Marvin was wiggling restlessly in his bed, and he was determined to stay awake all through the night. He knew the monster's plan quite well - it would climb out from beneath his bed and gobble him up as soon as he fell asleep. Marvin wanted so desperately the comfort of sleeping beside his mother, which he had done the last three nights. But his mother said that for every night he made through in his own room, she would give him a candy bar. And so war was waged in the little boy's mind. The two sides: the desire for candy and fear of the monster. Finally after a ferocious battle the fear overcame and the little boy scampered into his mothers room at top speed. She was asleep to his relief for he wouldn't have to face her disappointment until the morning, and so he slid into bed beside her and comfortably fell asleep.

The smile of Marvin's sleep disappeared when he woke to his mother's disappointed face.

“Marvin what happened, you just couldn't make it through the night? There really aren't any monsters.” his mother asked him.

His eyes welled up with tears. “Mommy there are monsters, I know it.”

“Marvin how do you know have you seen one of these monster?.” his mother questioned. He looked to the ground and shook his head. “Well then sweetie, how do you know they are there.

“Because” He said. “They sneak around so you can't see them until you fall asleep, then it's to late and they gobble you up.”

His mother sighed. “Oh Marvin, you are one stubborn little boy. How's this” she suggested. “If I get you the biggest piece of candy you ever saw will you sleep in you're bed tomorrow.”
Marvin puffed out his lower lip and squinted his eyes; “Marsh mellow chocolate.”
“Of course, your favorite.” his mother replied
And with that little Marvin Dashed off to the school bus.

The day slowly trudged along for the boy as he spent it dreaming of the candy he was to receive when he got home and as soon as the bus reached his stop he shot home like a bullet from a gun. Marvin turned the corner to his block fantasizing about a candy bar twice the size of his bed waiting for him. Marvin darted through the door and shouted. “Mommy, I want my candy!”

“Marvin calm down I've got it right here.” his mother assured him. In her hand was the biggest candy bar Marvin had ever seen. His eyes widened and his mouth watered, it must have been a foot long. He leapt up to grab it but his mother yanked it away and said. “Honey Bun, that was not the deal. You have to sleep a night in you're bed and then you can have this delicious morsel.”

Marvin lay belly up staring at the ceiling. He was hungry, tired and scared out of his mind but all the same determine to make it through the night. The boy closed his eyes and imagined how the candy might taste. He began to lick his lips and wiggle around. Poor little Marvin couldn't stand it anymore, he needed the real thing so he leaped out of bed and scurried out of his room. Marvin crept down the dark hall for what seemed like hours, the floorboards screamed to his mother every step he took. After a long and cautious trek Marvin turned the corner into his mothers room and there it was, right there on mommy's bedside table, and it was beautiful sparkling as brilliantly as a pearl with his mothers lamp shining down on it like a light from the heavens. The little boy's eyes widened and his tongue fell out as he crept towards the table. Finally he reached it and stood completely still, his arm extended one hundredth of an inch away from it. But it did not take long for Marvin to awake from his trance, snatch up the candy and slink back to his room.

Marvin threw the chocolatey masterpiece on his bed, pounced on it and tore the rapper to shreds as though he were a lion devouring it's prey. And there it was the biggest most delicious candy bar in the world, part of him didn't want to eat because then it would be over with. But the little boy's impulsive side got the better of him as he grasped the sugary treat and raised it to his mouth. Marvin's eyes shut and he swiped upward with his tongue, but instead of tasting the warm flavor of milk and cocoa some disgusting liquid dropped onto his tongue.

“Pllppeeehhh,” he spat the foul goo across the room. “What was that?” Marvin swiveled his head to see the biggest scariest monster in the world looming ominously over him. The beast must have been ten feet tall with a white belly and prickly green hair running down it's neck. It black beady evil eyes and teeth like sabers poking out from behind it's upper lip.

Marvin's mouth exploded open to scream but not a sound escaped his lips. The two just looked at each other, the beast and the boy, completely still for several seconds until the monster flashed a toothy grin and swung his right claw at the boy. Marvin rolled backwards off his bed, he landed on all fours his face pale and his teeth chattering. He couldn't hold his position for long as the beast leaped over the bed and would have landed on top of him if he hadn't dove out of the way. The monster lunged at him and Marvin took off sprinting in circles around his room with the terrifying beast at his heals. After several minutes to the poor boy's horror his legs were starting to give out on him. His mind flashed back to how many times his mother told him to walk to school with Jimmy and his mom so he could feel the fresh air and get in shape. Marvin had told her that air and shape were stupid but now he wished he had listen to her. The boy barely had time to finish his thought as he realized he was no longer moving although his legs were pumping. He looked to the ground which was eerily far away “Oh no he's got me.” Marvin cried as he realized the monster was holding up in the air by the seat of his pants.

The boy turned around to see the monster grinning a toothy grin. The beast held the boy's gazed for several seconds until he lunged at Marvin mouth wide open and then everything went black for poor little marvin. The boy opened his eyes and he was sitting on a cushiony surface. “A cloud,” he thought. “Am I in heaven.”

Marvin's content grin was immediately erased when he saw the monster hunched over his precious candy. The little boy saw red. “So this is what he's after,” Marvin realized. He gritted his teeth and charged toward the monster, releasing as blood curdling cry as a five year old boy can. The monster turned around and took off down the stairs clutching the candy in his claws. Marvin took off after the beast but as he emerged from his room he looked over the maple balcony to see that the monster was heading for the front door. The boy knew he could not waste time getting down the stair so he leaped over the balcony. As soon as Marvin was in the air one thought appeared in his mind, “Why did I do that, it's only chocolate.” Alas it was to late and the boy aimed his his landing for the spot on the red rug where the monster stood cowering fifteen feet bellow.

Bulls eye!!! Marvin landed straight on the creatures head knocking the candy from his claws. No sooner did the lad leap from his beastly mount and snatch the candy from the ground than he heard a terrified shriek. Marvin turned around to see his poor mother running down the stairs in her pink nightgown with matted hair and wide open eyes.“What is that Marvin, forget the candy and run, do you want to get killed?!” She screamed. Marvin ran to her still clutching the candy. His mother took off one of her slippers and hurled it at the monster. “Get out of my house and away from my baby you freak!” She commanded. At that moment the monster did something very strange for a monster to do that turned the boys world upside down. He didn't attack her, he didn't snarl at her, he simply looked up at her and gave a sad little whimper. And then Marvin realized.
“Mommy, he doesn't have a monster family or any monster friends. Nobody loves him.” the boy told her.
“Well sweetie that is very sad but he has to leave now. Besides no one loving him doesn't make it alright for him to try to kill you.” She said as comfortingly as she could given the circumstances.
“Mom, he wasn't after me he just wanted some candy.” Then Marvin looked up at his mother and made his eyes as big and sad as he possibly could. “Mommy could we keep him.”
“Sweetie he isn't like a cat or a dog, he's dangerous.” His Mother explained.
The boy shook his head and reasoned. “He had every chance to hurt me but he didn't.”
“O alright, I'll make him a house in the yard, but it'syoure job to take care of him, not mine.”
“You got it, thanks mom.” And with that the little boy ran up to his mother and hugged her with all his happiness. Then Marvin remembered he still hadn't eaten his delicious candy so he took it out of his pocket and took a delicious chocolatey bite. As he was eating his chocolate he felt a wet nose against the back of his neck. Marvin turned to see the face of an eager and hungry monster. At that sight he smiled and broke off a piece of candy and gave it to the monster who devoured it in half a second. Marvin patted the beasts head and said. “Silly monster you've got to enjoy it.”