Monsters Beneath Our Beds

ix. Confrontation

In my head, I had always imagined the Monster King to look like a towering dinosaur-like creature. Or a huge beast with distinctly evil features. Like Ganon from The Legend of Zelda. The stories mum used to tell me before bed each night painted pictures of sorcerers with curly moustaches or knights in thick heavy armour of darkest night. Not at all like the lanky lizard-looking man dressed in a white coat with a pair of glasses resting just on the bridge of his nose before me.

"Welcome," he said, almost pleasantly. "I hadn't thought you would make it this far. Imagine my surprise, then, when you walked in. That is not to say, of course, that I thought little of your abilities. Oh no. Just that I hadn't quite prepared to meet you when I was so...underdressed."

"Where are my parents?"

The Monster King impatiently clicked his tongue. "So rude. Didn't anyone ever teach you to be respectful to your elders? This simply won't do. Now, I've prepared a little something for just such an occasion. If you would kindly let me look for it, I won't be long."

I snarled at him, my grip tightening on the blade at my side. The Monster King turned back towards the table and the array of strange liquids he had been working with before I had come in. I didn't much like being ignored and should have struck then. But that would have been dishonourable.

"Evie asked you a question! You don't just get to ignore her, you know!"

As Mandy flitted up towards the Monster King, he waved her off as if she were naught but a fly. "Oh, buzz off. Ah! Here it is." He turned back towards me, a hideous smile stretching his reptilian lips. In one scaly hand, he held something small. I couldn't see what it was. "Evelyn, was it? Be a dear and come closer. Despite my appearance, I don't bite. Much."

"No! Take one step closer and I'll run you through like the black-hearted scoundrel that you are! Tell me where my parents are!"

I was starting to feel nervous. None of this was like I had expected. Our fight should have been on the roof of the tower, backlit by a thunderstorm. My parents would have been hanging in bird cages, cheering for me. Instead, I had found myself in a stark white room. Two beds lay side by side in the far corner. The occupants, whose faces I couldn't see, were hooked up to various machines that kept a steady rhythm as they beeped in unison.

"Fine," he said, throwing his hands up in annoyance. "Your parents are right here. They are being well looked after, as you can clearly see. I am only here to help them as much as I can."

"Don't listen to him, Evie!" warned Mandy. "Every word that comes from his lips is a bald-faced lie. This is a trap!" She had her fists held up in a defensive pose and made a few swift jabbing motions as she danced ever closer to the Monster King.

"You dare speak to me about falsehoods? Ha!" hissed the Monster King, his head swivelling towards my friend. "I spit on your bravado. This time I shall show you just how far I've come." He did something strange with his hands and Mandy's wings crumpled to dust. She fell to the floor with a soft thud as her head smacked against the floor. I tried to reach for her but the Monster King immediately turned his attention back to me. "Come here, Evelyn. Now! And no funny business. You ought to know by now to put sharp things away and in their proper place."

There was something in his voice, an authority or command, that made my legs begin to move against my will. My sword remained sheathed at my side. I was sure it was a spell. But no matter how hard I fought I couldn't stop my own body from betraying me. And just like that I stood before the Monster King, as if I had been summoned by dad after I had done something wrong.

"Yes. That's a good girl," he said, smiling. "Here. A reward." Into my open palm, he dropped a small piece of liquorice.

"What is this?"