Kaleb and the Monster

            by Adam Poole

 

         There was once a boy named Kaleb who lived with his mom and his dad and the monster under his bed. He loved his mom, and he loved his dad, but he did not love the monster.

 

 

         One Monday night, after Kaleb’s mom had tucked him in tight, left the room, and turned out the light, the monster spoke to Kaleb. In a big, scary voice it said, “Kaleb, won’t you come play with me under the bed?” Now Kaleb was afraid of the monster under his bed, so he pulled the covers up and said, “No, monster, I won’t play with you. You are big and scary.” But the monster said to Kaleb, “That’s not fair, you’ve never seen me. How could you know if I was big or small?” Kaleb did not believe the monster, so he said from safe under his covers, “I won’t play with you, monster under my bed, not in a million years.”

         He had not slept long when he woke up suddenly. Below him he heard a thump and a bump. “Who’s making that noise down there?” he said. In the dark he could hear a small squeaky voice, just like the kind a dust bunny has.

“Under the bed we play tonight

It’s fun to play without any light

Won’t you join us, hum dee doo

We’ll play hide and seek with you.”

         Kaleb wanted to play hide and seek; he wasn’t tired anymore. So he slipped out from beneath his covers and crawled beneath the bed. He saw the dust bunnies playing hide and seek. “Can I join you?” he asked one.

 

 

         “Of course,” she said. “Come play hide and seek with us under the bed. I’ll count to ten.”

         So Kaleb ran and hid while the seeker counted, “One, two, three…” Kaleb dashed behind a shoe box, but there was already a dust bunny there. “You can’t hide here, there’s no room for you!”

         So Kaleb ran and hid while the seeker counted, “Four, five, six…” and he dashed behind a book, but there was already a dust bunny there. “You can’t hide here, there’s no room for you!”

         Now Kaleb ran and hid while the seeker counted, “Seven, eight, nine…” He dashed behind a teddy bear, but there was already a dust bunny there. “You can’t hide here, there’s no room for you!” So Kaleb stood next to the teddy bear; he had nowhere to hide.

         “Ten!!” the seeker shouted. “Ready or not here I come!” She didn’t have to look long, Kaleb was standing in plain sight. “I see you!” she yelled in her squeaky voice. “I see you, I see you there next to the teddy bear.”

         Kaleb had lost, now he was the seeker. He closed his eyes, the dust bunnies hid, and he started to count. “One, two, three…”

         But before he was through, a loud voice behind him said, “I want to play, can I join you?” Kaleb jumped; it was the monster under the bed! So he ran and he ran without looking back.

         “I won’t play with you, not in a million years!”

        

         When Kaleb was safe in his bed, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He had not slept long when he awoke with a cry. “Who’s making that noise down there?” he said. He peered under his bed and saw that his clothes were all on parade. Kaleb crawled beneath the bed and stood next to a hat who was announcing:

                            “The shoes lead the way in a straight perfect line,

                                     The Lost Clothes Parade it says on their sign.

                            Behind them march a collection of socks,

                                     all of them juggling red Lego blocks.

                            Next come the pants as a grand parade float,

                                     on top of which stands the old winter coat.

                            The underwear is like a big, loud brass band

                                     with trumpets, and drums, and trombones so grand.

                            At the end of the line march the old, tattered shirts,

                                     and wait, who let in those silly pink skirts?”

 

 

         The parade was long and Kaleb wanted to join in on the fun.

         “Can I join you?” he asked as the shoes came near.

         “Of course,” they said. “But you’re not a pair of shoes. You can’t march here. Go to the rear, you can march there.”

         But Kaleb didn’t want to march at the end, so he waited for the shoes to pass and asked the socks, “Can I join you?”

         Without dropping their blocks they replied, “Of course, but you’re not a pair of socks. You can’t march here. Go to the rear, you can march there.”

         But Kaleb didn’t want to march at the end, so he waited for the socks to pass and asked the coat on the pants float, “Can I join you?”

         The coat looked down and replied, “Of course, but you’re not a coat or pair of pants. You can’t march here. Go to the rear, you can march there.”

         So Kaleb joined the shirts and the skirts in the rear, it was the only spot left. The parade marched around under the bed. Kaleb was having a good time until a voice behind him said, “I want to play, can I join you?” Kaleb jumped; it was the monster under the bed! So he ran and he ran without looking back.           

         “I won’t play with you, not in a million years!”

        

         When Kaleb was safe in his bed, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He had not slept long when he awoke with a fright. “Who’s making that noise down there?” he said. Kaleb crawled below and saw a puny pink plastic knight atop his horse. The pink knight was watching a big blue balloon knight on the other side of the field who was riding in circles on his horse. The blue knight declared, “I am the Knight of Blue.” He then pranced to the center of the field.

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                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Blue,

                            my deeds are brave and faults are few.

                            If you’re in need of rescue bold,

                            I’ll swiftly come to save you.

        

                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Blue,

                            I’ve beaten monsters, dragons too.

                            If you’re amongst the daring sort,

                            I’ll pick up sword and fight you.

                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Blue,

                            my sword is quick and arrow true.

                            If you think you have any chance,

                            you’re wrong, I’ll surely slay you.”

         With that, the Knight of Blue went back to his side to pick up his lance and the Knight of Pink rode out to the center on his small horse. “I am the Knight of Pink,” he declared.                            

                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Pink,

                            I may be small but I can think.

                            I am a very noble knight,

                            just ask me, I will help you.

                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Pink,

                            and to my health you ought to drink.

                            If you are fool enough to fight,

                            I’ll take up sword against you.

                            “Tonight I am the Knight of Pink,

                            I’m at your throat before you blink.

                            Beware my small and puny size,

                            for I will surely slay you.”

         The pink knight then rode back to his side and picked up his lance. Now it was Kaleb’s turn. So he went to the center of the field and tried to think of a song about himself. But before he could start, the knights gave a shout. They held out their lances and charged to the center of the field. Kaleb watched in fright as the pink and blue knights charged at him fast. In a few seconds, he was going to be caught between them! “I want to play, can I join you?!” a big voice said. Kaleb jumped; it was the monster under the bed! So big and scary was he that the knights fled in terror back the way they came. Kaleb was safe.

         “That was far too close,” he said. “I’m not sure if it’s safe to play under the bed anymore. Everyone is mean to me.” 

         “I won’t be mean,” the monster replied. “I want to play. And I am big and can scare mean ones away.”

         So Kaleb and the monster started to play. In fact, Kaleb and the monster became best friends and played every night. “Dust bunnies, clothes, and knights are no fun,” Kaleb said. “It’s better to play with a monster instead. Especially when it’s the monster under the bed!”