The Terror of Older Brothers

I was reading the "Haunted House Stories" post at Skittles' Place and she mentioned how her older brother used to like to scare her. This reminded me of a couple of times my older brother (6 1/2 years older than I) scared the ever-living crap out of me. Now, he scared me quite often, but I specifically remember two times that were, obviously, rather traumatizing (why else would I remember them to this day?)

I guess I should start this first story off by telling you about my complete terror of what might have been lurking under my bed at any point in time. I was deathly afraid of looking under there at night and there were numerous times that I had my mom or dad check under there before I'd go to bed - sometimes two or three times (you know the boogeyman could have snuck in there after my parents looked). Anyway, just remember this.

One evening, when I was around 6 or 7, we watched a horror movie. Now, I don't remember which movie, but that isn't important. Although, I now realize we probably should have listened to the rating of the movie and I shouldn't have watched it - but my parents weren't too strict in that manner. Regardless, it was time for bed and my brother curiously headed to his bedroom first. Thinking back, I probably should have known something was up. Eventually I reached my room and was getting ready to climb into bed. For some reason, I must have been feeling brave that night because, I didn't have my parents check under my bed. As I climbed into bed, I felt the bed shake a little and then "something" grabbed my ankle. I screamed at the top of my lungs, which brought my parents running. A few seconds later, my brother climbed out from under the bed laughing. Surprise, surprise - he didn't go to bed, he went to my room to scare me. Let me just say, he succeeded. That was always my biggest fear of the anything under the bed - that it would grab my ankle and pull me under. You know that BS about confronting your fears and how you won't be afraid anymore if you do? Yeah, that's not true. My brother proved to me, that night, that it was possible for someone to hide under my bed and grab me - he just reinforced my fear.

The second incident probably happened shortly thereafter. I don't remember if my parents were at work - my brother watched me after school because my parents didn't get home until 5:15 pm. All I know is that I was taking a bath and my brother came crashing through the door with a Butcher knife in the air similar to the "shower scene" in Psycho. Granted, this wasn't as terrifying as the "under the bed" incident, but it quickly taught me to lock the door when I take a bath or shower. And, to this day, I still have a fear of someone entering the bathroom while I shower or bathe. I have been known to watch the reflection of the entire bathroom in the chrome fan on the ceiling while I shower. Yeah, I'm a freak - it's alright, you all can talk about it.

I have to say, girls with older brothers usually turn out to be pretty tough - they have to in order to survive the older brother. Trust me.