Teddy paced slowly back-and-forth above the pillow, his wooden sword gripped firmly in his right paw. The child was sleeping soundly, tucked in under the blankets with care. Teddy listened intently for sounds in the room, for the monster had promised he would return to claim the dreams of the child. Teddy wasn’t going to let anything happen to his best friend; not tonight, and not any night.

The floorboards creaked, immediately drawing Teddy’s attention. He pulled his shield close to him and jumped up on top of the pillow as the monster slowly approached the bed.

The monster’s body was massive, with his hands alone larger than the child. His elongated mouth was filled with large teeth, sharp and threatening, as his body moved over the top of the bed. His voice was deep and it sounded like rocks rumbling down a mountain as he spoke, “Leave this place. The child is mine.”

Teddy drew up his sword, pointing it at the monster’s snout only inches away. “He is under my protection, and I will slay you where you stand if you do not retreat to the vile place from whence you came.” Teddy’s feet anchored into the pillow firmly with his wide stance, yet barely made a dent in the pillow’s surface.

The laugh echoed around the room like a crashing wave, “Ha ha ha. You are nothing to me.”

Teddy had loved this child since the day he arrived, and the child had shared the sentiments. Not a night had passed without Teddy curled under the child’s arm or resting closely on the pillow. There was magic between then, and it was this magic that gave him courage and strength against this evil beast. Teddy pushed the point of the sword to within an inch of the creature’s snout, leaning his weight towards the foe. “Begone with you!” The dull tip of the sword touched the creature, and a flash of light exploded from the point of contact, causing the monster to rear back, away from the bed.

“You will not harm this child, nor any child. We will protect them, as we always have,” he said with a confident but gentle tone. The creature’s anger rumbled in a low growl as he retreated back into the darkness till he found a child that was not so well protected.

This is part of a 30 day series of 2-3 minute short stories written for the 30 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 2011. You can view all the stories in the Short Story A Day category.