#monsterinthewoods

[lunchladymiru]

Oooh... Miss Miru that cookie looks so good!!!! What's the most yummiest dessert you can make?

Yumminess is subjective, so you gotta be more specific! However, today’s daily special–

–is one of my personal faves: mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches. Wanna tryyy? >u>

[cheap-n-cheerfull]

Cheap: What? You don’t--I mean, I’m Cheap! I remember you, Monster Kid! We knit together and everything? Okay. I get that i’m probably a lot shorter than you remember, but still, but still! Most folks knew who I was right off the bat.

Rich: ...You’re interesting. I like your lizard... My name is Rich.

[130w]

#ilovemakonnen #monsterinthewoods #drinkmorewater7 #myparade https://www.instagram.com/p/CV9QD5Zl1rN/?utm_medium=tumblr

[erilynnbrun]

Bobby

By: erilynnbrun

It was a Friday morning in early April. My family and our close friends, the Parker family, had taken a week long trip out to our cabin. We went every year. Mr. Parker and my husband had been childhood friends and had bought the land with some gambling winnings when they were young. The cabin that sat on the land now was big enough for both families to share comfortably.

My three sons, Caleb, 15y/o, Thomas, 12 y/o, and my little Bobby 4y/o, were out on the dock with the Parker’s twin sons, Edgar and Nickolas, who were 13. Mrs. Parker and her daughter Rebecca had gone into town to do some shopping, and our husbands had been called into work on an emergency. It was just me and the five boys for the day.

“Ma! Can we take the boys down the lane to the pond?” Caleb asked, as he came stomping in the back door.

“Of course dear. Just be sure to keep an eye on little Bobby, he can’t swim yet.” I replied trying not to see how much mud he’d tracked in with him.

“Will do!” Caleb called back as he took the deck stairs two at a time.

He was met with cheers from the other boys as he landed in the yard. I could hear Bobby blowing relentlessly on the whistle he had won at the county fair last weekend as they made their way down the lane. We’d had to make a ‘no more whistles in the house’ rule less than five minutes after getting home. He’d been giving the local birds a run for their money ever since.

I spent the rest of the afternoon tidying the cabin, doing some light reading while the boys were out, and preparing dinner for both families around the early evening.

“Hey, Ma! Somethin’ smells good! What’s for dinner?” Thomas said, first through the door as always.

“You’ll find out after you get cleaned up, and don’t you dare bring those muddy shoes into this cabin!” I said and turned around. “Wait, Caleb, where’s Bobby?”

“What do you mean? He’s right- well, he was right here! Maybe he’s outside taking off his shoes.” Caleb said as he poked his head out the back door.

When he stepped outside calling Bobby’s name I could feel the panic settling in my chest. A moment later Caleb came rushing back inside and grabbed his coat and a flashlight.

“He’s not here, Ma! He was with us when we left the pond. I swear he was right behind us a minute ago! I’ll retrace our steps and find him. He’s probably just messing with us since we teased him on the way home.” Caleb said as he dragged Thomas out the door with him.

After my two boys left, I asked the Parker twins to tell me everything that happened since they’d left the cabin earlier. From what I could gather, the boys' afternoon went as follows.

All five boys left together down the lane that leads to the small pond in the woods. The boys spent some time skipping rocks and poking at the fish with sticks. Then a few of them went swimming while Bobby sat on the small dock by the edge of the water. After their swim, Caleb decided it was time to come home and gathered up the four younger boys and headed back. A few minutes down the lane, Bobby stopped to tell them he thought there was something in the woods following them. Caleb and Thomas laughed at Bobby for his overactive imagination, but Bobby insisted. The four older boys told Bobby he was just being silly and kept walking. Bobby followed, but didn’t say anything else. Nicolas said he remembered turning to check on Bobby by the fork in the road about five minutes from the cabin to make sure he was going the right way. After that he wasn’t sure if he saw Bobby again.

“Clara! Clara!” My husband’s frantic voice drifted in from the driveway. I ran out the back door and met him halfway. He grabbed my both shoulders and asked, “Where is Bobby? What happened?”

“Nicolas says the last time he saw Bobby was by the fork road on their way back from the pond. Bobby had told them he thought someone was following them back, that there was someone in the woods.” I told him, shaking.

“Not someone, something.” Edgar muttered.

“What? What does that mean?” His father asked him.

“Bobby said something was following us. When we told him he was being silly, he told us he thought it was some kind of animal.” Edgar explained.

My heart sank. Was Bobby picked off by some animal? He was the smallest of the group, only four years old. He would make easy prey for a wild cat, or any other predator in those woods. Mr. Parker and my husband were already running for the cabin. They came back out a moment later, each holding a hunting rifle and flashlight, as well as a rifle for Caleb.

“Clara, call the police in town and explain the situation. Oh, and the Jacobson’s. Tell them to bring their hunting rifles, too. We’ll find him.” My husband was frantic.

With that both fathers and my eldest son began striding down the lane toward the pond. After calling the Sheriff and the Jacobsons, I urged the three remaining boys to get washed up. Not knowing what else to do, I began setting the table for dinner. Mrs. Parker and Rebecca came through the door just as I finished getting the meal ready. I explained what was happening as I served the three boys. The two of them made me sit down while they set me a plate and began cleaning up the kitchen.

My husband and Mr. Parker returned hours later, telling me that it had gotten too dark to continue searching. They’d eat, get their rest, and begin again at dawn.

