My house is quiet and eerie, Evan, my roommate, has already gone to sleep. I’m on the couch wearing my purple silk Victoria Secret pajamas and robe, devouring a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream on the eve of my 30th birthday. I’m excited but also dreading it. Watching my favorite show, Grey’s Anatomy, a commercial comes on about Homeland security systems and a little boy is afraid that he has a monster under his bed. I remember those days of the monster and of being abused at the age of seven. My parents never believed me, but I could have sworn that there was one. I could understand why my father couldn’t find him, because it was within him.
When my show has finished I throw away the empty carton and wash the metal spoon. I walk into the master bedroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. While doing so, I examine my long brown hair and deep sea green eyes in the mirror. Continuing to the bedroom I pick up my latest Judith McNaught book and lounge in the kind sized bed.
* * *
Sheeeech
A scratching sound comes from under the bed. Looking at the foot of the bed, a light brown covered animal, the size of a human, with a clear sunny day sky blue eye peeks up. With a blood curdling scream, I jump up and bolt down the hallway into the kitchen. Frantically, I search for the seven inch butcher knife. Within 30 seconds I have found it and have ran into the living room.
“Alex, don’t run from me!” A shout that sounds oddly like Evan’s comes toward me.
As the monster creeps closer to my position, I think of an escape route. With him coming into the living room I vault over the couch and rush toward the garage.
I pull the rope to the attic and climb the ladder with light speed. The light brown creature comes into the garage just as I pull the ladder up with me.
“I know where you are!” He yells under me.
“If I were you I would leave, and if you don’t I will jump down and kill you myself!” I shout back hoping he leaves immediately.
“Well come on down!”
I push the attic door down and frantically look upon the room. The monster is to the right. With the knife in hand I jump down to face him.
When the monster comes running toward me I kick him in the stomach and it buys me some time to rush toward him. With this move he kicks the knife out of my hand making it slide under my Audi A4. I dive for it and he grabs my leg, thrashing me into Evan’s bag of golf clubs. Slowly, I stand up and take out his driver. Swinging it left and right I eventually hit him in the head and shoulder, I am able to get the knife out from under the car. I drop the driver and rush back into the house with the butcher knife within my grasp.
Cutting through the living room I notice that a lamp is broken and a chair is overturned. Rushing away form the scene I end up in my bedroom walk in closet. I close the door and put a sturdy wooden chair under the door knob. With the use of a foot rest I am able to pull down my revolver from its secret hiding place. Jumping off the stool I put the gun in my belt loop and rush to my dresser and pull out three bullets from the sock drawer. Keeping my knife in hand, I remove the wooden chair and bolt through the sliding glass door and out into the large backyard.
Determined to get away from the monster, I run to a huge tree just beyond the pool. Climbing up into the lush leaves the blue eyed animal comes out of the house. Staying quiet I watch as he waltzes around the pool stopping at the end closest to me looking toward the house. I pull the gun out of my belt loop, unlock the safety and shoot once.
Plunging into the water is the monster. Coming down from the tree, standing out in the open grass area, police sirens and a helicopter surround me. I turn away from the pool and look into the bright light overhead.
“Drop the weapon and step away with your hands up!” A police officer shouts with his gun drawn.
I drop both the knife and gun and back away two feet. An officer quickly comes up behind and handcuffs me. While escorting me to a car, I look back at the pool.
Evan is floating face down.
At the police department they take my pictures and fingerprints. After telling a counselor what happened they quickly take me to the psychological ward. Walking down the long hallway lined with other inmates, I notice many are in tan masks and screaming. I get into my cell and watch the metal bars close.
* * *
“Aaaah!” I scream sitting up in bed.
“What’s wrong?” Evan asks rushing into my room.
I tell him all about my lively dream and nonchalantly he says, “That’s nice”.