The Monster Under the Bed

On entering the kitchen, Josh sniffed the air and began to dance. “Are those my favorites?”

His mother, Sarah, smiled. “Are chocolate chip cookies your favorite?”

“You know they are. Yes!” He punched up in victory.

“But not now. They’re for your party at school.” Josh pouted. “By the way, you pick a costume?”

“Not yet…”

She sang, “I have some ideas…”

Exhibiting tremendous nonchalance, he sidled over to the cooling tray and slipped two cookies onto a napkin.

Sarah feigned ignorance but called to him as he sauntered out. “Those are for after dinner, you.”

Josh giggled as he ran up to his room.

~

When everyone had settled at the dinner table, Sarah brought up Halloween costumes.

Josh’s sister, Amber, didn’t hesitate. “I’m going to be the best ballerina ever.”

“Boring!”

“Josh!”

“It’s boring. She’s always a bull-are-ena. Oooh! Scary!”

“You’re scared to take dance lessons…”

Josh yawned.

Sarah asked, “So, Josh, ready to be… a clown?”

“I hate clowns.”

“He can be scary…”

“But I hate clowns.”

Josh’s father, Dean, said, “A used car salesman. Big smile, flashy jacket… bowtie… They’re scary.”

Josh winced.

Sarah said, “You have to dress up for your first-grade Halloween party.”

Josh grabbed his head to keep it from exploding.

“I’m thinking… Okay?”

“Think harder, or I’ll buy a clown suit. You can wear that or skip the party.”

“Don’t worry. But I won’t be a clown. Halloween’s scary. Really scary. Not funny. Not cute. Not ridiculous… Scary. Don’t you get it?”

Dean rolled his eyes.

Sarah said, “I get it. Scary. Now eat your dinner.”

~

Lying in his bed, Josh felt the burning in his head and opened his eyes. Through the darkness, he saw the stain on the ceiling directly overhead and rolled to his side. Even in the gloom he saw a deep shadow on the pillow where he’d lain. He put his hand over it and felt burning penetrate his hand. Like a beam of darkness, the shadow came from the noxious blotch on the ceiling.

“Mom!”

Sarah appeared at the door in a moment. She’d never heard such a plaintive wail. Never prone to nightmares, Josh’s scream triggered her maternal instincts.

She ran and held him. “What is it, cherub? What happened?” 

He pointed at the stain on the ceiling. “It’s burning me.”

Sarah tried to understand through the fog of sleep.

“That stain? No. You had a bad dream.”

Josh hid his face into her shoulder and sobbed. She pulled him close.

“It isn’t a dream, Mom. Don’t you see?”

“Dad’ll check the attic tomorrow. Maybe something spilled.”

She couldn’t imagine what could spill, but there must be a logical explanation.

She caressed his tear-streaked face. “Sit tight. Be right back.”

Josh reached out as she rushed away. The hall light brightened the room but didn’t lighten the black shadow on his pillow.

Sarah returned and plugged a night light into the wall.

“There. That should help. You’re safe Josh. Go to sleep. Everything’s fine now.”

He looked doubtful. Sarah hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

He pulled his pillow to one side and laid down. It was still warm. The dark spot darkened the mattress where the pillow had been.

Sarah touched his shoulder. “Good night, Sweetums.”

“G’night…”

She left his door ajar, shut the hall light off, and shuffled back to bed.

Josh watched the stain on his ceiling. ‘Maybe I should move the bed.’ He shook his head. ‘If I stay clear of the beam. I’ll be alright.’

He stared. But his eyelids grew heavy. He shuddered and awoke. The stain remained. But it had moved.

‘Wasn’t it closer to the mobile?’ He looked at the mattress. ‘Gone!’

Josh rubbed his eyes. ‘Was it a dream?’

He pulled back the covers. Nothing. He looked at the floor. The spot now darkened the floor. The stain had migrated toward the wall. He propped himself up and waited. Its slow pace left Josh dozing.  

‘Is it coming for me? How do you defend against something you can’t understand?’ Josh drifted into deep slumber.

Methodical as a spider, the dark stain crept down the wall to safety, under Josh’s bed.

~

Next morning, Josh felt like a zombie. He had buttoned his shirt one off. He forgot to comb his hair. Nothing unusual for a first grader, but for Josh, unheard of.

Dean looked in and saw him sitting on the floor in a daze. “Wake up, Sluggo. Time for school.”

