A Monster of My Making

By Sadhika on

I recall my younger years vividly, around the age of six or seven, when I used to be afraid of the dark. I dreaded the idea of sleeping with any of my limbs dangling over the bedside, convinced that a lurking monster beneath would seize it during the night. No amount of reassurance from adults could dispel this fear. Eventually, though I cannot pinpoint the exact moment, I outgrew this fear, realising the nonexistence of such monsters.

Yet, just a few days ago, I encountered one.


Last weekend, as preparations for the upcoming Holi festival were underway, I engaged in some spring cleaning. It's customary for many to clean every corner of their homes before religious occasions like Diwali and Holi, and I'm no exception to this tradition. Regular sweeping and mopping are part of my routine, so I anticipated a straightforward task with minimal mess. Once I finished dusting atop the kitchen cabinets and scrubbing the insides of my refrigerator, only one task remained: washing the floor. After relocating some of the lighter furniture to the hallway to make my work easy, I began filling a bucket with water.


Then I got down on all fours to peer under the bed, just to see the mess I was dealing with. It was then that I saw the monster under the bed for the very first time.It loomed large and hairy, although, to be fair, much of the hair seemed to be mine. Bits of wrappers and stray pen caps jutted out from its underside, and atop its head sat one of my socks, fashioned into a makeshift cap. Not to mention, it had ugly yellow eyes that peered back indignantly at me. Okay, maybe I let my imagination run wild with that last detail. But the rest of it? Absolutely true, I assure you. Despite its unkempt appearance, there was a certain charm to its presence, as if it were more of a playful trickster than a fearsome creature.


This monster had been peacefully slumbering beneath my bed for who knows how many weeks, beyond the reach of my broom. It grew plump by devouring the forgotten remnants of my life, thriving on my neglect and slothfulness. Its presence was utterly incongruous in a house I had once prided myself on for its orderliness, until the discovery of this menace shattered that illusion.


It took me about two full buckets of water to drown the repulsive creature entirely, finally rendering the underside of my bed as immaculate as the polished surfaces throughout the rest of my home, which I diligently maintained for the benefit of any guests who might happen upon them. As I surveyed the now spotless floor, I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Who knew that beneath the veneer of domestic tranquillity lurked a monster hungry for chaos?


Image Source: Spirited Away (2001)

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