The Monster In The Closet

Ella is convinced that a monster lives in her closet, but no one believes her—except her little brother, Jake. Together, they discover the monster in their closet, whose name is Monty, isn't scary at all and needs their help to get back to Friendly Monster Land. The siblings embark on a journey filled with laughter, giggles, and all-out fun to find the magical ingredients needed to make the perfect cookie crumbs, which Monty needs to go home.

Music by Geoff Harvey/ AudioCoffee/ Calvin Clavier

Transcript

The Monster in the Closet The Monster in the Closet Ella lay in her bed,

Staring at the ceiling as the moonlight spilled through her window,

Casting soft,

Silvery beams across her room.

Everything seemed quiet.

Too quiet.

She pulled the covers up to her chin,

Eyes flickering towards the closet door.

It had been a week since she first heard the strange rustling sounds,

And no matter how many times her parents said it was just the wind or your imagination,

She knew better.

There was something,

Or someone,

In that closet.

Ella,

Go to sleep,

Came a soft whisper from the other side of the room.

Her little brother Jake,

Curled up under his blanket fort,

Peeked out with wide eyes.

You're going to wake up Mum and Dad again.

I can't help it,

Ella whispered back,

Still watching the closet.

I know there's something in there.

I just,

I feel it.

Jake sighed dramatically,

His small head disappearing under the covers.

If there was a monster in the closet,

Wouldn't it have eaten your socks by now?

Or,

Like your favourite teddy bear?

Ella frowned.

Jake didn't get it,

Neither did her parents,

Who had told her in no uncertain terms that monsters aren't real.

But Ella knew better.

A soft creak filled the room,

Breaking the silence.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She bolted upright in bed,

Eyes glued to the closet door.

There it was again,

A soft rustling,

Followed by another creak.

Jake heard it too.

His head popped out of his blanket,

Like a startled prairie dog.

Did you hear that?

He whispered,

His voice barely audible.

Ella nodded,

Her pulse racing.

She threw back the covers and slid out of bed.

Come on,

She whispered to Jake,

Tiptoeing across the room towards the closet.

Jake hesitated.

What if it's a,

You know,

A real monster,

Like the scary kind?

Ella reached back and grabbed his hand.

I don't think so.

I think it's a nice one.

With Jake in tow,

She reached the closet door,

Her heart pounding in her chest.

The door stood slightly ajar,

Just wide enough for a crack of darkness to spill into the room.

She took a deep breath and with a trembling hand,

Pushed the door open.

The closet was dark,

Darker than it should have been.

Ella hesitated.

Maybe Jake was right.

Maybe it was dangerous.

Just as she was about to pull back,

Something soft and warm brushed against her hand.

Jake let out a startled squeak and jumped back.

Ella froze,

Staring into the dark space.

For a moment,

Nothing happened.

Then,

A large,

Fuzzy shape tumbled out of the closet with a quiet thud,

Landing in a pile of pillows and blankets at their feet.

Oof,

That was a close one.

The voice was cheerful,

Almost goofy.

Ella and Jake blinked in shock as the figure sat up.

In the dim light,

They could make out the shape of a round,

Furry creature.

Its fur was bright blue and its enormous feet poked out from under its pudgy body.

Two big,

Gleaming eyes blinked at them and then it gave them a wide,

Toothy grin.

Hi,

The creature said,

Wiggling its enormous fingers in a wave.

I'm Monty.

Jake stood frozen in place,

Mouth agape.

Ella,

On the other hand,

Couldn't believe her eyes.

You're,

You're real,

She gasped,

Feeling a mix of excitement and disbelief.

I knew it.

Monty scratched his head,

Making his fur puff up like a cotton ball.

Well,

Of course I'm real.

What else would I be?

A sock puppet?

He giggled at his own joke and to Ella's surprise,

A bunch of tiny,

Glowing bubbles floated up from his fur and drifted into the air,

Filling the room with soft,

Flickering light.

Ella couldn't help but smile.

Monty,

She repeated,

Stepping closer.

Jake,

Still wide-eyed,

Finally found his voice.

