Phantom's Tribute

The Monster Under The Bed

The monster under the bed. Iconic, yet everyone has been afraid of it. Funny to think it's real now. The year is 2055, surprised humans are even around anymore. But hi, I'm Alicia, I'm 15, and the monsters have finally appeared. I was born in 2040- I grew up with the things as they came around in 2029. As far as I know, they're evil, dangerous, and manipulative. Mine has.. never really done anything. I've barely caught glimpses of it. All I can recall is seeing a shadow race around my room from time to time. I've never really confronted it. My mom says they are not to be spoken to, they're not something to mess with. All my friends say they hate the things, but has one ever really hurt anyone? My 16th birthday is in one week, and that's when I have to kill the beast. Everyone does, everyone has. I hate the thought of it- to take the life from a living being? I just can't- I can't believe everyone has and everyone does- without even questioning it. I mean, it's a living creature! And it's never hurt me, or anyone else.

I checked my watch, 7:00. Without being given a chance to get up, my step mom bursts into my room.

"Dinners' ready, Alicia." She said with a cold, harsh voice. She was always kinda a jerk. After my real mom died, my dad married her- don't feel too bad though, I never got the chance to know my real mom, she died just a year after I was born. She left the doorway and stomped towards the kitchen- classic Jean. I hopped off from my desk chair, placing my headphones down and leaving the room. I walked down the hallway to the kitchen. Our little one story house was relatively small and everyone was always packed close to each other. The den was just a few feet away from the kitchen, and a hallway behind the den connected it to the rest of the house. I peeked my head around the corner, Jean was sitting on her end of the table, and my brother, Asher sat at his usual spot next to the counter. I dreaded sitting down at that table. I was sure Jean would just start cussing me out, but I know she would kill me if I didn't sit down. I walked over and sat across from Asher and farthest from Jean. We all sat in silence until Jean started conversation. "So, while your dad's still at work, why don't you two get your chores done?" Classic talk from her.

Ugh.

No one said anything. Asher looked up from his food and we made eye contact, both thinking the same thing. Finally I had gotten tired of what she had cooked and got up, placing my full plate on the counter next to the sink, not even caring to empty it or clean it. Jean glared at me before I left to my room. I closed the door silently and plopped down on my bed. This is annoying, it's all annoying. I wish Jean could just leave- she's never done much to me but she's just passive-aggressive. I shut off the lights and checked my watch again, 7:20. I groaned, knowing I wouldn't fall asleep for hours. I just wanted to get the day over with. I sat upright and stared out my window, rain hit hard against the glass and the only thing visible was a bright street light covered up by a few branches of a tree, yet the light still found a way to seep into my room and illuminate my face.

It felt like it had only been five minutes until I checked my watch again, 10:50. Perfect, I was planning for this. I laid myself down in a sleeping position and closed one eye, keeping the other open to glance around the room. After about ten minutes, I heard it- the exact noise I had been waiting for. Something under my bed bumped, and the whole room had been covered in a thick sheet of darkness, overlapping the dark from the night, and the light from the street lamp faded. In the top right corner of my room, I saw it.

Two perfectly bright white eyes, slowly blinking at me, I don't think It knew I was awake. I bolted upright, catching the creature off guard and it fell to the ground. I almost laughed, but I kept it to myself. This wasn't something to mess around with. This, was the monster under my bed.

I looked at it curiously, and it turned its head to the side, almost as if it was mocking me. I couldn't make out any other features from it, as it covered itself with a blanket of darkness, presumably as a shield of sorts. I wasn't very afraid, every time I saw it, I just hovered in a corner, or messed with my desk, or even with things in my closet. One time, I caught it sitting on the edge of my bed, but I woke up and scared it off, or something. The rain droned off in the background as I gathered up the last of my courage to speak to it.