Monsters Under My Bed

A Short Story about a Little Boy's Fears
Still in Progress

I laid in my bed at night and did not dare put my foot on the floor, because there's monsters living under my bed. I know they are there because my dad told me they were.

Just before he turned out the light, he said, "Son, if you stay on the bed, you're safe. But, if you put one foot on the floor when the light is out, that monster that lives under your bed will grab your ankle, drag you under the bed, and snap, crackle, pop!"

"You mean snap, crackle, pop, like my little bones?" I asked and got an afirmataive nod. "Wait, Dad, I got a idea. Why don't we leave the light on? Huh, what do you say?"

"Can't do that," he answered, "Then the monster will get angry and it would not be a pretty sight. Good night, son and sleep tight."

Woe, I need go to the bathroom and I'm thirsty, but..."DAD." No answer. "MOM." Still no answer. It is times like this when you wish you had a big brother come help you. Or a little brother you could throw off the bed to check on Dad's honesty. I personally think Dad's lying, but how do I find out without getting eaten? I know!

"Kitty, kitty, kitty, here kitty, kitty, kitty."

The door slowly opened with a slight creak and I hoped it wasn't another monster coming to join the others, but in walked Fluffy. He walked over and jumped up on the bed. I observed that cats are too dumb to know to be afraid.

"OK," I said, looking Fluffy in the eyes, "I have a job for you and I want you to do it quickly. Don't worry about what might happen, cause it probably won't happen, but if it does, it'll be over quickly and you got nine lives so you can get along with only eight. So, I want you to get off the bed and go under it and see what's there. OK?"

Then I threw him off the bed and watched as he walked around the room smelling of everything twice.

"Hey, you dumb cat! Get under the bed where you're suppose to be."

I tried to ruffle the bed spread near the bottom to get the cat under the bed, but then I thought the monster might want to play, too and grab by hand. So, I wadded up a ball of paper and threw it under the bed. The cat didn't see it and so I did another. On the third one, he saw it and ran under the bed. There followed what sounded like a scuffle and I felt sorry for Fluffy, but then one of the paper balls came flying out and Fluffy after it.

"Well, Dad was lying to me once again," I thought and swung my feet over the side of the bed and prepared to run into their room and leap into their bed. Then I thought, "Maybe these monsters don't like cats," and quickly drew my legs back up on the bed. Maybe I should try the direct approach.

"Hey, Monster," I cried out, "Are you under my bed?"

He answered me, "No! There ain't no body here but the cat."

Nope, Dad was telling the truth because the monster had lied about the cat cause he was still playing with the paper ball.

"I wonder if they like dogs," I mused. "Here boy, here Bingo, come on boy."