Monsters Don't Come From Under The Bed

Chapter 2

Zita smiled and patted Genesis on the head.
“How does that feel, little human? Does it still hurt?” Genesis shook her head and looked at Rico. His tail was still limp, he was slouching, and he played with his paws. His ears were down, and his eyes were staring towards the floor. Nova and Valentine ran around Zita as she trotted towards him. She raised her hand and whacked him on the head.
“You know better than to fight and argue with my children. And because of your reckless behavior, you injured this young human. Tell me, why did you doubt and fight with one of my rainbow runners, hm?” She placed her hands on her hips.
Rico looked away and replied, “I believed they were trying to harm the humans. Being an exile, you can't really trust anyone.”
Nova climbed on Zita’s back and whispered in her ear. Zita listened, and her eyes no longer shined. She was angry, and she whipped her head to Valentine.
“You started the fight with this exile? How dare you. Listen, all of you. Even though we are exiles, the rules of the overworld still apply down here. I know how much pain you all are in, but we must obey them. Im sorry, that’s just the way it is.” Zita crossed her arms and sighed.
“I don't mean to interrupt, but who are you? I know your name, but as in role wise. Rico told me everything about the monster world. Like the rules and stuff.” Genesis asked.
Three white mushrooms, with eyes, mouths, arms, and legs waddled towards Genesis and pointed at her.
“For shame! How dare you ask the queen such a question! After she healed you too! For shame! For shame!” They squealed and jumped up and down. Zita raised her hand, and the mushrooms halted with their shaming.
“I see Rico didn’t say who I was. I presume he told you about the monsters, exiles, and the monster king? DId he also tell you how we were exiled and who gets exiled?”
Genesis nodded.
“Very good. As expected from him. I am the monster queen. I know, shocking. You would expect me to be perfect, and to never be exiled. That is just the way the king rules. You see child, It was my duty to exile the imperfect monsters and those who don't do their job. Or maybe those who have different interests than what they were made for. Take those mushrooms for example. Their job is to announce those who come into the castle, but they like to insult others. The king, however, did not like this and he told me to exile them. I didn't have the heart to, and so the king believed that I too was imperfect, and the queen of monsters was exiled.” Zita lamented.
Amber groaned and held her head. “I can't take this! Monster this! Monster that! How can we even see you? It doesn't make sense! And if you guys don't like the king, just mutiny or something! God.”
A gust of wind blew through the cemetery, and the crowd of monsters scattered about. They all ran towards a bush or a tree. Zita fell and held herself tightly. Zhen, Nova, and Valentine huddled together, and Rico shivered. Genesis and Amber looked at each other, and then back at the remaining monsters. Amber placed her hands on Zhen and Zita, and Genesis patted Rico’s arm.
“Hey, what's wrong? Why did the other monsters run away?” Genesis coaxed him.
Rico squatted and wrapped his arms around his knees.
“D-do you remember when I t-told you that our skin i-is more sensitive than human skin? H-how it's colder or hotter for us than you? W-were freezing.” Rico mewed. Genesis bent down and hugged him, shielding him from the cold. Genesis looked towards Amber.
“Amber, you live in…basically a mansion. Please, help me help them. They will freeze out here unless we take them with us. Please, please, Amber.” Genesis pleaded. The smaller lady bit her lip and looked around. Zita, Zhen, Nova, Valentine, and Rico were all violently shivering. The monsters hiding in the bushes rubbed against each other and comforted each other. Finally, she turned towards Genesis and nodded.
“Ok, pack as many as you can in your car. We’ll have to make a few trips from here to my house.” Amber picked up Nova and Valentine and stuffed them in her bag. She took off her jacket and placed it over Zita. Zhen was ok. He was still wearing Genesis’s old raincoat. Genesis ran to her car and opened her trunk. Inside, she found a duffle bag and some loose clothing she was planning on donating. She crammed the clothes into the bag and ran back into the cemetery, ignoring the people who looked at her.