Aim Shorts

Monster at the Window

"Yeah, I know, Dad. I remembered to lock the window in case of monsters. I am thirteen, after all." I grumbled. My dad was so paranoid. I opened the window instead.

Outside, a voice said, "Psst".

From the darkness came the glow of two eyes, blazing red like the fires of hell. It had the appearance of a massive lizard but stalked like a jungle cat, low and lethal. Overlapping green scales shimmered with its movements and curved black talons clicked on the window frame. Phlegm dripped off the fangs that lined its mouth, each like a wet dagger. In a single fluid movement, it leaped on my bed, eyeing me like prey. A faint gurgling growl sent a shiver up my spine, more so than any ghoulish howl could.

I liked my bed coverings clean. "Dude, your drooling on my bed!"

The monster lowered its red eyes, just as another string of viscous slime dropped in a long gooey string. It said, "Umm, sorry. I make a lot of saliva and these fangs make it hard to close my mouth."

"Geez, Vex, just swallow once in a while."

It curled up on the bed and put on a fanged smile. "How did you like my entry? Really scary, huh?"

"Awesome! You nailed it. You had me frozen in fear for a second." I reached for a paper plate on my bed stand. "Hey, my mom made cinnamon rolls. I saved you one."

"Cool!"

Vextell snatched a roll out the air as I tossed it. He munched it slowly, humming as he savored it. "What about the other roll?"

I pulled it behind my back. "It's for Slagen."

Vextell pounced faster than I could even think about moving. The other roll disappeared. Between munches, he said, "She snoozes, she loses."

"Okay, whatever. Where is your sister, anyway?"

"Out scaring some old lady down the road."

"My dad said something about that. Why do guys have to go around scaring people?"

Vextell rolled his red hell eyes. "We're monsters, it's what we do. In our genetics or something."

"Yeah, I suppose so. But I also heard about some homeless man being half-eaten. You monsters did that?"

"Well, yeah. We have to eat someone now or then, or we lose our scariness, or at least bite someone."

I stuck out my tongue. "Gross!"

"You're telling me! Humans are disgusting and taste like crap, probably unhealthy too."

A knock on the door startled both of us. "What's going on in there?" My dad said through the closed door.

I yelled back. "It's just me and my monster."

"Not funny." He laughed anyway. "Get to bed. You have school tomorrow. G'night."

Vextell whispered, "Would it be alright if I stayed here again tonight? Slagen's still mad at me."

I nodded. "Sure. Take your usual spot under the bed."

Vex slunk beneath the bed as I turned out the light. He whispered, "Leave the closet door closed in case of monsters..."