Milo,theClosetMonstersandtheAnti-MonsterSociety–ESLEditionByJohnFosterIllustrationsbyYueQiWangCopyright©2019JohnFosterAllRightsReserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorinanymeans–byelectronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise–withoutpriorwrittenpermission.PublishedbyJohnFosterISBN978-0-9940672-2-7Alltrademarksusedhereinarethepropertyoftheirrespectiveowners.Theuseofanytrademarkinthisbookdoesnotvestintheauthororpublisheranytrademarkownershiprightsinsuchtrademarks,notdoestheuseofsuchtrademarksimplyanyaffiliationwithortheendorsementofthisbookbysuchowners.

DEDICATION

To the child in all of us

ESL Edition The Banks Edition

This is Milo. Milo is a good boy. Every morning he

wakes up in his bed, takes a shower in the

bathroom and goes into the kitchen for breakfast.

Milo lives on the 8th floor of his building. He goes

to school and he likes it. He has many friends. He

likes his friends. His friends like him. Milo has a big

imagination. He imagines himself a superhero. Milo

likes to play computer games.

One night Milo was in bed, he said: “One more

game”. He reached for the game console on the

bedside table and pressed the red start button. The

glowing screen filled the room.

He was playing “Avengers of the Galaxy”. Tap,

tap, tap went the keys. Just a few more alien pods

to attack and he’d move up to level 82. Tap, tap,

tap. Tap, tap, tap.

Suddenly, a scary, spooky sound came from Milo’s

closet: “Shhhhhoonk!”. Something moved.

Something moved in his closet.

“Ah! What’s that?!” Milo gasped. He dropped the

game and pulled the blanket over his head. One

second, two seconds, three seconds. It was quiet.

Milo looked out from under his blanket. Milo’s eyes

opened wide. His heart beating fast. It was dark.

Then again, a sound from the closet: “Sh-sh-sh-

sha sha sha sha sha”. It was an eerie sound that

started clear and faded away to a whisper.

“Something is in there!” thought Milo, now frozen

with fear.

“There’s a monster inside my closet!” He said.

And then there was another: “Shhhhhoonk!” Milo

jumped out of bed and ran to his parents’

bedroom.

“Mom! There’s a monster in my closet!”

Milo’s mother opened her eyes but hardly moved in

her bed. “What happened?” she asked.

“I heard something” said Milo.

“Oh, I’m sure there’s nothing.

Milo’s father continued to sleep soundly.

Milo sat down on the bed next to his mother.

Milo’s mother opens the drawer of her bedside

table takes out a small black and red disk. She

hands it to Milo.

“What’s this?” asks Milo.

He takes it in his hand. “It’s a talisman.” She says

“A tall-is-man?” Milo said confused.

“No, a tal - iss - man” she said slowly.

“What does it do?” Milo asked.

“This will help to protect you against monsters”

she said.

“How does it work?” Milo asked while looking at

the round, rubbery disk.

“Well, I’m not sure, Milo. But, watch this.” she said

and took the talisman from Milo and pushes it with

all five fingers open toward the wall. Like magic,

the talisman disappears into the bedroom wall.

In an instant, there was a bright flash and the

bedroom wall lit up. Milo blinked and opened his

eyes. There on the wall was a room. It was a

science laboratory and a scientist appeared – a man

in a white lab coat with wiry gray hair wearing

glasses.

“Well, hello Milo! I’m professor Periwinkle.

Professor Simon Periwinkle. I am chief scientist

here at the Anti-Monster Research Institute.

Milo was shocked. His eyes and mouth opened

wide.

“Anti-Monster Institute?” asked Milo.

“Yes, Milo. Here at the institute teams of scientist

are working around the clock to identify nasty

monster and keep boys like you safe from them!”,

he exclaimed.

“Kids like you from all over the world help us to

identify new monsters every day.”

“Kids like me?” asked Milo.

“Yes, kids like you.” said the Professor.

“Now, I hear you are having a problem with

monsters, Milo. Scared, are you?”

“I’m not scared!” said Milo.

“No?” asked the professor.

“I, uh….” Milo uttered.

“Now, now, Milo. Not to worry. You look like a

strong young man. We all need a little help now

and then. That’s what we are here for!” the

professor explained.

“Can I tell you a secret, Milo?” the professor leaned

forward. Milo leaned forward toward the Professor,

too.

Whispering: “All kids are afraid of monsters” said

the Professor. They both moved back again.

Milo, here at the Anti-Monster Institute we

research ways to protect kids of all ages, from

monsters.

“Do you ride in a car, Milo?” the professor asked.

Milo nodded.

“Well, when you ride in a car, you wear a seatbelt,

don’t you? Pull it on nice and tight?”

Milo nodded.

“Do you have a computer, Milo?” the professor

asked. Milo nodded.

“Computers can get viruses, right? So, we use anti-

virus protection. Well, people get bothered by

monster, so we develop Anti-Monster protection.

Understand, Milo?” Milo nodded again. That makes

sense, Milo thought.