Josh startled. It took a moment to get his bearings. “Dad, can you help me? My ball rolled under the bed.”

“So, reach for it. Let’s go.”

“Could you? Please?”

Amber, stopped in the doorway. “Have you seen my ballet slippers, Dad?”

“Where did you leave them?”

“In my closet. They’re gone.”

“Look again.”

“Did you take them, Josh?”

Josh shook his head. He had no energy for her drama.

“Stay out of my stuff…” She huffed and walked away.

Dean knelt beside the bed. “Come on, Josh. It’s right there. Get it.”

Josh hesitated and pulled his hand back. ‘The stain.’ He knew it was waiting.

“You’re safe, Josh. Come on…”

Josh stared at the floor.

“Your mom said you had a rough night.”

Josh nodded. He touched his forehead. “It burned…”

“You look fine. Get the ball, okay? We need to go.”

Josh stared at the ball but didn’t move.

Dean sloughed off his growing annoyance. He grabbed the ball and held it.

“What happened, kiddo?”

Josh described the burning, shadowy beam, and the stain that moved across the ceiling.

“You think it’s under the bed?”

Josh nodded. He felt ashamed.

Dean looked at his watch. “You know, I had to walk by this vicious dog on my way to school. Snarling and barking, it leaped against the fence. Terrified me. But I had to get by it every day. Twice.”

“What’d you do?”

“I talked to him. Not sure we were friends, but at least he didn’t terrify me anymore.” Dean tossed the ball to Josh. “Just a thought.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Let’s go.” They went down to breakfast.

~

That evening, Josh did homework on his bed. He kept looking where he’d last seen the stain.

He pulled half a bag of chocolate chips from his backpack and slipped to the floor. Selecting a chocolate chip, he placed it under the bed. ‘Just an experiment…’ He stowed the bag of chips under the braided rug.

In a low voice he said, “So, Shadow… you have a plan? You prefer the floor to the ceiling? Not too dusty?”

No response.

Sarah stuck her head in. “Who’re you talking to?”

“Uhm… No one. Just myself…”

“Homework done?”

“Yep.”

“Think of a costume?”

“Working on it.”

Sarah gave him a look. “You okay? From last night?”

Josh nodded.

“You look better. Time for bed. Wash up. I’ll be back to tuck you in.”

“’Kay…”

She smiled and left.

Josh looked under the bed. The chocolate chip was gone.

He almost shouted with joy but stifled it.

“I’ve got more, Shadow. Glad to meet you.” He put another chip in the same spot. “Here’s another.”

Josh sensed his father standing behind him. He looked up.

“So you have them.”

Josh tucked the chips under his leg. “What?”

“You know what… my chocolate chips. Your mother said they were in the pantry.”

“Oh… those.” He offered them to his father.

Dean knelt and pointed at the one chip sitting under the bed.

“You dropped one…”

“Uhm, no… I mean…”

“That for the monster?”

“Yeah… Shadow… doing what you said. Like the dog.”

Dean nodded and set the package on the floor.

“Makes sense. What happens when you run out of chips?”

“I… uh…”

“We’ll figure it out. Don’t forget to brush your teeth.”

Josh slept well that night.

~

The next morning, Josh sauntered into the kitchen wearing a broad grin. His parents and Amber were eating breakfast.

Sarah asked, “Look at you. Sleep well?”

Josh said, “Yes. Want to see my costume?”

Dean and Sarah shared a glance. “Sure…”

Reading the comics, Amber didn’t look up.

Josh ran out and returned moments later wearing his father’s broad-brimmed straw hat. Fixed to the crown was a toy four-poster bed.

Amber shouted, “You stole my doll house bed!”

Josh put his hands together. “If I may borrow it for the party, I promise to return it as good as I found it. Or better. Nothing bad will happen to it.”

Amber groaned. “You have to stay out of my stuff.”

Sarah touched Amber’s arm.

“I’ll replace it, if it comes to that.” She turned to Josh. “But is this supposed to be scary? I’m sorry. I don’t get it.”

Josh grinned at his father, who nodded tentatively.

Josh laughed. “Duh! I’m the monster under the bed!”

The room went silent. Dean sighed with relief. Sarah gasped at the concept.

Amber said, “Truer words were never spoken.”

After a flurry of applause, everyone agreed it was the best costume ever.