By P. J. Keuning
I am the monster.
I guard the secret passage to my Master’s lair.
No one gets past me.
I see the intruder coming.
To kill my Master
Thinks he is clever.
Found the secret way.
Dark and cold.
No one to see him coming.
I see him coming.
‘Stop,’ I call.
‘Who said that?’
He does not see me.
His sword sings from the scabbard.
Looks around.
Not down.
‘I am here.’
He senses my direction.
Looks down.
Smiles.
Gets down on hands and knees.
‘Who are you?’
‘I am the monster that guards the passage.’
‘You are such an itty-bitty monster.’
‘No one gets past me.’
‘You are just a bug.’
‘Turn back or die.’
He laughs.
I will enjoy killing this one.
Show him my long straight claws.
My mouth reveals my wicked fangs.
Bounce on my strong legs.
‘Leave now or I kill you.’
‘You are so small.’
‘Big enough to kill you.’
‘I will squash you, bug.’
‘I kill you now.’
My strong legs propel me.
My long claws together.
My whole body straightens.
I am the monster.
I am the Dart of Death.
I pierce though his right eye straight into his brain.
He dies quickly.
Brain tastes so good.
I am the monster.
I guard the secret passage to my Master’s lair.
No one gets past me.
About the Author
Now been on this earth for more than 60 years. The kids are all growing up, the wife is growing wiser & Rick hopes to grow his days as a writer. Rick’s name is actually Patrick, but he is still Rick.
When he writes, Rick writes Adult SpecFic as P J Keuning and stuff for younger people as Rick Keuning. He does not know why.
Living on the Central Coast NSW is nice.
You can follow Rick’s writing adventures, when he has any on Facebook at <https://www.facebook.com/RickKeuningWriter>
@RickKeuning
![]()
Merri Andrew writes poetry and short fiction, some of which has appeared in Cordite, Be:longing, Baby Teeth and Islet, among other places.
Sarah Jane Justice is an Adelaide-based fiction writer, poet, musician and spoken word artist.
Tim Borella is an Australian author, mainly of short speculative fiction published in anthologies, online and in podcasts.
Tara Campbell is an award-winning writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, fiction co-editor at Barrelhouse, and graduate of American University's MFA in Creative Writing.
Barry Yedvobnick is a recently retired Biology Professor. He performed molecular biology and genetic research, and taught, at Emory University in Atlanta for 34 years. He is new to fiction writing, and enjoys taking real science a step or two beyond its known boundaries in his
Mark is an astrophysicist and space scientist who worked on the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn. Following this he worked in computer consultancy, engineering, and high energy research (with a stint at the JET Fusion Torus).
Alistair Lloyd is a Melbourne based writer and narrator who has been consuming good quality science fiction and fantasy most of his life.
Ed lives with his wife plus a magical assortment of native animals in tropical North Queensland.

Geraldine Borella writes fiction for children, young adults and adults. Her work has been published by Deadset Press, IFWG Publishing, Wombat Books/Rhiza Edge, AHWA/Midnight Echo, Antipodean SF, Shacklebound Books, Black Ink Fiction, Paramour Ink Fiction, House of Loki and Raven & Drake
Brian Biswas lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
My time at Nambucca Valley Community Radio began back in 2016 after moving into the area from Sydney.
Emma Louise Gill (she/her) is a British-Australian spec fic writer and consumer of vast amounts of coffee. Brought up on a diet of English lit, she rebelled and now spends her time writing explosive space opera and other fantastical things in