I couldn’t sleep.

The whole night I kept hearing what I thought was crying and whimpering, and at one point some odd crunching. I told myself it was the family of racoons that raided our waste bins at night.

I wasn’t convinced.

When dawn finally broke, I went down stairs bleary eyed and exhausted. I began putting together a lunch box with some light snacks and lunch for Mr. Parker, my husband, and Caleb to take with them on their search. A small knock on the door interrupted my work. Thinking it was the Jacobsons arriving early, I walked over, opened the door and walked back without even looking outside.

“Come on in, Mr. Jacobson, I’m sure the boys will down any minute.”

I got no response.

I turned around to see who had been at the door and saw my little Bobby. He was standing just outside the door on the deck, covered head to toe in dirt, with dark stains scattered across his ripped and partially shredded overalls.

“Bobby?” I said quietly. I watched as he smiled at me and nodded. “Bobby!” I ran to him and hugged as tightly to my chest as I could. By the time my husband had made it downstairs I was sobbing uncontrollably and rocking my baby on my lap. My Bobby had come home! He was safe. My baby was safe. The whole family and the Parkers were just as relieved and took turns hugging Bobby.

We called the police to explain Bobby had come home. They showed up a bit later and tried to question Bobby about what had happened.

They got no response.

He wouldn’t say a word. He’d nod or shake his head if they asked a yes or no question. But if they asked him something that required a response he’d just sit there and smile at them quietly.

It was unsettling.

My Bobby was only four. He was curious, excitable, and loved telling stories. He never sat quietly. The police tried to assure me he was just in shock, that he’d be back to normal in a few days. I hoped they were right and went about getting Bobby cleaned up and in fresh clothes. By the time we put Bobby to bed after dinner I was sure there was something wrong with him. He wasn’t injured, he hadn’t had a fever, and he ate enthusiastically at lunch and dinner, but something just wasn’t right. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I went to bed that night thinking about all the things my Bobby usually did.

I woke up in the early hours of the morning, before sunrise, to the sound of the back door swinging shut. No one should’ve been awake or out of bed at this hour. Not even my husband. I pulled on a sweater and went to check on all the kids. Both Parker twins were sound asleep, as was their sister. I could hear Thomas snoring from the hall, and could see Caleb was still out cold when I cracked the door, but my heart stopped as I walked further into the room and found that Bobby’s bed was empty. I turned and flew down the stairs and out the back door and saw little footprints leading away from the deck and into the woods beyond the driveway.

I did my best to follow the footprints in the dark, but the sun was not rising fast enough to make out a trail. Instead, I followed the only sounds I could hear - the occasional twig snap or branch rustling leading in the direction of the pond. I was stumbling along, almost completely blind, as the sun slowly began rising. I came out into a small clearing and tripped over something. I landed on my hands and knees before a small round object just barely visible in the dark. I picked it up and turned it over and realized it was a small skull.

A small, human skull.

I reared back, scrambled up, and ran back to the cabin.

I ran inside and looked around for the flashlights from the night before. I had just picked one up when I heard a small creak from behind me. I turned around to see Bobby standing in the doorway.

“Bobby! What are you doing out of bed?” I whispered, unable to find my voice.

I got no response, other than a smile.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Bobby, answer me!” I said a little louder. He shook his head, still smiling.

He stared at me for a moment and then walked quietly upstairs. I didn’t move until I heard the faint click of his door closing behind him.

I couldn’t understand why I was so afraid. It was my Bobby. His eyes, his hair, his smile with one missing front tooth. It was Bobby. But something was…wrong.

Flashlight in hand, I headed back outside to try and find that clearing again. After doing my best to retrace my steps I finally found my way back to where I had found the small skull this morning.

It was horrifying.

It had been too dark to see before. The entire clearing was stained with dried blood. There were small bones scattered everywhere.

Human looking bones.

Child sized bones.

And right in the middle of the blood bath, was a small, silver whistle. Bobby’s prize whistle.

I sank to the ground as the realization hit me. Whatever had walked into the cabin yesterday had done this. And whatever that thing was, I was sure of only one thing...

It. Wasn’t. Bobby.

This story was inspired by true events, but is fiction.

[traceymhawk]

Monday vibes … . . . #butidolovemyjob #teacherlife #counselorsareheroes #monster #monsterinthewoods #plaguedoctor #becreative #studentart #art #studentcreativity #fun #butmonday #monday https://www.instagram.com/p/CSoZfLnLlSf2u3DFatF7CifcCFwsl8-zM-D5eI0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[new-outlet-animation]

Watch the #stikbot film "Monster in the woods" below by clicking the link! https://youtu.be/Xd6pMDqArEw #stopmotionanimation #monsterinthewoods #animation #monster #wizard #chicken #golem #midsummernightscare #roar # (at Knoxville, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwNEfPLgmao/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t6r5wneoz8ti

[a-devilish-camper]

camp-queen submitted:

*giggles and leaves the get well card that he and monster did for dre. Runs away* 

AWW HOW SWEET. HE’S MAKING FRIENDS.

-makes it vanish for safe keeping-

[buttonbadgecounselor]

Relax!! I never said you weren't handsome! You were just a cute kid is all.

...I’ll give you one guess to tell me who was the cutest kiddo in my cabin and who should definitely turn back into one.

Here’s a hint: he’s flippin’ tall.