The Grinning Beast

It’s dark. It is bedtime for little Teddy. His mother was already asleep while she tried comforting him. Teddy is still wide awake and scared of the grinning beast. It always waits outside under his window during sunset. When night falls it slowly pops its head from its hiding place while it stares at him with wide glowing eyes, flashing its razor sharp teeth before he goes to sleep. It is not clear where it comes from or what it is, but it is crystal clear that it wants something. A deal that should not have been made; according to mum, that was. It first starts staring through the window. Teddy hears the foul whispers muttering "I always win" before drifting off to sleep. When he finally awakes from his snooze the beast already sits on the window sill.

It was a tiring game that would last until sunrise every month without fail, but the beast would always disappear before reaching his bed. Teddy remembered he had left out some tiny soldiers to keep him awake. The sight of them always gave him more faith. It was a shame they didn’t glow in the dark. Only a dim light from the corridor shines upon the figurines through the half open door.

Soon, Teddy hears footsteps outside his door. It was dad going to the loo again. His dad never believed a word about the beast, he usually called him by different names when he tried to mention it. But strangely he always got so worked up when the beast was approaching the house; doors, windows were double locked and the shutters were closed while mum lit some funny smelling herbs in a bowl. However these bizarre customs only took place on those nights when the beast was nearby. Teddy wasn’t in the mood to remember his parent’s remarks and discussions and always got more questions than answers. Then the sound of the flushing toilet breaks his moment and hears his father’s steps disappearing into the distance.

"Maybe the beast will not come tonight." thinks Teddy hopefully. He is getting drowsy but he is still not giving in. He is tossing and turning in a tiny bed next to his mum, creaking every time one takes a turn. He is sweating sticky; his blanket was almost glued to him. Sure, it would be comfier alone in his bed but he’d rather have someone with him tonight.

Counting the glowing stickers and saying his prayers aren't making Teddy sleep any faster. The thought of him placing his favourite tiny soldiers a few feet away from his bed puts him at ease. They were, after all, standing guard for him.

Some time has passed. The minutes feel like hours; though he is about to drift off to sleep, his head feels as light as a feather and his body is weighing more than a great blue whale. When he takes a turn to finally enter the realm of his own, dreaming of mountains of candy canes and flying ships, his gaze runs up the glass one last time; the shutters are lifting and the window opens swiftly. Teddy's breath pauses before ending in a tiny gasp as he sees his biggest fright; a pair of glowing eyes. The beast is staring right at him, clicking its teeth. Teddy’s throat feels knotted, his stomach dropped with the force of his brother's punch. He tries to wake his mum but even breathing is a struggle for him. He nudges his mum with his elbow gently, then harder but nothing. She might not even feel any of it! Yet she is missing the whole thing! She needs to see this! She needs to see that his story is true. The glowing eyes move past the toy desk under the window smoothly like a mist. It’s getting closer to Teddy’s bed, creeping upon him just like every dreadful month at night. The cracking of tiny plastic soldiers follows every step of the beast. Teddy can almost count how many pieces his favourite soldiers fell into. A shadow moves past the dim light and now the beast is revealing its shape to him, towering over his bed. He can nearly make out all the features of the beast. Figure of a man, tall with long arms and extremely awful fur. Teddy’s breathing is rapid, tears are flooding his cheeks. He is weeping as he sees the glowing eyes are, now, inches away from his face. It never has come this close before.

Teddy is trying to move but his limbs won't budge. He can hear his heart in his ears. Teddy is helplessly frozen on the spot. He smells the awful stench of the beast's breath and the sticky substance that runs down on its mouth and neck, yet those aren't the things that make it scary. It is the sharp teeth tucked under that wide grin. Now, Teddy wishes he was asleep.

Then his mum’s hand brushes away the glowing eyes saying “Fluffy your food is in the food dispenser” as she picks up the furry creature. She has kissed Teddy’s little face for comfort then she toddled out of the room with the grumpy cat. Teddy turns in his bed gazing at the window where the grinning beast was still staring at him before the cat walked in.