As long as you could remember, there has been a monster in your closet. Growing up, you had begged your parents to believe you, but you were met with dismissals and half-hearted attempts to comfort you in hopes you’d shut up and go back to sleep. Now an adult and on your own, the monster has followed.

It creeps out of your closet in the still hours of the night, never revealing it’s form, never wandering too close. You feel it circle your bed, stalking, observing.

At this point in your life, it’s become a comforting constant. An almost friend that you never speak to but keeps you company.

Tonight is different. You lay in bed, tired and lonely. The closet door creaks open, glowing red eyes blinking lazily at you. You sit up, scared but curious. “Y-you can come out..” you say quietly.

It hesitates but eventually steps out of the closet. You gulp at the bulky, looming figure that inches towards you. Its body is made of ripped skin and exposed bone. Its face comes into the light, and you see the remnants of what must of been a man’s handsome face. The right lower half of his face is ripped away, leaving just bleached bone. Drool and saliva drip from his mouth, as if he is starving and staring at a four course meal.

He stops walking at your bed, a low growl rumbling in his chest. He stands and waits as if he is waiting for you to scream, to run, to be horrified.