Midnight Mississippian Monsters

Later in the night, I toss and turn. I have fragmented dreams about vicious woodland creatures breaking into the van, leaving us at their mercy. In my dream they come in from the ceiling like ninjas in masks. I wake up, hyper aware thanks to my nonsensical imaginings. Except…there’s a scraping sound at the back of the van. I am instantly awake. The noise continues for a bit and then gets closer. It is on top of the van now. The light patter of ninja raccoon feet echoes in the silence. There is a skylight on the roof. I think I can see the demonic glow of its eyes. It snuffles. More pattering from the roof. There’s a whole family up there! I imagine them crashing through the roof under their combined weight. I lie still, hoping they will go away. It is clear that the raccoons are having a raucous bandit party on the roof of the van. My companion wakes up with a start. More asleep than awake he gets up and turns the skylight fan on. The fan blade catches a furry foot. I hear rapid scurrying. Satisfied that the fan offers superior protection against my furry foe, I go back to sleep.