I’ve decided to put some of my short stories here. I start with one that deals with a very senstive subject. I hope you like it!
THERE ARE MONSTERS AMONG US
No one is safe. When least expected, terrifying beings, until then imperceptible, invade seemly perfect worlds and defile what should never have been defiled. God, help us, there are monster among us and they know what they do!
Unfortunately, there are real nightmares even in realms of dreams. In one of such wonderful lands, there was a happy little eight-year-old girl born and raised with all the love and safety a child needs. Her parents adored throwing beautiful parties that gathered people from all ages. There was more than enough fun for children, teenagers and adults.
In one of those events, the little girl heard a conversation between her father and one of his oldest and closest friends, since the time of the Knight’s academy:
— You got a beautiful family. How old is the little girl already? — the friend asked.
— Thanks, pal. My princess is eight — answered the father.
— Wonderful. Congratulations!
The little girl was glad to hear that. After all, who does not like compliments?
One day, while in her daily walk through the flowery woods, she heard the voice of her father’s old friend, saying:
— It is me, little girl. Come here.
She, innocently, approached him and said “hi”. He, with a spell, made a door appear in the middle of the woods, and said:
— Come here with me. I will give you several gifts and show you my cabinet full of chocolates.
Since she knew that man as her father’s friend, the little girl obeyed and passed through the door. When it closed, the were transported to a horrible place. Oddly, there was no sun, moon or stars in that dark surrounding. There was darkness, only darkness. The little girl was extremely afraid. The only things she could see were two gigantic eyes of a terrifying beast, that said:
— Unwelcome to the world of unhappiness, little girl. Here lies only sadness, pain and tears.
The scared little girl, recognizing the voice, asked:
— But aren’t you daddy’s friend? When have you become like this? What happened?
The monster roared with laughter and answered:
— I have always been like this. I just disguised my true nature. I’ve managed to gain your parents trust so I could get closer to you — next, he transformed his own hands into flaming blue torches, showing his horrendous and misshapen body
The little girl, in tears, screamed:
— I want my mommy and my daddy! Get me out of here!
— Cry some more, little girl, cry some more. I feed on your delicious sadness. No one is going to save you and your parents cannot know you are here. Because if they do, I shall crush them! Know this: everything that will happen here is perfectly normal, everybody from the realm has experienced it, they just don’t tell anyone. This shall be our little secret — next, He grabbed the little girl by force and took her to an evil castle.
The big horrifying creature threw her into something similar to a prison cell, slightly illuminated by a weak dark candle (the only light in all the castle). On the wall, there was a scaring clown’s dead head with its mouth wide open, and, just below it, a quote carved in wood: “I am the evil clown. I am here to torment you and to collect tears and unhappiness”. The sadder the little girl got and the more tears fell from her innocent face, white fumes would leave her body into the clown’s mouth.
After a few hours, the little girl fell asleep, but she was soon awakened but a little boy’s voice:
— Wake up! Wake up! Are you ok?
The scared little girl replied:
— No. I want mommy and daddy. Who are you? Where am I?
— You’re in the land of unhappiness. The monster also brought me here. He feeds on our sadness; he needs it to continue in its evil form and to create little monsters, that wearing a disguise, will return to the parent’s homes and pretend to be their children. While the beast sleeps, it recollects unhappiness through the clown. But, when it wakes up, it takes us from here and we suffer even more.
— I’m so scared. What happens when he takes us?
— I can’t really explain. I only know that it’s wrong and sad, so sad. Quiet! He is coming and might hear us. I think he will make your little monster now.
— Everything bad, little girl? I hope it is even worse. Come — he said with an evil smile and dragged the little girl to another chamber.
There that was a bubbling huge cauldron filled with fumes, like those that entered the clown, After the monster did that inexplicable evil, a little creature arose from the cauldron.
— Behold the little monster. Disguised as a little girl, it will go to your kingdom, so that your parents do not notice what happened to you — said the repulsive being. The little girl was frightened to see the that little monster becoming so similar to her.
Then, the little monster went toward the little girl’s house. Arriving there, her parents did not notice anything wrong, since there hasn’t passed much time. They just assumed that she came from her daily innocent walk. They did not even find it odd that she went straight to her bath, without hugging them first.
Despite looking perfect, the little girl costume (and the small creature’s own nature), had problems that could blow its cover.
In order not to show its natural little monster stink, it had to take to take a soap and shampoo filled shower every two hours. It also could not take its clothes in front of the little girl’s parents, because there were imperfections in parts of the costume, whose material bothered it a lot, making it scratch mainly its arms, causing small wounds there. It also could not stand human food; the reason it didn’t eat much. Furthermore, since strange to his formation and common in the land of unhappiness, the petit being was incapable of smiling.