You're,

You're not going to eat us,

Are you?

Monty's eyes widened in horror.

Eat you?

Oh,

No,

No,

No.

I don't eat kids.

That's so icky.

He shuddered dramatically,

Sending more bubbles floating into the air.

I like cookies and gummy worms.

Thank you very much.

Jake,

Now a little more at ease,

Edged closer,

Eyeing the strange monster up and down.

So,

You're a nice monster?

Jake asked,

Clearly still skeptical.

Nice as pie,

Monty exclaimed,

Clapping his oversized hands.

In fact,

I'm in a bit of a pickle and I could really use some help.

Ella's curiosity sparked.

What kind of help?

Monty sighed,

His shoulders drooping.

You see,

I came here to the human world to get my favorite cookies.

He smacked his lips as if remembering the taste.

But then I got carried away and ate all the cookie crumbs that I needed to get back home.

Now I'm stuck.

Ella tilted her head.

Cookie crumbs?

How do cookie crumbs help you get back to Monsterland?

Monty's big fluffy ears wiggled as he leaned forward.

In the monster world,

Cookie crumbs are magical.

You just need a sprinkle of them to unlock the portal back to Monsterland.

But the crumbs have to be from special cookies made with magical ingredients.

And I.

.

.

He looked down sheepishly.

Ate all of them and now I can't get back home.

Jake's eyes widened.

You mean,

You ate the key to your own portal?

Monty nodded,

Looking guilty.

I was really hungry.

Cookies are so delicious.

He looked around eagerly as if hoping Ella or Jake might offer him another snack.

Ella bit her lip,

Her mind racing.

This monster was friendly,

Funny and in need of help.

She couldn't just leave him stuck in her closet forever.

So,

If we make more of these special cookies,

Can you go back?

She asked.

Monty's face brightened,

His eyes twinkling.

Exactly!

But it's not just any old cookie.

It's got to be made with magical ingredients.

He pulled out a crumbled piece of parchment from somewhere in his fur and smoothed it out on the floor.

Jake and Ella crouched down to look at the list of ingredients written in swirling glowing letters.

Moonbeam berries?

Whispering vanilla beans?

Sparkle sprinkles?

Giggly marshmallows?

Stardust sugar?

Where are we supposed to find those?

Jake asked,

Frowning.

He'd never heard of these ingredients before.

Monty tapped his chin thoughtfully.

Oh,

They're all here in the human world.

You just need to know where to look.

He bounced up to his feet,

His enthusiasm bubbling over.

Come on,

I'll show you.

Ella and Jake looked at each other.

Monty's charm was hard to resist.

She turned to the blue furry monster and nodded.

All right,

Monty,

We'll help you find the ingredients.

Let's make those cookies and get you back home.

Monty jumped up with the chair,

Sending more bubbles floating around the room.

You won't regret it.

It'll be the most fun adventure ever.

With that,

The trio set off to find the magical ingredients,

Ready to embark on an unexpected journey filled with laughter,

Surprises and plenty of cookie crumbs.

Their first stop was to find the moonbeam berries,

Which Monty said could only be gathered at night,

During a full moon,

From a hidden field on the edge of the forest.

Luckily,

The moon was full that very night.

Monty led them to a small park at the edge of their neighbourhood.

The berries,

Monty explained,

Were hidden in plain sight.

Ordinary by day,

But by night,

They glowed with the full moon's light.

Ella and Jake followed Monty,

Tiptoeing through the bushes.

The park was eerily quiet,

The moon casting silvery light over everything.

Jake was about to complain about mosquitoes when Monty stopped in front of a patch of berries that looked,

Well,

Ordinary.

These don't look special,

Jake said,

Poking at one of the stems.

Wait for it,

Monty said,

His voice full of excitement.

Just then,

The berries began to glow.

Soft beams of moonlight seemed to pull on them,

Creating a shimmering light that danced in the night air.

Ella gasped in wonder.

Now,

Monty whispered,

Pulling out a tiny jar from his fur,

We've got to collect the moonlight berries while they're glowing.

