Anne of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Walter, alone in the darkness, still found it impossible to sleep. He had never slept alone before in his short life. Always Jem or Ken near him, warm and comforting. The little room became dimly visible as the pale moonlight crept into it, but it was almost worse than darkness. A picture on the wall at the foot of his bed seemed to leer at him. pictures always looked so DIFFERENT by moonlight. You saw things in them you never suspected by daylight. The long lace curtains looked like tall thin women, one on each side of the window, weeping. There were noises about the house. creaks, sighs, whisperings. Suppose the birds in the wallpaper WERE coming to life and getting ready to pick out his eyes? A creepy fear suddenly possessed Walter. and then one great fear banished all the others. MOTHER WAS SICK. He had to believe it since Opal had said it was true. Perhaps Mother was dying! PERHAPS MOTHER WAS DEAD! There would be no Mother to go home to. Walter saw Ingleside without Mother!

Suddenly Walter knew he could not bear it. He must go home. Right away--at once. He must see Mother before she. before she. died. THIS was what Aunt Mary Maria had meant. SHE had known Mother was going to die. It was no use to think of waking anyone and asking to be taken home. They wouldn't take him. they would only laugh at him. It was an awful long road home but he would walk all night.