The Monster at the End of this Book
Story by Mike “TheGlitched64” Stephenson
Book inspired by the Jon Stone work, however all rights are reserved.
I was babysitting for my sister one day, she had been called into work last minute and her husband wasn’t going to get back home from work until at least 8 that evening so I was called in at the last minute. I usually dislike children by my nieces were alright, they were reasonably well behaved five and seven year olds. They had their books and their toys so all I had to do was be the set of eyes in case of emergency or phone call, and they always buy me pizza afterwards so that just sweetens the deal.
Usually these days are really uneventful, I bring my laptop and just surf YouTube on the couch, make the kids food if need be or attend to injuries but other than that there is never any event really, until yesterday when one of my nieces came up to me crying. She hopped up on the couch and after consoling her I asked her what was up? She didn’t say anything, rather just held up the book she had been carrying. “There is a monster at the end of this book” was the book she was carrying. I remembered that book from back when I was a kid. Not too vividly but I do remember having it at least.
Confused I decided to flip through the book to see what was up. Was there something sad or scary in this book? Seemed like a normal light-hearted sesame street book despite its foreboding title. As I flipped through its pages I saw good old Grover warning me about the monster at the end of the book, trying harder and harder to stop me from getting to the end, putting up barricades and whatnot, it was quite charming. Upon getting to the last page he made one last plea not to flip to the end of the book.
Now as I remember the monster at the end was Grover himself, unbeknownst to the reader or even Grover himself as he looks embarrassed after all the work he went through trying to stop you. For whatever reason, this particular copy on the other hand, had a different ending. I noticed the last page was a bit heavier upon turning it, and as I did, there staring back at me was…
Myself. In the mirror that was the last page, the monster at the end of the book.