Monsters Under the Bed.

There are. Monsters, I mean. Under the bed.

In fact, not just under the bed. In the wardrobe. In the desk drawers. Hanging down from the ceiling light. In every corner of the room. As long as it is dark, they're there.

The monsters aren't the cute, fuzzy, cuddly type. Not like Sully, the monster in Monster's Inc. No, these monsters are big, scary, and attack all things living.

It's hard to get the monsters to go away. You can bash them with a stick, but they bounce right back. You can yell at them with all your might, but they roar back in such a way that it makes you shrink to the ground. You can try on several sets of clothing aiming to camouflage yourself under your blanket, but they have some sort of special vision that makes even your best attempt useless.

It's not a lost cause though. There are a few things you can do to make things better. You've been told that you can condition your mind into thinking that the monsters aren't there. Unfortunately, you're not an idiot. You know they are real, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot fool yourself into believing such nonsense.

You can also distract yourself with scarier, more horrifying things. Watching horror films, for instance. Reading murder mysteries. Doing anything to get your mind off these gigantic, looming beings. Of course, that doesn't get rid of your fear.

You can engage in painful activities. It's like trying to stop a headache by punching yourself in the face. You're so busy screaming in pain from the punch that you have completely forgotten about the headache. You've done this, and while it is an option, you know it is not sustainable.

There's another option though. One that involves a special dagger. This special dagger has unique properties. While bashing and yelling doesn't get rid of the monsters, apparently if you throw this special dagger at the correct speed and at the correct angle, the monsters' necks slice nicely and evenly apart. They fall to the ground, helpless.

Good news - You have the dagger. In fact, it turns out that you're quite a natural in terms of dagger-throwing. You've got the speed right, you've got the angle right, you've even got the pro look going on.

There's just one problem - there's a rule that strictly forbids you from using the dagger.

You were never much of a fan of rules. You always preferred voluntary discipline rather than having to follow a list of commands. It certainly doesn't help that you are terrified by the monsters. It doesn't help that the rule makes you angry. It doesn't help that you think the rule is stupid.

You've been told to break the rule. You've been told that rules are meant to be broken, as long as you abide by the law. But you respect the rule-maker. And the rule-maker likes the rule.

And so you put the dagger aside. Your house has one less mug. The monsters under the bed stay.