that was silly , of course , his father said so and his mother said so and , even more important , bill said so , but still - he did not even like opening the door to flick on the light because he always had the idea-this was so exquisitely stupid he did n't dare tell anyone-that while he was feeling for the light switch , some horrible clawed paw would settle lightly over his wrist ... and then jerk him down into the darkness that smelled of dirt and wet and dim rotted vegetables .