Tiger Tales

Tiger in the dark.  I can hear the paws of the great beast treading on my carpet. Silently stalking my 
sleep self... as the weight of the monster makes the floor creak. I sit up suddenly aware. Listening intently
to every sound a house can make when all are asleep.  The clock makes a noise as the numbers flash, the
hum of a refrigerator, and the distant sound of an occasional car.  Yet, there was a heaviness a palpable 
sensation of danger or of better yet.... foreign  It retreated as the sleepy tentacles receded.  It gave sway to
the logical reality of consciousness... Until the next time. 

It had been three months since she had sound sleep.  The first time it had happened she put it down to 
a bad meal.. The next time to the racy program she had watched before  bed... But when she finally saw the object of the noise,  of the unease... when it paced back and forth in her bedroom.. Why would a tiger spirit
be in her middle class non remarkable house?  Why would it be focusing on her?  The last time it had 
happened when she held her breath and peeked out from her covers... the beast was sitting next to her bed.
Inches from her wide horrified eyes.  It gazed at her with intent and yet no feeling of ferocity. It just looked
like a four hundred pound royal bengal tiger.

Getting ready to go shopping was an effort. There were dark circles under her eyes.  Granted all of her 56 years had treated her kindly. 
 Her hair was lightly dusted with silver.  Her features were handsome and her face unlined.. The good humor she found
in most things had stood her in good stead.  When her parents had both passed and she had to move 
to take care of the details... she had decided to keep the family home and live there.  Her job was not
a problem as she was a free lance writer,  and friends she had few of.  Her best friends were her two
labrador retrievers Mutt and Jeff.  That was another surprise.. When her tiger appeared they both were
sound asleep by her bed.  Great watch dogs. humph.