What's On The Other Side Of The Blanket?

What's On The Other Side Of The Blanket?
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/ aka Granny Gee

Photo I took of the blanket ... as I folded it ... my handprints stayed on the velvety surface ... therefore, giving me the idea for a short story ... is it fiction?  Could this really ... happen?  We'll never know ... unless ... did something try to grab your hand when you touched your blanket?  Is this how ... some people disappear?  Should we check all ... blankets?




I stood at the foot of the bed, folding the king-size blanket. It was very soft to the touch. Light blue in color ... velvety.


I watched my handprints appear on the surface of the blanket as I smoothed it, here and there. Once ... my heart almost stopped, I thought I felt something from the other side of the blanket latch on to my finger! It was my imagination ... it didn't happen again.


The blanket looked neat, on the end of the bed. I noticed slight movement ... I walked closer to look down at the blanket, when I froze. I was unable to move ... there was an extra handprint bigger than mine ... on the surface of the blanket! It was trying to reach out!


My puppy ran over to the blanket, barking. I guess my shock reached through her sleep, waking her up. I tried to push her back ... she was too close. She disappeared, the hand pulled her to the other side!


No! No! I wanted my baby back! I grabbed the hand moving on the surface of the blanket, pulled. A thin man popped out on this side! He held my puppy. Give me back my puppy!


He held her tightly ... not wanting to give me the puppy back. I began to think fast at how I could coax him into giving me my puppy back.


Why ... did you take my puppy? I'm lonely, he said. You don't know what it's like on the ... other side. The other side? Yes, the other side of the blanket! It's lonely there ... it's cold ... all on the inside is snug, cozy.


Why ... are you on the other side? Because ... I kept hogging all the cover one cold, freezing night from my wife. The next thing I knew ... I was on the other side! Now ... I've learned my lesson ... I don't know how to stay on this side of the blanket.


I stood there, thinking ...wondered if talking to his wife could help keep him permanently stay here. Where does your wife live? Only five miles from here, he said. Let's go ... he popped back to the other side of the blanket. I smoothed it ... picked it up, took it to my truck.


My puppy stayed on the bed, going back to sleep, no doubt. I'm sure she was baffled, stunned at the person on the other side of the blanket as I was.


I parked, walked up to the house where the man's wife lived. I knocked on the door. The door opened, and a pitiful looking woman appeared. Ma'am, may I talk to you?


She led me to the living room ... we talked. She began to share with me that her husband disappeared one cold, wintry night. She didn't know why he left her ... she wished for him to come back home.


Instantly, I got to my feet, ran to my truck, grabbed the big blanket ... came back to the living room with it. I put it on the couch, gently. What the ..... ? She was standing there, with her mouth wide open. She didn't understand what was going on.


I asked her again if she wanted her husband home. She said yes, quickly. I took her hand to the blanket ... she began to pull away when she saw the hand on the other side .... reaching out for her hand!


It's alright ... you want your husband back home ... let his hand touch yours. She looked at me, questions in her eyes. I just nodded for her to take the blanketed hand ...


As she did, the man appeared on this side of the blanket. He began apologizing for hogging the bedcover that fateful night. She ran into his arms, forgiving him. She wanted her husband, home!


I watched, tears in my eyes ... my heart felt as if it were being squeezed from emotion. The man had disappeared from this side of the blanket to the .... other side of the blanket. All for hogging his wife's cover ...


I wonder ... if this is how some people disappear? You never know what's on the other side of the blanket!




Story written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee. It is owned by her.
Photos were taken by, owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.


This story idea came from making the bed, folding the heavy, king-size blanket on it. My handprints began appearing on the surface of the blanket as I touched it ... I took photos of my handprints. #Gloria Faye Brown Bates #GrannyGee #handprints #other side