DEATHBED - TIMELINE #630227

(Timeline Tuesday #77)

Deathbeds are a species of devious carnivores from a nearby timeline. These creatures are slow and cumbersome, incapable of hunting down their prey by any direct means, and therefore must rely on their cunning nature to survive.

The outward appearance of a Deathbed is alarmingly similar to a typical bed that humans sleep in. They are large and rectangular, with flat bodies that range in size from a Twin to a California King. The central body, or mattress area, is where all of this creature’s vital organs are kept, most notable being the stomach. This creature’s large form is capable of holding two or three human-sized meals during the course of a Deathbed’s digestion process.

Deathbeds feature an enormous pouch on the top of their body, a flap of skin resembling thick, warm blankets and varying in color and pattern. The two “pillows” atop a Deathbed are biological growths, but they are detachable and will quickly regrow in exactly the same position if removed.

Despite the creature’s best efforts, there are several ways of distinguishing a Deathbed from a natural bed on this timeline. The most notable outward giveaways are Deathbed feet, which are clearly animalistic and feature three large toes. Next, any cut or scratch to a Deathbed will reveal their fabric surface is only an illusion, and a body of flesh and blood is actually what lies beneath. Lastly, Deathbeds are notoriously lazy, simply stuffing the bones of their digested victims back under their giant bodies.

Deathbeds hunt by finding new homes that haven’t yet been occupied, or by seeking out empty rental spaces during a tenant changeover. They do this through a mild sensitivity to timeline vibrations, and can accurately detect areas where life-changing events are taking place.

During the confusion of a big move, a deathbed will position itself in an empty room. It is the hope of this creature that someone will not realize this creature has taken the place of the prey’s actual bed, and rather than investigating, the victim will simply be too tired. The victim will climb in and fall asleep. A deathbed will remain in place, consuming as many victims as possible before moving on.

Fortunately, these creatures are becoming less and less common on this timeline as awareness of their presence grows. Most people know not to sleep in a strange bed that has appeared within the walls of their new home, relegating the few Deathbeds that are left to hunting in seedy motels.