked along the hallway he heard a shriek. He launched himself headlong into his room and landed at the side of Aunt Em who was sitting on the floor, in front of the biggest crocodile Daniel had ever seen. Not that he had seen many crocodiles in his time, the odd one in the zoo or sometimes on the telly. He threw himself in front of Aunt Em and screamed "I'll save you."

"Daniel, how lovely to see you. I see you are taking care of our crocodile and he has been telling me the funniest of stories" laughed Aunt Em.

"Our crocodile" spluttered Daniel "what do you mean, OUR CROCODILE" Daniel was almost in tears, he was eyeball to eyeball with a crocodile and was starting to feel like he was on the menu for lunch. "Aunt Em, please get it out of here, please, please..." he pleaded with her but she just laughed. He looked confused and started to back away, 'the woman is mad' he thought.

"I suppose I had better introduce you two" she laughed. "This handsome young man is my nephew Daniel" she spoke to the crocodile first. Then turning to Daniel she said "and this is my good friend crocodile." Then she whispered in Daniel's ear "I don't know his name, he never told me." She carried on "he must have followed me here last time I visited, I wondered where he had gone."

Daniel sat dumbstruck looking from the crocodile to his Aunt Em and back. "But" he stammered "but I" he stopped, the words would not come out. His Aunt continued.

"Crocodile tells me that you were worried about goblins, wolves and witches in your room at night, and all sorts of other nasties. Is that right?" said Aunt Em. All Daniel could do was nod. "Well I'll bet you haven't been worried by any of them since he came to stay," she laughed "he will sort out anything that might do you harm and gobble it up."

Daniel then found some words to say and they all came tumbling out at once. "The only thing I've been worried about since he came, is that he will gobble ME up. I don't have time to think about goblins or witches." He sat back "Aunt Em" he whispered "what do you mean by CAME TO STAY?" the thought had stopped him in his tracks.

Aunt Em laughed "he is as gentle as a kitten Daniel and he will always protect you, never harm you" she patted Daniel's arm "he only stays when it is dark, so you are lucky to see him now." She held out her hand to pat the crocodile, the beast turned it's head and Daniel let out a muffled scream. "I've told you" repeated Aunt Em "he will not hurt you, come on give the old boy a pat on the head." Taking Daniel's shaking hand she placed it on the head of the crocodile. It didn't feel as cold as he thought it would, in fact it felt a bit like the leather sofa in the back room. He stroked the crocodile's head and thought to himself 'OK, so far so good, I've still got my hand.' With that the crocodile disappeared into thin air.

"Don't worry Daniel" soothed Aunt Em "he'll be back tonight" Daniel still wasn't sure about all this, but he trusted his Aunt Em and now he could tell his mum and dad all about it. He hadn't noticed the open door behind him or the two open mouthed adults, but he heard the dull thud as his mother hit the floor in a dead faint.

That night Daniel went up to his room with Aunt Em. As he opened the door, he looked toward his bed. Sure enough, crocodile was back under the bed, although this time he didn't seem so frightening, he seemed to be smiling. Daniel climbed into bed, he put his hand down to stroke the back of the crocodile and he wasn't afraid any more of goblins, wolves or witches. Although he would still keep his hands under the covers, just in case crocodile mistook it for a goblin. Aunt Em tucked him in and kissed him good night. She had a lot of explaining to do to placate Daniel's parents.

She would just have to remind his mother that when she was a girl, she had a SHARK swimming about under HER bed!