Jake and Ella took turns picking the berries and placing them into Monty's jar.

It was a delicate task,

But soon the jar was full.

One ingredient down,

Four to go,

Monty cheered,

Twirling in excitement.

After the successful mission to gather the moonbeam berries,

Ella,

Jake and Monty were off on their next leg of the adventure to find the whispering vanilla beans.

We need to head to the whispering woods,

Monty said as they made their way through the quiet neighbourhood.

That's where the whispering vanilla beans grow.

They whisper secrets,

And if you're quiet enough,

They'll tell you where they are.

But they're shy,

So we have to be extra careful not to scare them away.

Ella couldn't help but smile.

A shy vanilla bean?

I didn't think ingredients could have personalities.

They sure can,

Monty giggled,

Sending a few glowing bubbles into the night sky.

These beans love to chat,

But only when they feel safe.

They'll hide if you're too loud,

Or if you don't believe in magic.

Ella and Jake exchanged looks.

This was getting more and more interesting by the minute.

They reached the edge of the whispering woods just as the moon hung high in the sky,

Casting a pale glow over the trees.

The forest was thick,

With twisting roots and tall,

Towering trees whose branches seemed to reach up into the heavens.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves,

But apart from that,

Everything was eerily still.

Stay close,

Monty whispered,

His fur rustling gently as he tiptoed forward.

The trio moved through the woods,

Their footsteps barely making a sound on the soft earth.

Every now and then,

They paused to listen.

But all they could hear were the sounds of the forest,

The wind in the trees,

The distant hoot of an owl,

And the occasional rustle of a nocturnal animal.

After what felt like hours of searching,

Monty suddenly stopped,

Holding up a hand.

Shhh,

He whispered.

We're close.

Jake and Ella strained their ears,

But at first,

They didn't hear anything unusual.

Then,

Slowly a soft,

Almost musical sound began to filter through the air.

A gentle murmur,

Like the sound of tiny voices carried on the wind.

Do you hear that?

Ella whispered,

Her eyes widening.

Jake nodded,

His mouth slightly open in awe.

It's like they're talking.

Monty grinned.

That's them,

The whispering vanilla beans.

They followed the sound deeper into the forest until they came to a small clearing.

The moon shone down through the canopy,

Illuminating a patch of delicate,

Silvery plants with long,

Curling vines.

The plants swayed gently in the breeze,

Their soft whispers filling the air.

There they are,

Monty whispered excitedly.

Now all we have to do is ask them nicely to give us some beans.

Ella and Jake exchanged glances,

Not sure how to approach this,

But Monty stepped forward confidently and crouched down in front of the plants.

Hello,

Lovely vanilla beans,

Monty said softly,

His voice full of warmth.

We're on a very important mission,

And we could really use your help.

Would you be willing to share some of your beans with us?

For a moment,

The plants were still,

As if considering Monty's request.

Then,

With a soft rustling sound,

One of the vines curled towards him,

Revealing a cluster of tiny,

Glowing vanilla pods.

They shimmered in the moonlight,

Glowing faintly like the stars in the night sky.

Monty carefully plucked the pods,

Smiling up at the plant.

Thank you,

He said.

You've saved the day.

Ella and Jake watched in amazement as Monty tucked the beans safely into a pouch he'd pulled from his fur.

Magic is all about belief,

Monty said,

Winking at them.

And speaking of magic,

It's time for the sparkle sprinkles.

The journey to find the sparkle sprinkles took them to a different part of the woods,

Where a small creek meandered through the trees,

Its surface glimmering with the reflection of the moon.

Monty explained that sparkle sprinkles were a rare and tricky ingredient to gather.

They could only be found among the fireflies that danced near the creek,

And only at the exact moment when the moon was highest in the sky.

We've got to be quick,

Monty said,

Glancing up at the moon.

The fireflies only come out for a little while,

And the sprinkles are mixed in with their glow.

You can't just grab them.

They're a little sneaky,

So you have to be gentle.

Ella looked around.

How do we even find the sprinkles if they look like fireflies?

Monty grinned.

Leave that to me.

