“Are you under there?”
… silence …
“Hey, come on! I asked if you’re under there?”
… uncomfortable silence …
“Really, you’re not gonna tell me? You’re gonna make me look?”
… a big sigh …
“See, I knew you were under there! Why won’t you just say something?”
This kid is never gonna stop. “Shhhh…”
“Ha! You spoke! Now I know you’re there for sure!”
“I didn’t speak, I made a shhhh sound. Now, go to sleep.”
“No way, not now! Come out and play with me?”
“What? Are you nuts? I can’t play with you. Go. To. Sleep. Please.”
“You just admitted that you’re under there, and you want me to go to sleep? Nah-ah, no-way!”
“Kid, what is wrong with you? Do you know who I am?”
“Yeah, you’re the Boogey-man. That’s what Ma says, and she don’t lie.”
“That’s right, I’m the Boogey-man. Now go to sleep.”
“Are you kidding me? No way I can sleep now!”
“Why, because you’re scared of the boogey-man? Boogey-man gonna get you? Wooooooo…”
“Knock it off. I ain’t afraid of no Boogey-man, ‘specially one that talks to me. Come out and play.”
What? You have got to be kidding me. “Kid, I can’t play with you!”
“Why not? You got a broke arm or something?”
“What? No I don’t have a … Aren’t you even a little scared?”
“Nope. My Ma says I don’t gotta be afraid a the Boogey-man.”
“She did what? Why would she tell you that?”
“Cause I was afraid to sleep in here alone. But Ma says if I just make friends with the boogey-man, there’s nothing to be a’scared of.”
“Make friends with the boogey-man, that’s just crazy talk, Kid. You can’t make friends with the Boogey-man.”
“You calling my Ma crazy?”
“If she told you that, then yeah, I’m calling your Ma crazy.”
“Go ahead, say it again, I dare ya!”
“You dare me what? To say your Ma is crazy?”
“That’s it. Now I’m coming under there to put a whoopin’ on your boggey-ass!”
“What? Hey… Kid, what are you… Get back in your bed. What the… Did you just punch me?”
“Yup. And there’s more where that came from!”
“Kid, ouch – hey, stop that. Have you – ouch – lost your… Hey, no kicking! … lost your mind?”
“Nope. Pop says that if anyone talks smack about Ma, I’m to whoop ’em!”
“Geez, kid. I can’t hit you back. Ouch! Stop it! Get back in your bed! Ouch… stop, will you just…”
***
Footsteps on the stairs….
“Robbie, are you in bed?”
“Uh, yeah, Ma. Just don’t…”
The door opens.
“What is this mess? Did you tear the stuffing out of Mr. Squiggles again? You are gonna get it this time, Mister! Wait until I tell your father!”
“But Ma…”
“But nothing, get your little rump in that bed and I don’t want to hear another peep out of you tonight!”
“Yes, Ma.”
As the door slams shut, Robbie hears snickering coming from under his bed.
“Stupid Boogey-man!”
© Copyright 2013 Nina D’Arcangela. All Rights Reserved.
I’m doing the 2013 Blogging from A to Z Challenge! Pop back everyday but Sunday through the month of April for a new letter prompt to spawn my deranged ramblings! ;}
Nina D'Arcangela
Sotet Angyal 
April 24th, 2013 at 3:52 am
I wonder if they’ll become good friends—Robbie and the Boogey Man.
Take 25 to Hollister
Don’t be a Hippie
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April 24th, 2013 at 10:28 am
LOL – Thanks for coming by Suzie, but there is no Boogey-man; just Robbie, his imagination, and an unfortunate Teddy Bear that was stuffed under the bed. 🙂
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April 24th, 2013 at 6:11 am
Funny and scary at the same time. Great post. I’m waiting for when you get to X.
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April 24th, 2013 at 10:07 am
It was honestly fun to write. I love exploring a child’s imagination and where it might go… Thanks Jerry!! And X, well – that’s going to be different all together! LOL
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April 24th, 2013 at 7:43 am
I never really knew what the Boogey-man really was when I grew up. I heard he was someone to fear, but never really paid much attention. I guess the idea of it caused more fear in my friends than me!
As for your story, what a great ride! Nicely done and filled with mystery!
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April 24th, 2013 at 10:11 am
I didn’t believe in the Boogey-man either, Jack. But the idea of this kid imagining a whole scenario with him that turns out to be his imagination and one poor Teddy Bear who gets it in the end; that’s much more along the lines of where my mind wandered as a child. No Tea Parties for me as a little girl! I stopped getting ‘destructible’ toys early on… (I think it’s clear why) LOL
Thank you for the kind words, Jack, they are always greatly appreciated! 🙂
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April 24th, 2013 at 11:43 am
Absolutely freaking hysterical!! I read this with a huge smile across my face the entire time 🙂 I loved this Nina!!
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April 24th, 2013 at 5:04 pm
Cool! It was meant to be fun and funny! Poor Mr. Squiggles, he got the stuffing beat out of him and didn’t even get to join the union. Thanks!! 😉
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April 24th, 2013 at 11:51 am
Nina….. Wicked man that I am, I was saddened to see that the Boogey-man was only a Teddy Bear. 😉
This story flipped me on my side. My pumps were primed to read about the Boogey-man jumping out from under Robbie’s bed and devouring the kid’s mother to show the boy why he should be scared.
Instead I got a great dose of reality and was reminded of the power and virility of a child’s mind. I was a dark kid who destroyed a number of toys and dolls under the guise of a ghoulish imagination. This was a fun story with a twist. I like getting twisted. *sinister grin*
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April 24th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
LMAO – twisted is good! I didn’t want to go heavy/horror with the Boogey-man – too predictable. I wanted to offer a glimpse of how my mind worked as a child. I could make just about anything harmless into a dire situation that needed saving (or unstuffing in this case). I didn’t play nice with my toys either, so Mr. Squiggles was destined for a fate worse than mere death right from the start! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and happy to twist you that much further! LOL 🙂
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April 24th, 2013 at 11:59 am
The entire read I was trying to figure out what was under what. Boogey-man was a surprise and hilarious twist. Imaginations feel so real. Especially to poor teddy bears!
Loved it!
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April 24th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Hi Jana! A bit of a departure from my normal doom-n-gloom. Children’s imaginations are endless, my never quit working, so it was a short stretch from a harmless plushy to a Boogey-man for me. And my sarcastic nature took it to him needing his butt kicked! Big, bad, old Boogey-man shouldn’t be scaring kids… just ask Mr. Squiggles!
I’m glad you enjoyed this one – thank you!!! 🙂
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April 25th, 2013 at 2:48 am
Nice! Very clever twist on childhood fears and nightmarish scenarios. I’ve often thought that monsters would be frightened to see what certain little psychos are like, or just highly desensitized kids. I mean, what can you do when the child is completely unafraid of you and demands attention? I think the monsters would run for the hills…
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April 25th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Hi Matt – Thank you! This was a fun one to write. Monsters should fear kids, they are at their most fearless at a young age, I know I was. I wasn’t desensitized (I don’t think), but always overly curious. I think my monsters are still hiding up in the hills, wondering if it’s safe to come down! ;}
And I would have only torn Mr. Squiggles apart if it was pink or some other pastel hue! That (as far as I was concerned) was for girls, and calling me a girl was fightin’ words back then. LOL 😉
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April 25th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
What a fabulous sense of humour !
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April 25th, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Thank you, Sue!! It was fun to be a kid again going at it with the Boogey-man! 🙂
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June 27th, 2022 at 10:57 am
Grreat reading
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