Professor Periwinkle continued: “Here at the Anti-

Monster Research Institute we have made a

remarkable discovery. A really remarkable

discovery.” He stated in an exciting tone of voice.

“You see, Milo, an intergalactic asteroid from the

Sooma-dooma-looma Galaxy arrived here on

Earth. It was uncovered in the Van Zan Zazzle

Valley. I’m sure you heard about it.”

“Zan Zazzle? No, I…” Milo was confused.

“Yes, Van Zan Zazzle! It was in all the news. Quite

an important discover, it was! Any matter, look at

this.” He pulls down a screen showing a periodic

chart and a photo of a small pile of particles.

“Monsterium, Milo. That’s the secret. Mon-ster-i-

um!” the professor stressed.

“We discovered small particles of Monsterium in

the asteroid. We tested in here in our labs. And,

you know what, Monsterium fantastically effective

in scaring off monsters. You know, keeping them

away.”

“Just moving tiny bits of the stuff near a monster

and they flee like crazy! Gone!” The professor

spoke emphatically.

“This was a fantastic discovery, Milo. Changed

everything. Everything!” said the professor.

“You see, Milo, there are many monsters.” Said the

professor.

“Many monsters?” Said Milo.

“Many, many monsters.” Said the professor.

“Many, many monsters?” Said Milo.

“Many, many, many monsters.” Said the professor.

“And, monsters do not like mothers.”

“Mothers?” Questioned Milo.

“Yes, mothers” replied the Professor

“Why mothers?” Said Milo.

“Well, we don’t know why.” Said the professor.

“Monsters are afraid of mothers, and fathers, but

mostly mothers. So, to annoy mothers it’s a

monster’s job is to frazzle kids. Make it hard for

mothers to sleep at night.”

“Here, take this Milo. You’ll need it.”

Professor Periwinkle’s hand comes through the

wall and magically hands an small disk to Milo.

Wide eyed, Milo takes it in his hand and looks at

the rubbery black and red disk.

“What is it, professor?” asked Milo.

“This, Milo, is your talisman.” Said the professor.

“Keep it with you and it will keep you safe from

monsters of all kinds.”

“Really?” gasped Milo.

“Sure. That it, safe from all the monsters we’ve

discovered so far. There are so many monsters.

Many, many monsters. It’s 97.4% effective.”

Promised professor Periwinkle.

“Every talisman is treated with Monsterium.

Working with particles of cooked Monsterium in a

super-flux plasma and passing each talisman

through it thus empowering it with monster-

fighting power!” lectured the professor proudly.

“How does it work?” asked Milo.

“We’re not exactly sure. But it works! Oh, it works!

Here let me show you.” The professor presses a

large red button located on the table next to him.

Behind him a screen drops down and a video starts.

The professor reaches below the bench and

produces a box.

“Here we have a closet monster: Foulmouthsnort

Nocturnus. A very common sort. Don’t be afraid,

Milo.”

The box was moving, twitching and an odd

gurgling sound was coming from the box.

“Glu-u-u-glu-u-u-glu-u-u-u-gah-h-h-h!” said the

Foulmouthsnort.

“Now, Milo, watch this!” The twitching and

snorting continues as the Professor picks up a black

and red talisman with a pair of tongs and slowly

moves it toward the box. When the talisman is near

from the box, the twitching and snorting suddenly

stop. The box emitted a questioning gurgle: “G-u-

u-u-u-r-r-r-r-u-u-u?!”. Then, silence. After one

second suddenly, the monster bolts from the box –

the top flies off and the box tipping over onto its

side.

“See Milo? Highly effective.”

“Wow!” Milo whispered, wide-eyed, looking

surprised nodding his head.

“Yes, it’s quite impressive, but it’s not only the

Talisman that makes it all work, Milo. There’s

more. Listen, Milo, can you count to four?” asked

Professor Periwinkle.

Milo nods.

“Show me four fingers then.” said the professor

Milo holds up four fingers.

“There’s a good lad.”

The professor shows four fingers, too.

“There are four important things you have to do”.

Now showing just one finger.

“One, become a genuine member of the Anti-

Monster Society. When you become a member of

the society you are joining together with all of us,

many, many others. There is strength in numbers to

rid ourselves of those nasty monsters.”

“Two” the professor continued, now showing two

fingers, “carry your talisman with you. It’ll ward off

monsters.”

“Three” now showing three fingers, “to invoke the

power of membership and the power of the

talisman you must say: Monster go monster!”

“Monster go monster?” Milo questioned.

“Monster go monster.” The professor echoed.

“Monster go monster” Milo repeated.

Milo was understanding now.

“You know Milo, monsters hide where there are no

windows.” Said the professor.

“Like closets?” Milo asked.

“Yes exactly! Closets, under beds and of course

elevators!”

“Elevators?” said Milo.

“Ye-e-e-s, elevators. So, when you enter an

elevator, you must speak the phrase: monster go

monster!” They spoke it in unison.

“Yes, good boy!” exclaimed Professor Periwinkle.

“Do I need to take my talisman with me in the

elevator?” Milo quizzed.

“Yes, keep it with you and it will keep you safe.”

“And finally, number four, no screens at night.”