There were other problems at night. The little monster’s sweat smelled like human urine, and, since it was too hot to sleep under the costume, its bed got soaked wet, looking like the little girl had urinated on it. Also, it had a terrible snore, that seemed like a child’s screams during a terrifying nightmare.
As days went by, the mother began to notice those things. She went to the little girl’s dad and said:
— The little girl is different. She is eating so little, takes several showers, started to wet her bad again; plus, she has been having terrible nightmares. She looks so sad…
— It’s fine, she is just a child. It will all go away soon — the father said, while not taking his eyes off the newspaper.
— You’re right. You know how mothers are, we care too much.
— The little boy from the neighbor kingdom is like that too. Same age as our little girl. It’s perfectly normal. Just relax.
After a few weeks, the parents were no longer suspicious, especially because the wounds were gone (the costume stopped itching), and continued treating the “little girl” with great tenderness.
What about the little monster, how was it? It, born under pain and tears, was discussed by happiness and felt repulsed by the affection displayed by the little girl’s parents. Nonetheless, with time, something strange happened: it began to get used and even to like that feeling. This journey, because of its origin, showed how true was a quote by a famous troubadour of the kingdom, framed in the dining room: “Love is the only ecstasy. All the rest weeps”. That melancholic being found in love the only and true happiness.
A half-smile slowly started to appear in its face…
It had grown in the tiny and repulsive thing the desire to tell the whole truth. However, it felt ashamed and frightened over how the little girl’s parents would react; they could blame it for everything. “But I did not have a choice. It was the monster’s fault, so horrifying and deceitful” — it thought.
One day, when the little girl’s parent showed their affection once again, it finally took courage the say:
— I’m a dirty little monster. I don’t deserve to be loved, because I can no longer be your little girl. She’s stick in world of darkness with the terrible monster and you can still save her!
— What on Earth are you taking about? — You should not make up something so terrible, little girl — said, almost at the same time, mother and father
— But it’s the truth! That friend of yours from the time of the Academy is a monster. You must stop him in order to save the little girl — the little monster replied.
The parents remained skeptical. They only believed after the puny creature took off its costume and explained everything in detail. They were scared and then deeply angered for ignoring and not noticing the obvious signs that something was wrong.
— Don’t worry. You are good and loving people. That’s why I felt safe to reveal what really happened. It wasn’t my fault. It was the monster. I will take you to his evil castle. I can’t make a magical door, but I know a long road that leads there.
Thus, the father went on a journey with the little stinky thing and the best kingdom warriors. Wise men also joined the group, trying to understand the horrifying villain trough the statements of the little monster.
One week later, they arrived at land of unhappiness. Carrying a lot of torches, they illuminated that dark place and managed to easily reach the castell and to find both the little boy and girl in their cells. They were both so scared…
Oddly, everything was too easy. Suddenly, the malicious monster appeared and, with its big wide eyes, yelled:
— What are you doing here? I shall destroy you all! The little children belong to me! They entered here by the own will and shall never leave!
The father, recognizing the voice, outraged, asked
— You were my friend! What is all this?
Before a wicked laugh, the monster answered:
— I have always been like this, you fool. You! — it shouted pointing at the little monster — Don’t you know that if I am destroyed, you will be no more?
— I got to know love, caring and trust. I will gladly disappear if that saves happiness.
The colossal beast seemed confused and stunned by that answer. While warriors, taking advantage its distraction, attacked it with illuminated spears, the little monster went on to rescue the little girl.
Shortly after the final blow hit the terrible monster, it, even severely weaken, managed to say terrible words:
— It’s not over! Your world is filled with beings like me. We can easily hide our true nature. We usually live near your children: a friend, a neighbor, a cousin, an uncle, or even a father or a mother. When you least expect it, we shall attack!
— We shall be ready, vile and cunning freak! With the little creature’s help, our wise men studied your life and unraveled all of your secrets. It’s darkness that awakes the monsters in people like you. I know you have always been like this and that others out there, but now we know the key to stop monstrosity to manifest itself in those like you: light, light in floods! No monster of darkness resists dawn! We shall illuminate the world! — the little girl’s father shouted.
The monster, completely defeated, chained by the soldiers, remained silent. In that same moment, the little monster began to disappear. By seeing the little girl’s reflection in the mirror, he fully smiled for the first time in his life. A timid smile also appeared on the little girl’s face, proving that the beast had not completely destroyed her. There was still hope that, with much love, patience and special care, one day she could be happy again, and that wound, still so open and painful, could become just a scar.
THE END
WordPress
Facebook
Google