Monsters

He awoke with a start. Alexander’s tiny bedroom was dark except for the faint light from the street light in the alley leaking through the navy blue curtains. The memory of the shadowy monster from his nightmare kept him from rising from his bed. What if it was hiding under the bed? What if it was in the closet?
He breathed deeply and counted to ten, like his mother had told him to do when he had nightmares. Slowly, he opened his eyes again. After they adjusted to the dark he scanned the room for signs of the monster. Perhaps he could make it go away and never come back, like mommy said he could. Seeing nothing he decided to make a mad dash for his mother’s room. He threw back his covers and ran into the narrow hallway and into his mother’s room.
As the boy flung open the door he was hit with the chill of December air. The window nearest his mother’s bed was flung open, exposing her room the elements. His mother lay on top of the sheets closest to the window. Alexander walked slowly over to her, sensing something was not right.

“Mommy, I think there’s a monster in the house,” he whispered.
The room was completely still as he moved closer. On the floor near the place where her feet danged he found a man sprawled out on the floor with a ruby colored knife lying beside him. He looked desperately from the fallen man to his mother. He reached to touch her arm but quickly recoiled from her icy skin.

“Momma?” he cried helplessly. “Momma, wake up. The monster’s back. Please make him go away! Momma!” He pulled at her red stained nightgown in desperation. Why wouldn’t she wake up? He plopped down on the floor in a fit then jumped back up as he heard something move behind him. He spun around to discover his father standing behind the billowing curtains. “Daddy, what are you doing here? Why won’t momma get up?” he asked miserably.
The large man stared down at the small child. Rage filled his eyes as he heard his son’s words. His eyes widened as Alexander picked up the blood-stained knife that w3as laying before him.

“Is momma ok? What happened to her?” the child asked, “Daddy, did the monster get her?”

“Yes… I did.” He choked hoarsely. “Mommy was doing something very bad and had to be punished.” EH got on his knees and took the child in his arms.

The child nodded slowly. “Daddy… can monsters get scared?”

“I don’t know, son-” his father gasped as the ruby knife was thrust into his throat.

The boy watched as his father struggled to breathe. He watched until his father moved no more then went over to rejoin his mother.

“I got rid of the monster, mommy… all by myself.”