Shockingly Sinister Shorts #18

*A small boy cries out for his father in the middle of the night. His father rushes into the boy’s room half asleep. Pointing franticly at his closet door, the cowering boy screams that he just saw a monster slither inside.*

Father: Calm down son. What is it now?

Terrified boy: It’s a monster! It slithered into the closet! It looks like a long skinny red snake with boney hands and a big mouth full of teeth! It’s eyes glow red like the devil!

Father: Now son we have talked about this. You know there are no such things as monsters.

Terrified boy: No dad, It’s real! I just saw it!

Father: Three days ago when you said you saw this snake thing at the window. I opened it up and looked and nothing was there.

Terrified boy: That’s when you let it inside!

Father: Two days ago you said it was under your bed. When I looked, there was nothing there.

Terrified boy: You chased it behind the dresser then.

Father: Last night you said it was behind the dresser. I pulled the whole thing out, and nothing was there.

Terrified boy: You ran it into my closet. Really dad I saw it peeking out at me. It is there! Right in the bottom of the closet. Please check for me.

Father: Ok. I am going to check this one last time. When I find nothing, you have to promise that you are done with this whole monster business.

*The father opens the closet door as the boy cowers under the covers. The boy peeks out to see what happens next. The father gets on his hands and knees and makes a huge production about searching for the “monster”. He throws clothes and toys about as he digs deep into the back of the closet. After a few minutes he stops suddenly, stands up, and exits the closet. He heads for the door out of the room when he freezes mid step, turns, and speaks to his son in a strange, raspy voice.*

Father: You have some good eyes boy. Too good!

Terrified boy: Why do you say that? Why are you talking that way?

Father: You always could see where I was hiding and I always had to find a new place to keep your parents from finding me. Well, tonight I found a really good hiding place. Just scream if you see a monster!