“TJ,” Sam said, “I think I hear something.” Sam climbed halfway down the ladder and jumped to the floor, inching towards the closet.

“Go back to bed, Sam,” TJ mumbled, half asleep. “There's nothing in the closet. There's never anything in the closet. Just go to sleep. Please.”

Sam crept closer to the closet door. “TJ, I'm serious,” he whispered, reaching for the knob. Just as his paw was about to grasp it, there was another rustling sound. Sam jumped back a bit.

“TJ! There's definitely something in there.” Sam gulped, “I think it might be an R.O.U.S.! It's going to eat us, and then we'll be dead. Come help me!”

TJ sighed, he thought to himself “I told mom not to let him watch that stupid movie. Now I have to deal with this all night...”

“Rodents of Unusual Size,” he told his brother, “I don't think they exist.” TJ climbed out of bed, and to prove his point, ripped open the closet door. There, inside, with big red glowing eyes, was Sam's nightmare come true—a R.O.U.S.! It lept out of the closet and ran right towards the brothers.

TJ, being the brave sort, grabbed a nearby broom and used to to fend off the giant rodent, saving both himself and his brother. “Get back,” TJ shouted, while Sam did his best to stay out of the way.

Suddenly, the lights came on, blinding TJ and making him drop the broom. “What's going on in here‽” their mom asked, “Why all the yelling?” She looked around the room to see that TJ was beating the stuffing out of one of his plushie animals.

“TJ,” she asked, “just what are you doing?”

“Sam thought he heard something in the closet. When we opened the door, an R.O.U.S. came out and attacked us.” TJ looked down at the plushie. “Or I guess maybe the plushie just fell out of the closet? But is was really scary!”

Sam nodded in agreement.

Their mom just laughed. “I want you two back in bed, and no more shenanigans, or you won't get any more movies before bedtime.”


TJ and Sam © me
Art by  Brock-OMeles
ROUS © The Fire Swamp

(Note that I love The Princess Bride as a movie.)