Alfus

Monster

    "Daddy, can you check for monsters under my bed?" Matthew pleaded, nestling deeper into his covers.
    His dad chuckled, "Sure, Sport," and peered under the bed for anything inhuman, "All good."  He wished his son to have sweet dreams as he lightly rumpled the boy's hair.  He shut Matt's lamp off and softly shut the door as he left, heading back down the stairs.
    A voice questioned from the nearby kitchen as he reached the family room, "Did he ask you to check for monsters again?" She didn't wait for a response, assuming the answer was yes, "You know Matthew's getting too old for that.  We should do something about it."
    Matt's dad was skeptical, wanting to let nature run its course, but he still asked, "What do you think we should do?  I mean, what even got him into that?"
    "It was Zane; you know how he always said Alfus was going to get him.  We could tell him to stop teasing his brother so much."
    Matthew's dad was about to explain that her plan would never work, but she was already on her way to give Zane a small speech, and he wasn't about to interfere.  He did, however, go to observe.
    "You know, I can make him like monsters in 5 minutes," Zane suggested, glancing up from his phone.
    His mom was stunned, "Really?  Would you please?"
    "Sure.  I'll do it tomorrow."  Zane was never this willing to do something to help his family this easily.  His dad wondered what in the world he could be up to, but his mom was elated.
    The night went by quietly, the stars gleaming with the family's anticipation.  The next day was just as smooth until that night when Matthew was sent to bed.  Instead of his parents tucking him in, Zane did.
    Before Matt got into bed, Zane inquired, and quite randomly so, "Would you like to meet Alfus?
    Matthew shook his violently, glaring at his brother as if he betrayed him.
Zane sighed, "Come on, he's actually pretty nice.  He may get you, but he won't bite."
Matt still shook his head, pouting.
    Zane picked his little brother up, there was no other way to move him when he was like this, who squirmed so much that his brother almost dropped him.  Zane plopped Matthew onto his bed and flicked on his light switch, making the light buzz softly.
Before Matt could get off the bed, Zane closed the door and locked it.  Matthew instinctively went to the corner, the furthest away he could get from said "Alfus."
    Zane got on his knees by his bed and peeked under it, saying in a loving tone, "It's okay Alfus.  You can come out now."  A purple creature came out from under the bed leapt onto Zane with a grin, licking eagerly.  The creature acted much like a dog, though it had a very cat-like face, freakishly long, purple fur, large paws, and a green, bushy tail.  It was surprisingly small, hardly affecting Matthew when he jumped into his arms.
    As the creature stared at Matt with violet eyes, Zane laughed, "That's Alfie for you.  Said he'd getcha."  Matt hardly noticed Zane speaking.  All he could think about how adorable this creature was, and that he'd been afraid of it.  Zane was such a jerk for not showing him Alfus earlier, but Matt understood his brother's reasoning.
    "Hey, Matty," Zane drew Matt's attention, "Maybe you have an undiscovered creature under your bed.  Wanna go check?"
    Matthew nodded eagerly, his blonde hair ruffling in the process.  He jumped up, Alfus leaving to go home once more.  He scrambled to his room and looked under his own bed to see if there was something adorable waiting for him.
    "Let me check," a voice sounded from above.  Matt came out from under his bed to let the monster expert see if he could find anything.
    After a couple of minutes, Zane slithered out from under the bed with a sympathetic expression, "Nothing's there, Matt, but you can hang out with Alfus anytime you want.  You can even have him sleep in your bed sometimes.  Just make sure our parents don't find out about him."
    Matthew responded with an ambivalent, "Okay."  Zane finished tucking his little brother in.  He was leaving the room when Matt asked, "Can he sleep with me tonight?"  Zane nodded and left to bring an eager Alfus into the room and set him on the bed.
    Matthew had new view on the world, and even more so, on monsters.  He grinned, snuggled up to Alfus, and at last drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Your problems are less daunting then they seem.