by Holly Stacey –
“There’s a monster under my bed.” Robby could see its eyes glowing deep green.
“No there is not. Now go and brush your teeth.” Mum never understood these things.
“It will get me.” It had huge long claws – white like the toothpaste tube. But its teeth were sharp and yellow.
Mum gave Robby that look. Then she reached under the bed and pulled out Dinny the dinosaur. Robby jumped back and Mum rolled her eyes. “Now!” She pointed to the loo.
Robby brushed. He didn’t want his teeth to look like Dinny’s. But he did want his deep green eyes. “Grooowwwl!” The foam around Robby’s mouth dribbled.
“Hurry up, it’s bedtime.”
Mum always rushed Robby when he was having fun. He followed orders and went to bed. Mum turned out the light but left the door a little open. There was just enough light to see the monster in the closet.
“MUUUUMMMM!!!!!”
“What is it now?”
“There’s a monster in the closet.” Robby could see its hot breath billowing out from his football kit.
“There is no such thing.” Would Mum never learn? There was ALWAYS a monster somewhere…stalking him.
Mum flicked on the light and opened the closet door. Robby’s panda bear fell out – his eyes glared at Robby. They were all shiny and black. Like buttons that could watch every move. “It’s Panda.”
Robby nodded. Yes, it WAS Panda. Monster Panda. Scary Panda. Mum took him away and turned off the light again.
Dark waves surrounded him. Robby was on a pirate ship and there were giant pirates with super-sharp swords. “It’s Robby! Look, he’s scared of us again!” Robby pretended to shake, but in his dreams, he had a secret weapon. He pulled off his blanket and revealed his black ninja jim-jams and throwing stars.
They all shouted and yelled. They were really, really scared of Robby’s ninjaness. There were splashes as they threw themselves off the ship. “Run! Not the ninja stars! Ah, he’s an ace at throwing those!” SPLASH!
“Rooooaaaarrrrr!!!” Robby threw a ninja star and watched it hit the mast.
“Roooaaarrr!!!” Something MONSTEROUS echoed him. He took out another ninja star and posed to throw it.
“Roooaaarrr!!!” Out came Panda AND Dinny. They had joined forces and were climbing the ship’s ropes to get Robby.
But Robby wasn’t scared. He roared even louder and let one of his ninja throwing stars skim past their heads.
Whoosh.
Dinny grinned, his yellow teeth looking less scary then they did before. Panda puffed out dark smoke that made Robby’s eyes burn, but he didn’t run. In his dreams everyone is scared of HIM.
“Back monsters!” Robby shouted at them. For a moment, they quivered. Dinny’s scales rippled with fear. Panda’s claws trembled as they held onto the ship’s side. Robby knew he looked more scary then them.
And then something funny happened.
Dinny jumped towards him and winked a deep green eye. He really didn’t seem scary at all. He looked funny so Robby winked back. Panda’s steam looked more like Funhouse smoke and not terrible like it used to be.
Suddenly, Dinny, Panda and Robby were laughing and roaring at the same time. All three of them were monsters now and they had a pirate ship all to themselves. Robby wondered how much treasure they could scare up.
In the morning, when the sun came through the window, Robby was happy. Dinny and Panda were sitting by the window. It looked like they were happy too.
the end.
Question Time
1. What did Robby’s mum do when he was scared of the monster under the bed?
2. What did Robby’s mum do with the monster in the closet?
3. How did Robby fight back the monsters in his dream?
4. Why was Robby happy when he woke up?