“No screens at night?” repeated Milo.

“Monsters are attracted to the glowing screens at

night.”

Milo face looked disappointed but he understood.

He nodded to the professor.

The professor suddenly asked: “Say, you don’t have

one of those old talismans do you, Milo? Before we

discovered Monsterium.”

“I-I-I don’t know” said Milo. He held the talisman

up to show the professor.

“No, no, toss it to me” the professor signalled.

Milo hesitated. It’s just a video on a wall. This was

all so bizarre, he thought. But, Milo obliged and

threw the talisman at the wall. Magically, as if the

professor was right there in his parent’s bedroom,

the talisman flew into the hand of the professor!

The professor placed the black and red talisman

over a small device with dials and lights. Quickly

the dials move, a buzzing sound is heard and red

lights light up.

“Fine, fine. She’s a good one. You are plenty safe.”

He tosses the talisman back and Milo caught it

quickly.

“You can’t be too careful.” The professor warned.

Milo looked down and studied his talisman and

looked up again at the professor, bewildered by the

whole experience.

Then, there is a loud noise in the back of the

professor’s laboratory. – rattling, buzzing, snorting

sounds, monster appearing in the background and

other scientists running around.

“Oh dear. Well something’s come up in the lab. I’d

best be off! Now, off to bed with you Milo, there’s

a good lad! Remember those four things Milo!

They’re important!”

“So long Milo! So long Milo’s mother! Periwinkle

out!”

And with that the screen disappeared, shrinking

into a small dot on the wall in a puff of smoke.

The bedroom was dark again. Milo’s mother took

Milo by the hand. They walked across the hallway

back to his bedroom.

She lifted him up and placed him on his bed.

“Now, the spell.” Said Milo’s mother.

Milo clutching his black and red talisman spoke the

words: “Monster go monster”.

It sounded odd for him to speak the words, but it

felt comfortable, too. He paused, looked up at his

mother and spoke it again in a soft voice, just to be

extra safe, he said it again: “Monster go monster”.

And with that, Milo drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Milo woke up with the sun like

he does every day. He sat up in bed and looked

around, puzzled. He thought about what happened

the night before. Looking around his bedroom,

“Did that really happen?” he said to himself. The

professor, the video on the wall of his parent’s

bedroom. It was a dream, he thought. He got up

out of bed, stretched and, but then he froze. Milo

spun around and looked down to see the black and

red talisman on the bedside table.

“It was real! The professor, the Anti-Monster Society, the talisman, and the phrase!”

After breakfast, it was off to school. “Bye mom!”

Milo called out as he headed out the door and

pressed the button for the elevator. In the morning,

the elevator can be a little crowded. This morning it

was. Business men dressed in suits. Girls in school

uniforms and mothers with small children. The

door opened and Milo made his way in. Monsters

in an elevator? He’d never thought of such a thing.

But, he trusted the professor. Maybe this is how the

monsters were getting into my closet he thought.

“Monster go monster” Milo spoke softly,

clutching his talisman as the elevator door closed.

It felt funny to say, but comforting at the same

time. When he spoke, he knew that others in the

elevator could hear him, but it didn’t bother him at

all.

At the ground floor, the elevator door opened.

Everyone piled out. Milo walked out slowly. Other

adults and children were already ahead of him. But,

a few of them turned back to take a look at Milo.

Some of them spotted his talisman. Milo felt

confident as he clipped his talisman onto his bag

and continued walking to school. This was going

to be a good day Milo thought.

Just before arriving at the schoolyard he took the

talismans out for one last look at it. He turned it

over. There was some writing on the back:

Anti-Monster Society Don’t tell anyone.

“There is strength in numbers.” He rememberd

the professor telling him. But he was confused, too.

If I don’t tell anyone, then how can I increase the

number of members? Milo thought to himself.

When Milo returned home from school his mother

greeted him.

“Milo, dear, something came for you in the mail

today” she said.

“Mail? For me?” Milo exclaimed.

“Yes, here it is” Milo’s mother handed him an

envelope. But it was not an ordinary letter sized

envelope. No, this envelope was wider. It looked

very important. On the front was written:

To Milo T. in apartment 801

This was very unusual. Milo rarely received mail

and he was not expecting this. Curiously and

carefully he opened the envelope. Slowly he slid out

the contents. It was a very fancy certificate. A very

important looking certificate. It read:

Milo T. is an elected member of the Anti-Monster Society. And is afforded all the rights and privileges of the society

Member number: 0919 Below that was written:

and is afforded all rights and privileges of the society. At the top, written in important letters:

ANTI-MONSTER SOCIETY At the very top was the black and red talisman. A

red circle with a red diagonal line and two

menacing eyes. All on a black background.

“Now! I’m a member! What an important looking

certificate. And there are 918 other members out

there somewhere.” Milo looked up and around the

room and then back at the important looking

certificate and then up at his mother. He felt like he

was a part of something bigger. He felt safe. He felt

protected. He was a member.

“Take care of this”, his mother said, “and it will

take care of you”

“Yes, I will”, promised Milo. “I will”.

THE END