The Monsters and the Hunters

I awoke drenched sweat and my heart racing, I looked around the room frightened fearing that there is a monster hiding somewhere in my room. I wiped the sweat from my brow as I slowly and carefully get out of bed, shaking. I began walking down the darkened hallway towards the bathroom, turning on every light that I could find. As I got closer to the bathroom, I began to see a creature with long arms and snake like hair. My heart began beating like a drum at a band concert, my eyes widened in fear. I so scared I couldn’t stop walking closer I couldn’t control myself. I finally snapped out of it and darted for the bathroom light. Once it was the thing that I thought was a creature is actually just our family hamper with socks and long shirts.

            I turned on the sink, filling my hands up with water and splashing the cold refreshing water in my face.  I stared in the mirror repeating to myself “ Calm down Henry calm down.” After I calmed down I dried my brown hair, turned off the lights and began my slow descent down the stairs to breakfast.  I lazily got to the table and slumped down in my chair, remembering that it is my least favorite time of the year. It is the dreaded 30 days of night this is why I hate living in Alaska.

“Good morning Henry” my mom said as she entered the kitchen.

“Good morning mom.” I replied lazily

            At that moment I saw my dad walk in with the newspaper and I knew exactly what he was going to say.

“Morning son, have you read the newspaper there are tons of new job applicants.” Dad said cheeringly

            Most families would not make a big deal about their father wanting them to take up a job or at least take up the family business, but this family isn’t like other families. Our family business is, well how do I explain it well it is monster hunting. That is what we do, and since it is 30 days of night it is monster season. Monsters love the dark, and since it is dark all day for almost over a month my parents are constantly moving from house to house and from town to town exterminating or catching monsters such as ghost, goblins, mummies, vampires, werewolves and worst of all the frost goblins.

“ Dad I don’t want to do any of these jobs.”

“ Then why don’t you take up my offer for you to join the Midas Monster Mashers?” He said with a smile.

“Dad you know I hate monsters and that I am afraid of the dark.”

“Son you are now 15 and it is time to get over your fears, you are coming to work with me today.”

“ But dad.”

“ No buts about it Henry you know your father is right.  Quickly eat your breakfast and get dressed and ready to go.”  Mom said with a wide grin.

            She set down the plates of food and I quickly shoveled down the food because I knew my dad was anxious to get going. As I began up the stairs to get to my room my dad hollered at me. I came down the few steps that I had taken then saw it. It was the tackiest thing I have ever seen. It was a bright yellow jumpsuit with lime green sleeves, dark blue leggings, purple collar, and worst of all it had the letters MMM across the chest in red.

“ Do I have to wear that thing?” I asked with a disgusted look on my face.

“ It is the family business logo, I am wearing and so are you.” Dad said with a satisfying look on his face.

            I sighed, grabbed the jump suit and made my way to my room. As soon as I was dressed I made my way to the bright yellow van with MMM across it in red bold letters. My dad was in the van smiling and excited, he looked like a little kid getting what he wanted.

“Where’s mom” I asked

“It is her day off.” he replied.

Then he started the car and we were off. We were just driving around town in the dark at 9:00 AM. He pulled up into a driveway of a dark house. The house looked old beaten, and it was covered in plants.

“What are we doing here?”

“ Well Henry this is your first job.”

“My first job, aren’t you coming with me?”

“Nope your old enough to do this on your own.”

“ What is in the house?” I asked while my voice was shaking.

“ Don’t worry Henry nothing big just a single goblin. The neighbors just want it away from the town because it is getting into people trash and making a lot of noise. Here now take these you will need this to catch it.”

            He handed me five things, A giant net, a small cage, a flash light, goblin bait, and a tiny bottle just about the size of hotel shampoo with a label across it saying GET AWAY GAS.

“Dad what is GET AWAY GAS?”

“ It is a special gas that monsters hate and when they are distracted it allows you a quick and easy get away, but only use it in an emergency.”

            I took one last look at the bottle, and then slowly began walking up to the door.  I opened the door carefully and it made a loud screeching noise. I looked back at my dad nervously, but he just urged me to continue into the house. My heart began racing the moment I stepped in the house, I started sweating as my eyes darted side-to-side watching for any movement. Then I heard it, I heard the sound of a small creature running across the floor.  I turned the corner holding the net in one hand and the flashlight in the other.  The light kept bouncing all over the place because I was shaking.

“Hel…lo…hello. Is anybody there, you can come out I won’t hurt you.” I manage to say while my voice was shaking.

            Then I heard it again, it ran across the floor. Suddenly a loud thud began shaking the whole house. It kept getting louder and louder as it moved closer. I began to panic and I ran towards the door, but I couldn’t find it, I kept running, until I ran into a wall. I fell to the ground hard leaving a scratch on my elbow. At that moment I saw the small bottle of GET AWAY GAS roll away from me. I scrambled after it, but it was too late it fell down a crack in the floor.  At last I saw it, this was no small goblin it was big, green, and smelly. I began to back up into a corner as it stepped closer, with its slobbering mouth. I shielded myself from it and closed my eyes just as it opened its mouth and dove at me.

            Every thing was black until I opened eyes looking around my room and wiping the sweat and slobber from my scaly forehead. I began stomping my way down the stairs into the kitchen.

“Good morning, my little monster. How did you sleep?” Mom said

“Horrible, I had I nightmare that I was a human being chased by a bigger monster.” I replied

“ Well, at least it was all a dream. We are the only monsters the humans have to worry about.”