Sarah Macfarlane's story about Twilight

‘Did this mean that every impossible fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth?’ – Stephenie Meyer

I should never have read this book. Vampires terrify me, even though I’m too old to believe in mythical monsters. I’m too old to believe in the heroes of these legends as well, so I’m not sure who will protect me. Still, I find myself hoping for a prince anyway, like I’m fourteen all over again.

‘I can’t sleep,’ I announce to my husband on the night I finish Twilight. ‘I’m too scared.’
He’s lying on the sofa, watching Match of the Day. He’s been looking forward to it all evening. I’m standing in the doorway of the living room. The hairs up the back of my neck are on end, and my heart is frozen in my throat. It has taken a year’s worth of courage to creep out of bed to find him. I’m sure there are vampires in the house, or at least right outside. The wailing at the window is definitely not the wind.
He glances between my face and the book I’m clutching, and hits the mute button. ‘A vampire can’t come into the house unless you invite them,’ he tells me.
‘No. In Twilight they do. Edward goes into Bella’s bedroom all the time when she doesn’t realise, to watch her sleep.’
If he doesn’t know who I’m talking about, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he stands up. ‘Do you want me to check the house for vampires?’
I nod.
By the time he returns, my palms are cold and my heart has completely forgotten how to beat. I wish I hadn’t let him leave me.
‘There are no vampires in the house.’
‘What would you do if you found one?’ My voice is creaking with fear.
He shrugs. ‘I’d protect you.’
‘But then you might get killed. For me.’
‘Of course,’ he says, like I’ve stated the most obvious thing of all. Then he turns off the TV. ‘Let’s go to bed.’
My pulsing heart only calms when he’s climbed in beside me. I turn off the light and concentrate on the rhythm of his breathing, pushing thoughts of blood-sucking monsters to the back of my mind.
My fears gain insignificance, sleep creeping into the corners of my consciousness. And as I’m about to slip under, I realise why. Heroes aren’t the stuff of legends but of absolute truth, and my prince is beside me.