Story 414: Jumper Dad

Jumper Dad
by
Matt Zurbo

Cielo had a problem
each and every night.

Nightmares, nightmares,
nightmares!

Giving her such fright!

Nightmares, nightmares,
throughout the night!

*****

The Gibbly Goops,
some Wibbly Wocks,

the Drips,

the Drops,

the Tickerty Tocks,

all ran around her head.

But, by far, the
worst of all,
was the creature under her bed!

*****

It didn’t have a name,
its face was all
shadow,

yet, when she dreamed,
it scared her
to her little girl marrow!

*****

Cielo would toss,
would turn, shout,
let it all out,
try and make,
the nightmare go away.

Which would just make it bigger,
colder,
bolder,
in every single monster way!

*****

Then she’d scream more,
and bursting through the door
Dad! Dad!
Dad would come to save the day!

“Onya Dad!” Cielo would sigh.
“Now pretty please,
I’m on my knees,
I need you to stay!”

“Stay, stay, scare the
bad dreams away!”

*****

Cielo’s dad couldn’t be there
every single night,
work was hard,
he had to sleep,
rest,
get himself right!

So he thought of a plan,
both simple
and grand,

to help his sweet child
through her Slumberland.

*****

“Here’s my sweater,” he said.
“Jumper, if you will,
to put on your pillow,

and hug until you’re blue!”

And kissed her head
night, night,
and went back to bed,

without any
further adieu.

As you do, as you do.

*****

And Cielo put the jumper
on the pillow quick,

as she heard,
with Dad gone,
the monster licking

its leathery lips.

*****

But the jumper, it smelt
familiar,
like her old man,

giving her the
warmth
that only her father can.

*****

It felt like it did,
every time she took a fall,
or cried, or felt
really lonely and small.

And he would be there
to lift her,
hug her,
make her feel so tall.

*****

It felt like it did when she ran
to greet him at the gate,
and suddenly
bad days,
and hard days
met, and felt really great!

*****

Meanwhile…
the nightmare under her bed,
well,
it could not wait!

It let out a rumble,
an evil sigh,
a low, nasty cry,
like a bull at a gate!

*****

It began to prowl,
this creature quite foul,
looking to scare her,
with its
evil eye!

Oh me, oh me, oh me,
oh my!

*****

But all that
Cielo then did,
when many another child,
might have cried
or hid,

was hug that pillow
dressed like her Dad!

Hug it long,
hug it hard,
until she felt glad.

*****

Until she felt safe,

and warm

and right.

Protected by Jumper Dad,
throughout this and every night.

Safe from monsters and nightmares,
until morning’s light.

*****

The creature, oh,
oh,
how it knew!

It didn’t stand a chance,
against such love,
strong
and true!

It knew not to be mean,
as nightmares were prone to do.

*****

So, instead was nice,
sugar and spice,
changing its ways,
in but a thrice!

*****

It let off warm sighs,
gave a friendlier eye,
hanging around with Cielo,
and Jumper Dad, too.

Had a tea party,
with them,
by the doll house,
a lovely tea party,

in her dreams,

as you do, as you do…!

The End