Fireflies love me.

Just watch.

He waved his arms in the air,

And almost instantly,

The night seemed to come alive with soft glowing lights.

Fireflies appeared from every corner,

Their tiny bodies blinking and flashing as they swirled around Monty.

It was as if he had summoned them with nothing more than his joyful energy.

Whoa,

They're everywhere,

Jake gasped,

Spinning in a circle to watch the glowing insects.

Monty chuckled,

His fur shimmering with the glow of fireflies.

He spread his arms wide,

Letting the fireflies and sprinkles gather around him.

As the fireflies hovered closer to Monty,

The sparkle sprinkles clung to his fur.

Monty giggled,

Carefully plucking the sprinkles off his fur and placing them in another small jar.

Jake couldn't help but laugh.

You're like a big fluffy magnet for sparkles.

Monty grinned,

Handing the jar of sparkle sprinkles to Ella.

With the moonberries,

Whispering vanilla beans and sparkle sprinkles safely collected,

Ella,

Jake and Monty sat by the creek for a moment.

Ella leaned back on her hands,

Smiling up at the sky.

I can't believe we've found so many magical ingredients tonight.

It's like something out of a dream.

Monty chuckled,

His eyes twinkling.

The world is full of magic,

Ella.

You just have to know where to look.

And believe in it,

Of course.

Jake tossed a pebble into the creek,

Watching it skip across the water.

So what's next?

Monty's face lit up.

Next,

We're off to the most fun ingredient of all.

The giggly marshmallows.

And let me tell you,

That's going to be an adventure all on its own.

Ella and Jake exchanged excited looks.

They didn't know what was in store for them next,

But one thing was certain.

This was turning out to be the best adventure they'd ever had.

As they stood up and prepared to head to the next destination,

Monty twirled in excitement,

Sending a few bubbles into the air.

Onward to the giggles,

He laughed.

And with that,

The trio set off once more,

Ready for whatever magical surprises awaited them next.

Monty bounced along the path ahead of them,

His fur shimmering in the moonlight.

Ella laughed,

Trying to imagine what a giggly marshmallow could possibly be like.

So where do we find them,

She asked,

Jugging a little to catch up with Monty's enthusiastic pace.

Monty grinned from ear to ear,

His big fluffy cheeks puffing up.

The giggly marshmallows grow in a place called the Tuckle Bog Swamp.

Jake made a face.

Swamp?

Doesn't that sound messy?

Monty wiggled his fingers dramatically,

His eyes wide with excitement.

Oh,

It's more than messy,

Jake.

The Tuckle Bog Swamp is full of squishy mud and puddles that try to tickle you.

It's hilarious!

Ella's eyes twinkled as she imagined the adventure ahead.

Tickling puddles?

Now that sounds fun.

It is fun,

Monty agreed,

But we'll need to be careful.

The giggly marshmallows are extremely shy.

They love to laugh,

But if they get spooked,

They'll melt into sticky,

Gooey blobs,

And we won't be able to collect any of them.

So how do we get them without making them melt?

Monty tapped his furry chin.

You have to make them giggle,

But not scare them too much.

They love jokes and they love being tickled,

But gently.

It's all about finding the right balance.

With that,

The trio continued their journey until they finally reached the edge of Tuckle Bog Swamp.

The air smelled sweet,

Almost like caramel,

And the ground was soft and squishy beneath their feet.

The swamp stretched out before them,

With little patches of marshy ground,

Bright green plants,

And large,

Squelchy puddles that shimmered in the moonlight.

Monty bounced ahead,

Giggling as his feet made funny,

Squishy noises with every step.

This is the best place,

He said,

Wiggling his toes in the mud.

Ella and Jake followed closely.

Every few steps,

They heard a soft,

Bubbling giggle from beneath the surface,

As if the very swamp itself was laughing.

What's that?

Ella pointed ahead.

In the distance,

Nestled between some tall,

Moss-covered trees,

They saw something glowing faintly.

It looked like a cluster of puffy,

White clouds sitting low to the ground,

Softly glowing in the dim light.

