“It’s quite odd…”

A low gravelly voice emerged from the darkness. The boy froze as cold air from a nearby window brushed against his cheek, sending shivers down his spine.

“Are you scared of me?” The voice crept out of the ajar wardrobe like a wisp of smoke.

“Yes.” The boy replied.

“And why is that?” The voice asked as he slowly pushed the door of the wardrobe open.

“Y-your a monster!” The boy cried.

The low voice chuckled as he stepped out of the wardrobe, revealing his silhouette. Six feet tall, his long pointy horns stretched up to the ceiling, scraping and scratching away the paint. He was abnormally thin, and sharp spikes poked out of his pale stick-like body. He wore a long black coat and rings along each of his long pointy fingers. But in the dark, the boy was focused on his long glowing smile, stretching around his face.

“Monsters are evil.” The boy said.

The creature laughed and began inching closer to him. Abruptly stopping, he stared at the boy intensely, hunching his head low and piercing his glowing eyes into the the boy’s small body.

“What’s your name?” The monster asked.

“Tom.” He replied.

“Do you know what’s odd, Tom?”

The boy stood in silence, pressing himself against the wall.

“Death and evil, and life and living.” He said as he switched his focus between the boy and his claws.

“They are destined to co-exist. You cannot live on Earth without experiencing evil…death…and pain.” He smiled at the thought.

“And you cannot die unless you have once lived……” He proclaimed, waving his arms in the air.

“And that would be me. Pleasure to have your acquaintance.” He smiled his toothy grin.

“Your Death?” Tom asked. The monster simply nodded.

“Are you going to kill me?” He looked into the Monster’s eyes, cold and unmoving.

“My dear child...” Death leaned in slowly.

“Yes.” And without a word he lunged at the boy, his claws outstretched.

Tom suddenly awoke to the morning light seeping in his windows. He sat up, catching his breath and listening to the beeping of his alarm clock, his hands still shaking.