My very dear Claire, I already know so much about you, and yet I have never actually seen you. For six months now, I have been passing you, sensing you, hearing you, closing my eyes when I smell you ... [+]
Rolli is the author of two children’s books: the story collection Dr. Franklin’s Staticy Cat and the novel Kabungo. His website is rollistuff.com. "The Bear Under the Bed" is in Short Circuit #04, Short Édition's quarterly review.
Sometimes I can't sleep. That's because of the bear under the bed.One night, the bear was breathing hard.When he breathed in, the bed lifted up off the floor.When he breathed out, the bed slammed back down.I was getting seasick. So I leaned over the edge of the bed and whispered, "If you could breathe just a smidge softer, Mr. Bear, I'd appreciate it, thank-you-very-much."I was perfectly polite. But the bear didn't care! In fact, he breathed even harder. It was a long night...Another time, the bear was snoring. Loud.The sound rattled my teeth. It swished the curtains. It shook my socks right o