The Monster Above the Bed

A Halloween short story about an ogre child afraid of the monster above his bed. Kid friendly, no gore or violence.

The Monster Above the Bed 

  

Little goblin Hurk glanced up at the ornate wall clock, its polished wood frame gleaming in the dim light, as the pendulum swung steadily back and forth. A shiver ran through him from the looming unease of his impending bedtime. Clawed hands wrapped snugly around him as his mother scooped him up, her warm embrace pulling him into her comforting chest.

  “Sleepy time, my precious little creature,” she murmured, her voice a soothing melody as she carried him toward his room. He breathed in her musky, reassuring scent and blissfully sighed.

  Inside, the flickering oil lamp cast dancing shadows across the walls, illuminating his collection of gruesome action figures, each one more menacing than the last. Hurk’s mother gently laid him on his bed, the coolness of the sheets contrasting with the warmth of her hands as she lovingly tucked the blankets against his chest. He gazed at the bed canopy, decorated with crescent moons and mischievous vampire bats, his heart pounding with growing dread.

  “Do the check,” Hurk insisted, his voice trembling as he pointed upward. “I’m afraid of the monster above my bed.”

  Rising to her full six-foot height, his mother surveyed the top of the canopy, her blood-red eyes shining like rubies in the darkness. “No monsters up here. Time to settle down for some much-needed rest.”

  “Mommy, I’m scared. Can you read my favorite book, Terrifying Tales to Read in the Shadows?” His plea was urgent, eyes wide and filled with hope.

  She clicked her sharp tusks together, sounding like bones cracking. “No delay tactics this eve, bugbear. You have to wake up early. Do you want me to turn up the oil lamp flame if you’re feeling so fearful?”

  Hurk’s eyes widened, and he clasped his stubby hands together in distress. “Nooooo! I’m frightened of the light. Please turn on the dark!”

  With a gentle touch, his mother caressed his head, her fingers grazing like soft rain over his coarse green hair and lumpy warts. 

“There’s nothing in the light that’s not there in the dark. Sweet nightmares, dear child of mine.” She leaned down, laying a soft kiss on his forehead before she rose and carefully adjusted the lamp’s flame, plunging the room into deeper shadows before softly closing the bedroom door behind her.

  Time seemed to stand still in the deafening quiet that followed. Little Hurk lay there, a tiny figure lost in his enormous bed, the pointy tips of his ears straining to catch any hint of strange noises. The long shadows normally comforted him, twisting into wild shapes in the corners of his imagination, but tonight they did nothing to ease his mind. A sudden bump above brought his gaze upward, his heart racing as he detected vague impressions of hands and knees creeping over the shadowy canopy fabric. He pulled the blanket up to his beak-like nose, shaking as the dark figure inched closer to the foot of his bed, each movement sending chills racing down his spine.

  Suddenly, the head of a human girl peeked over the edge, her straw-golden hair cascading around a ghastly peaches and cream colored face. Metal covered the teeth of her menacing grin, and wide, azure eyes glinted with malicious glee, piercing the dim light like shards of ice.

  “Boo!” she shrieked, her high-pitched voice slicing through the eerie quiet.

  Hurk screamed in terror. His mother burst into the room like a storm, and he leapt into her strong arms, tears streaming down his cheeks as he sobbed uncontrollably into her soft fur. She cradled him tightly, the warmth of her embrace wrapped around him like a protective shield. 

“There, there, my sweet. It was just a bad dream.”

  A moment later, Hurk’s hulking father ducked into the room, filling the doorway with his massive frame. In one clawed hand, he held out a steaming mug. The thick, bitter-sweet aroma wafted through the air, enveloping them like a warm hug. 

  Hurk wiped his tear-streaked face and took the mug; the familiar scent filled his memory with images of cozy evenings spent snuggling with his family. 

“Nightshade Tea, my favorite,” he said, taking big gulps, feeling the calming warmth flow through every part of his body.

  “It helps little beasties like yourself sleep soundly,” his father rumbled in a deep, gravelly voice, a much-needed comforting presence in the dim room.

  As the sleepy haze washed over him, his mother gently set the mug aside and laid her drowsy son back upon his bed. His parents quietly snuck out of the room. He felt himself slipping into the velvety darkness of deep slumber. Yet, from above, he thought he heard a faint, chilling sound breaking the stillness�"a little girl’s delighted giggle, echoing like ghostly whispers in the dark. His back lightly twitched as a lingering shiver crawled up his spine. 

© 2025 L.A. Stinnett

Author's Note

This is a Halloween short story I wrote, as it's that time of year. It is kid-friendly and contains no gore or violence. Please give me your constructive feedback on any improvements needed. Thanks.

Reviews

[Phil]

It made me laugh and I thought it was ingenious. Minor quibble - does rain graze?

[RomaJ]

I like this. It has a cozy feel to it. I loved how you made the shadows and the little girl so eerie, and then how Hurk’s parents brought that comforting feeling with the tea. It did remind me a bit of Monsters, Inc. with a little girl, name “Boo,” but I hadn’t seen much of the film, other than the trailers, but even that... I don't remember much of it. Just the name and concept. So this still felt fresh to me. I enjoyed the story! I'll probably think about watching the film now or maybe not haha. This was a good read though.

[StorySmithy]

What a lovely story to come across! I really adore the way that you flipped the usual 'monster under the bed' story. The way you describe braces as horrible metal ornaments really feels like classic children's story material; you should be proud!