Jovie Jade and the Monster Under Her Bed

By Bennion Ellsworth

Jovie is a very brave girl, she is not afraid of anything! There are a few things that make her uneasy, like math tests and making new friends. As she struggles through life help comes from the most unlikely of places, the monster that lives under her bed!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Foundations Books Publishing Company
• Release date: Jan 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005180065

Bennion Ellsworth

Bennion lives in beautiful Cedar City, Utah with his wife and two daughters. He studied Creative Writing at Southern Utah University and has worked in the mental health field for nearly ten years.Bennion considers himself to be a happy, spiritual, and lucky person, especially as he is able to publish his writing. On a good-weathered day, you can find Bennion grilling, hiking, fishing, or doing any other sort of outdoor activity. He loves all of his six siblings, in-laws, and the ever-growing number of nieces and nephews. Bennion has previously published ‘The Most Amazing Story’.

Book preview

Jovie Jade is a very brave little girl. So brave, in fact, that she is not afraid of anything. She is not afraid of heights, the dark, or the mean dog at the Johnson’s house that barks every time she walks by. Jovie was brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the jungle gym and hang upside down by her legs! Jovie is so full of courage that, when Samantha (before she moved to New Mexico) dared her, she ate an earthworm still covered in mud. None of that made her nervous in the slightest. She is absolutely, positively, undeniably not afraid of anything.

The only thing that might, in the slightest, scare her is the monster that lives under her bed. It was gray and hairy with bright red eyes and teeth so long it couldn’t close its mouth, so drool dripped everywhere the thing went. Most nights she heard it growling and moaning, usually not showing its mean, ugly head. Some nights, though, it wiggled and squeezed its way out of its hiding spot and flashed an evil smile at Jovie. Those were the days that she really wanted to scream, but since she was brave, she did not. Her only option—and a desperate one at that—was to simply pretend the nasty beast wasn’t there.

Tonight, was one of those nights. Jovie felt her bed lift, shift, and bounce as the creepy monster pulled itself up. It stretched and stood at full height and, well, it was shorter than Jovie thought but still frightening. The whole room thumped as it stepped, leaning over Jovie, drool dripping onto the sheets. As it breathed, it sounded like something rattled in the back of its throat, like a dog that sees a cat across the street and wants to chase it. 

Hello, it said in a deep growl. I live under your bed.

Warm, putrid air flowed from its mouth. Jovie coughed, trying not to bring attention to the thing’s terrible breath, and sat up.

Hello, she said in a remarkably brave tone, even though she had the blanket pulled up around her chin.  

The monster slumped against the wall, knocking Jovie’s soccer trophy off the shelf onto the ground. It crossed its arms and huffed much like Trent did at school when he didn’t get his way. Jovie worried the noise would wake her parents, but by a stroke of luck, they must not have thought anything was out of the ordinary, because they never came in to check on her.  

You’re afraid of me too, grumbled the monster. Everyone is afraid of me.

Am not! Jovie yelled, wanting to prove she was brave.

The monster rolled its red eyes, stuck out its tongue, and wagged its furry head back and forth, as if it was mocking Jovie. 

Are too, and you think my breath stinks, the mean thing said.

Jovie wasn’t quite sure what to say about that. His breath did stink.

Well… Jovie said, thinking about the right words to say.

I just woke up, the monster explained. Everyone’s breath stinks when they wake up. And you’re a bad host! You didn’t offer me a seat or even ask why I was here. The growl that it first had when talking seemed to have faded a bit.

Jovie had heard enough. No monster living in her bedroom was allowed to blame her for wanting just a little bit of privacy and safety in her own room. Even though the monster did not seem very nice, and Jovie was beginning to feel a little flicker of worry, she decided something needed to be said.

You’re a monster. You’re here to scare me, she shouted. 

The monster held up his hand and moved his fingers like a mouth, once again making fun of Jovie.

 "You’re here to scare me," it said in the most unflattering, mocking tone. 

Jovie slid off her bed, the wood floor a little cold on her toes, walked right up to the monster, and wagged her finger in its face. It was the same pose her mom made whenever she refused to feed the dog or do the dishes—even though it wasn’t Jovie’s fault that Mom didn't feel well. 

"You need to