The Monster in the Closet.

Monster in the Closet:


The small girl tossed and turned in her bed, pink sheets entangling her legs and pulling her tighter into an uncomfortable grip. In her sleep her mewls and muttered pleas to the monsters of her nightmare flowed freely from her mouth, bouncing off the walls and sliding beneath her closet door.

The door popped open with a creak, waking the child, who gave a small shout at the sudden jolt of adrenaline coursing through her tiny veins.

Frantic eyes searched the room, finally resting on the open closet door. A minute smile slipped across the girl’s face as the panic left her body.

The child removed herself from her twisted sheets and slid out of bed, barely able to suppress a giggle as she padded to the open closet door.

“Is that Daddy?” the girl whispered, her smile bright enough to be seen in the dim moonlight that filtered in through the curtains.

Small fists made contact with wood as she knocked on the closet frame.

A knock echoed back from within.

At this, the young girl bit her lip to keep from squealing with delight.

“Mommy?” She whispered.
The closet growled.

By now the child was giggling freely, unable to keep the joy that bubbled inside her contained. “Come on out, Silly!” She said in a breath-laden shout, trying, in vain, to keep quiet.

The growl deepened as the little girl sat cross-legged back on the bed, eyeing the black form the slinked from behind the dresses and frills inside her closet.

Floorboards creaked under the creature’s weight, scaly flesh scraping against them as they strained. The monsters hulking form squeezed through the closet door and the girl clapped, seemingly applauding it.

A deep chuckle rose from the creature’s ancient lungs, dust drifting out of its pointed mouth.

It crawled deeper into the room, large arms dragging its snake-like body across the floor. As soon as it emerged fully, the greasy, hair-covered tip of its tail finally escaping the closet, it disappeared again, sliding beneath the bed.

The small girl hopped off the bed once more. “Come out of there, silly!” She said, lifting the bed skirt. All she saw were a few scattered toys and the bunny slipper she had been looking for this morning.

Gripping the slipper tightly, the child climbed back onto the bed. She was alone again, and the haunting thoughts of her nightmare filled her mind. The pink bunny slipper was crushed in her grip, as tears slipped down her face.

“I- I had a nightmare.” The girl curled into herself as she addressed the empty room, pressing her knees into her chest and letting the slipper fall to the floor.

“I’m really sc-scared.” She blurted between sniffles. “Can you… can you come out now?”

With a whimper, the little girl lay on her side. “Please?”

Over her quiet sobs, she heard the soft scratching of scales on wood.

As the small girl peered over the edge of her bed, a large hand extended out from underneath it, clutching a tiny pink slipper.

The large being strained to pull itself out of the tight space, growling softly as the black scales of its body caught on the bed frame.

With one final lunge, it was free from its tight spot, the force of its pull sending it crashing into a large building block tower.

The girl crawled to the edge of her bed, reaching for the monster as it brushed itself off.

A small laugh, mixed with her cries.

Large arms wrapped around the sobbing girl as the creature held her to its cold chest. The loud and rhythmic pumping of its heart soothed her, and she relaxed against it.

“Be still now,” The creature bellowed as it felt her relax. “You are safe.”

The being settled the small girl’s exhausted form back into the bed, covering her with the bright purple blanket, its claws snagging on the fabric ever so slightly. The girl did not notice this, however, as she had already fallen back asleep, a smile on the little cherub’s face. The child didn’t stir, even as the creature stroked her soft blonde hair.

“I am your monster,” The creature continued as it surrounded her bed with its snake-like body, guarding it protectively as its scales bristled. “And I will protect you.”

On the far side of the room, the sound of a locking door could be heard.

“Forever.”