The Monster Spray

THE MONSTER SPRAY

By: Sheila S. Hudson

It was Jonathan’s first night in the new house. Scrawny tree fingers scraped his window.  Moonlight peeked its shiny face between the window shade and the windowsill. Jonathan squeezed his eyes shut.  The moonlight glinted so he slid the pillow over his head. He had drifted off when the yowling began, and the tree fingers scratched against the glass. 

“Mama. Mama.”

“I’m here,” Jonathan’s mother called. She came into the room and turned on the lamp.  Jonathan’s mama gently hugged him. She rocked him gently in her arms. His mother smelled like baby powder. After a while, Jonathan allowed her to tuck him back into his bed.

“You are such a big boy. Nothing is going to hurt you.” His mother’s words repeated over and over until Jonathan fell asleep wondering why mothers weren’t afraid of monsters.

The next night Jonathan’s father read stories to him and Andrew, his younger brother. Andrew fell asleep before the songs and prayers were over. 

“Please.  Please,” Jonathan begged. “I want to sleep in the two-bed. I don’t want to sleep here.” He pointed to his twin bed with brand new Disney© sheets and comforter.

Jonathan’s father smiled. “No, son. You can’t sleep in the guestroom. That’s where Papa and Mimi sleep when they visit. Andrew sleeps in his crib. Mommy and I sleep in our room. And you, big brother that you are, sleep in a big boy’s bed in your new room. 

“But,” Jonathan’s father thought for a moment. “I think I may have something that will help.” He left and returned with something in his hand. Jonathan sat up. He watched his father stoop and plug in something near his bed. 

“There,” Jonathan’s father said. “Now, you have your very own nightlight. You can SEE everything. There’s nothing to be frightened of. You are a big boy, and nothing is going to hurt you.”

Jonathan fell asleep staring at the tiny nightlight. It burned a hole into his dreams where images of ghouls, dragons, monsters, and large-mouthed mutants chased him until he awoke, slipped out of bed, and ran down the hall to his parent’s bedroom.

The third night Jonathan still did not want to sleep in his room. His mother brought in a large plastic dinosaur and a plush dragon. 

“Jonathan, dear. The dinosaur and dragon will sleep with you and protect you. Your daddy and I are close by. Remember, you are a big boy. Nothing is going to hurt you. We love you very much.”

Jonathan didn’t sleep very well. The dinosaur’s spiked plastic tail poked him when he rolled over in bed. The dragon’s body was soft, but too large. The dragon kept falling out of the crowded bed and Jonathan couldn’t find him.

The next night Mother replaced the dragon and dinosaur with Mr. McGrizzly, the gray bear his aunt and uncle had given him for Christmas. Mr. McGrizzly was cuddly, squeezable, but ferocious looking. Jonathan was confident that a bear could scare off any monster. But after several nights of sleeping with Mr. McGrizzly, Jonathan’s eyes swelled. 

His pediatrician, Dr. Mollock said, “I’m afraid Mr. McGrizzly will have to go. It looks like you may be allergic to him.”

 “What about the monsters?”

“Monsters?” Dr. Mollock looked surprised. Mother explained about Jonathan’s bad dreams.

“I have just what you need,” Dr. Mollock said with a wink. With that, she opened a cabinet and took out a black spray bottle with a silver top. 

“Monster spray,” she said.

“Monster spray?” said Mother and Jonathan.

“Yes, monster spray,” Dr. Mollock repeated. “Spray your room, your closets, pillows, windows, and the bed. Spray everywhere. No monsters. Guaranteed.”

Jonathan took the bottle and squeezed the handle. Nothing happened.

“There’s no liquid in the spray. A special powder is in the bottom of the bottle - a clear powder you can’t see. When your mom gets home, she will fill the bottle with water. Voila! Monster spray!”

Jonathan held the special spray bottle all the way home. He put it on the counter and went to play. He forgot all about it until bedtime.  After his bath, Jonathan came downstairs in his pajamas. 

“Don’t forget the monster spray,” Jonathan told his mother. He took the full bottle upstairs and sprayed the room. He sprayed the windows, the closets, the chest of drawers, and under the bed. He sprayed the air above his bed, the hallway, the door, and the laundry hamper. Every night before he crawled into bed, he sprayed the room and its contents. Every night the monsters stayed away. Every night Jonathan slept well. 

But one-night Jonathan forgot to use the Monster Spray. He and Andrew had played hard that day with their cousins. They were very tired. Mother read to them. Daddy sang to them. Mother and Daddy tucked Andrew into his crib. They tucked Jonathan into his bed. They repeated what had become the family mantra, “Remember, you are a big boy. Nothing is going to hurt you. We love you very much.” And the monsters didn’t come. They didn’t come the next night or the next or the next. In fact, they never came back.

A few days later, Alex and Carson came to play with Jonathan and Andrew. Alex rubbed his eyes. He whined a lot that day. Jonathan overheard Alex’s mother say that he was having nightmares. Jonathan went to his bedroom and came downstairs holding the black spray bottle with the silver nozzle. 

 As his friends were leaving, Jonathan handed the bottle of Monster Spray to Alex saying, “Here’s just what you need. Dr. Mollock gave it to me to cure bad dreams. It’s Monster Spray. No monsters. Guaranteed!”