Thursday, January 26, 2012

Horror Story



I do not watch horror movies anymore. There have been requests to hear the story behind that.

It was a dark, stormy night in rural New York (ok, maybe it wasn’t stormy or completely rural, but it was dark and…suburban).

I was visiting my best friend. Her husband, two children, and dogs had all retired for the evening, and we were up drinking wine and talking. We decided to choose a movie.

We thought a horror flick sounded fun. We chose High Tension from the list and settled in, ready for the adrenaline rush of boogey-men and things-that-go-bump-in-the-night.

It was the most banal, chilling, and frightening shit I’d ever seen. I think I lasted about a half hour before I insisted my friend turn it off.

It was e-vil. Like the fru-its of the de-vil. (Bonus points for anyone who recognizes that quote.)

I was scarred – for life, apparently.

When we decided to throw in the towel and go to bed, I retreated to the guest room…in the basement. Not only was I in the scary, scary basement (it was actually a very nice room), but there was also a door to the backyard in the guest room.

I was in the bed in the dark trying so hard to be thirty years old and brave. I started to have a panic attack.

I still feel silly admitting it! I had trouble breathing. I felt a loud ringing in my ears. All I wanted to do was RUN. Run upstairs. Find people. Find help. Hug someone.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran upstairs straight into my best friend’s bedroom. I stood by the bed. You know, like a total, crazed moron.

There she slept with her baby boy close to her, her husband sleeping soundly, and one of the dogs at the foot of the bed.

I considered my options. I looked at the hard wood floor. I contemplated curling up on the rug at the end of the bed.

She sensed my presence, and being the bestest best friend one could ever have, she scooted over and lifted the covers up, silently letting me crawl right in.

I was so grateful. Everything was right with the world again. I took up as minimal space as possible right on the edge of the bed, and I couldn’t remember ever feeling more comfortable.

Next thing I knew, it was morning. I looked up and saw her husband staring incredulously at everyone in the bed.

I was very embarrassed. I laid my head back down and pretended to keep sleeping.

In the middle of the night, her other boy had also crawled into bed with all of us. It was a very full bed and is now one of the fondest memories I have of that precious family.

You may think your life is full enough – with your children, dogs, and husband all in your bed on a weekend morning. But, it is not as full as it could be.

I could be there too. Edging my way in, making myself at home, clutching whatever space I’m given.

31 comments:

Unknown said...

I cannot watch horror movies!

Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit said...

LOL! That's hysterical ... in a very warm cute and cuddly way. I will not EVER watch horror movies. Nor the news (which is a horror movie in itself at times).

Jessica said...

I don't like horror movies. Every once and a while my friends have suckered me into watching one. One of the movies we watched was High Tension. The music alone freaked me out, but I did finish it. I will say that I too cuddled with friends that night, and if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have been able to sleep either!

Tracy said...

I decided it would be a good idea to watch Halloween in the dark all by myself. I couldn't make it 20 minutes. And it was a cleaned up version on tv. I feel for you and I would have done the same thing.

Redcliffe Style said...

That was a great story. Made me smile. I think I would have done the same thing. Rachel xx


www.redcliffestyle.com

Unknown said...

Ha Ha Ha! I cannot believe you crawled into bed with all of them. excellent!

Tenille said...

That's actually a lovely story in the end. I don't watch horror either. The Sixth Sense did it for me. It was done in such a matter-of-fact way that made it all totally plausible. Freaked me out for months.

Rachel said...

So I Married an Axe Murderer. Great Mike Myers movie! We had bagpiper play at church on 9-11 and all I could think was, "Piper down! We have a piper down!"

Deb said...

I love horror, but I also love this post! (It's possible I love the latter more than the former, by a lot.)

This tale's ending tickled me, and I can totally relate to how you got there. My son's bookshelf is between the closet and the entry doors. Most the time I don't even notice, but last night my skin crawled as I sat and assessed which book to nab. And then jumped right back over to the "right" side of the bookshelf.

SherilinR said...

i'm totally anti-horror of any kind. and i love that your friend let you crawl in & didn't even make you feel stupid about it first. keep her.

Lisha @ DeLovely Life said...

I'm dying..Right now. ::giggle giggle:: Wellll, I hate horror movies too. Though it's not technically a horror movie, after seeing the movie Signs, I couldn't sleep for fear that the camouflage aliens were in the room...

Jen said...

Aw, I love this story.

And yeah, no horror movies for me. Never ever ever!

championm2000 said...

I still need therapy from watching The Exorcist at a young age.

Princess Kate said...

Thank you for the laugh :) I am no longer able to watch horror movies of any sort. I used to be able to watch them at home during the day, but ever since I've been living alone with my kids, I can't even do that.

What a sight you all must have been in that bed. Love that story!

Anonymous said...

Hehe, yep, they're definitely the best-est kind of friends! I'm not even going to risk watching proper horror films because my (somewhat low) scare threshold is triggered by children's films. Honestly! :)

Carolina said...

Your story made me laugh and appreciate my best friend, who I know would have done the same thing!

Kara said...

I love this post so much, I've decided to feature it on my Friday's Features. :)

Natalie said...

Oh I wish we would have gotten to see a pic of this!

Susie said...

I can't watch horror movies either but that was a great story!

MommyHeadache said...

What a brilliant story! I am exactly like you and cannot watch horror movies or I cannot sleep a wink.

Mrs. Match said...

I can't stand scary movies. I would have done the same thing!!

KalpanaS said...

Boo!!! tiful :))

paul said...

That's brilliant. What a friend to let you just crawl in beside them. Sorry, I love horror flicks and the creepy basement rooms LOL

Carrie said...

I'm not a big fan of scary movies either...but I doubt I would try to sneak in bed with my friend and her family lol

jazzygal said...

That is so funny....scary....AND cute!! I can just picture that bed the next morning! I don't like horror movies either. I watch psychological thrillers....from behind a cushion!!

xx Jazzy

Glen said...

seeing that from the husband's point of view I'd have been absolutely gutted. It would be just my bloody luck finally get that threesome but I was so drunk the night before that I can't remember anything about it!

gutted

Katie @ Chicken Noodle Gravy said...

I. Adored. This. I love horror movies, but they scare the pee out of me and keep me from sleeping at night. And yet, like some crazy woman, I still love them. I always make my husband SWEAR that he will stay awake until I fall asleep on a night we watch a horror movie. Guess what? He doesn't. Those are the times I wish I had your friend's full bed and that comforting little edge to sleep on.

Oh, and your last sentence? LOVED.

My Inner Chick said...

--I swear,
that is such a BEAUTIFUL story.

I love it. I can visulize all of you guys in the same bed like the Little House on the Praire or something....

What movie was it?

xx

{Stephanie}The Drama Mama said...

I love the cozy sound of this!

Ever since I watched "Open Water" I can't go in any water I can't see through. Talk about a mind fuck! They never actually even show the sharks attacking, its so subtle, but damn. When it makes your knees shake and you break into a sweat just reaching into your kitchen sink filled with cloudy water, you KNOW it was a scary movie.

Cheers. You are welcome to crawl in my bed anytime as long you promise to handle the cloudy water for me. ;)

Babes Mami said...

aww that is a great friend! And now I want to see this movie!

busana muslim said...

woww great post good luck