The monster!

 

Each night at nine o’clock, eleven year old Robert went to bed.  He had a small night light that dimly lit the room.  An hour or two later when Robert’s parents went to bed, they extinguished the light.  Robert woke each morning to the sun shining through his windows.

 

His parents decided that Robert was old enough to go without a night light.  On this night, after Robert was in bed, his parents came into his room and told him that he would no longer have a night light.  They wished him a “good night” and took the night light from him.  For a half-hour, Robert left the light beside his bed on, but realizing that he could not sleep, he finally turned off the light.

 

At midnight, Robert woke up and screamed, “Mommy, mommy, daddy, daddy!  There’s a monster outside my room.”  Robert’s parents ran into the room.  “It’s out there!  It’s got big teeth and big eyes!”

 

Robert’s parents looked out the window.  Robert’s father said, “There’s nothing out there.  You were just having a bad dream.”

 

Robert’s mother went to Robert and gently patted his head.  “Now go back to sleep.  You’re safe here.  It’s all right.”

 

Robert’s parents went back to their room and back to bed. 

 

Robert did not go back to sleep.  He left his light on and tried to hide himself under the blankets.  As he lay in terror, he just stared at the window.

 

An hour later, Robert screamed, “Mommy, mommy, daddy, daddy!  It’s back!  It’s back!”

 

Robert’s parents returned to his room.  Robert’s father glanced out the window and said, “There’s nothing there.  Now go back to sleep and do not wake us again!”

 

Robert’s mother said without emotion, “Good night, Robert.”

 

Robert cowered in fear.  As he looked into the darkness outside his window, he was sure that he could see the outline of a giant head.  As he watched the vague silhouette, he was sure that he could see eyes and teeth.  As the minutes passed he tried to remain as still as possible in the hope that he would not be noticed.

 

Finally, his fear outweighed his better judgment.  He jumped out of bed and ran to his parent’s room.  Robert’s parents were very angry.  His father picked him up, carried him to his room and put him into his bed.

 

Robert’s father yelled, “Don’t you dare leave this bed until the sun rises.”  He left the room and slammed the door behind him.

 

The next morning, Robert’s parents were eating their regular breakfast of bacon and eggs.  Noticing the late hour, Robert’s mother yelled, “Robert, it’s time to get up!  You’ll be late for school!”

 

There was no reply.

 

Robert’s father yelled, “Come on, Robert.  Time to get up!”

 

There was still no reply.

 

Robert’s mother went up the stairs as his father continued to eat his breakfast.

 

Robert’s mother screamed.

 

When his father got to the room, he could not believe what he saw.  Where there was once a window, there was now a large hole in the wall.  Robert was gone.  They looked at the lawn below the window and saw gigantic footprints leading into the woods.  Many trees were uprooted.

 

Neighbors and the police followed the trail of destroyed trees and footprints for a few hundred feet, but it just disappeared without a trace.  Robert was never seen again.