The giggly marshmallows,

Monty whispered excitedly.

He found them!

As they got closer,

Ella realized that the marshmallows weren't just sitting there.

They were bouncing gently,

As if they were laughing in slow motion.

Tiny bubbles of light floated up around them,

And every time one of the marshmallows jiggled,

A soft giggle echoed through the swamp.

They're adorable,

Jake whispered,

Watching one of the marshmallows quiver with laughter.

All right,

Here's what we do,

Monty said.

We need to make them laugh,

But just enough so they'll loosen up and hop into this jar.

He pulled out a large,

Clear jar from his fur,

As if by magic.

But don't laugh too loud,

Or they'll get shy and melt.

Ella and Jake nodded,

Trying to suppress their excitement.

Monty,

With a mischievous grin,

Tiptoed up to the nearest marshmallow and wiggled his fingers like he was about to tickle it.

He gave the marshmallow a gentle tickle on one side,

And immediately it quivered with delight,

Letting out a soft,

Bubbly giggle.

As it bounced lightly into the air,

Monty caught it in the jar,

And the marshmallow landed softly inside,

Still giggling away.

Ella moved towards another marshmallow,

Crouching low so she wouldn't spook it.

She remembered what Monty had said,

Gentle and funny.

She wiggled her fingers in front of the marshmallow and whispered,

Why did the cookie go to the doctor?

The marshmallow bounced a little,

As if curious.

Ella grinned,

Because it felt crummy.

The marshmallow let out a bubbly giggle and hopped into the air.

Ella quickly caught it in Monty's jar,

Beaming with pride.

I got one,

She whispered excitedly.

Jake,

Not wanting to be left behind,

Approached another marshmallow.

He wiggled his fingers at it and said,

Hey,

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

The marshmallow gave a tiny bounce,

Intrigued.

Frostbite,

Jake finished,

Tickling the marshmallow gently on its side.

The marshmallow giggled,

Its little body jiggling,

As it bounced up into the air and floated right into the jar with the others.

Monty beamed proudly at them,

Holding up the jar full of softly glowing,

Giggling marshmallows.

We've got just the right amount,

He giggled,

Releasing a stream of bubbles around him.

Ella and Jake smiled,

Feeling a warm sense of accomplishment.

They had managed to collect the giggly marshmallows without scaring them away,

And now they were one step closer to helping Monty get home.

As they made their way out of Chucklebug Swamp,

Their hearts were light and full of laughter.

The moon had begun to dip towards the horizon,

Casting a soft glow over the trees as dawn approached.

We're almost done with our list.

What's the next ingredient?

Monty's eyes sparkled with excitement.

We've saved the most magical ingredient for last,

The stardust sugar!

The trio made their way to an open field that stretched beyond the forest.

By now,

The first hints of dawn were creeping into the sky,

Turning it to a soft shade of lavender and pink.

The stars still twinkled above them,

Though they were slowly fading with the coming light.

Monty lit them up a small hill that overlooked the countryside,

His eyes scanning the sky with excitement.

This is the perfect spot,

He said,

Bouncing on his toes.

Now we just need to wait for the stars to twinkle a bit more.

Ella and Jack sat down on the grass,

Still buzzing from their successful marshmallow adventure.

So how do we catch stardust sugar?

Ella asked,

Glancing up at the stars.

Monty popped down beside them,

His fluffy blue fur glowing faintly in the dim light.

Stardust sugar is really special.

It only falls from the sky when the stars are feeling extra twinkly.

And we need a little bit of magic to help it along.

Magic?

Ella asked.

What kind of magic?

Monty grinned mischievously.

Laughter magic,

Of course!

Jake frowned.

But we just finished collecting giggly marshmallows.

Do we really need to laugh more?

Monty nodded enthusiastically.

Absolutely.

Laughter is the most powerful magic there is.

If we laugh enough,

The stars will sprinkle down the stardust sugar.

Ella looked at the sky,

Watching as the stars twinkled softly above them.

So,

We just laugh?

Monty nodded again,

Bouncing on his fluffy toes.

Yes,

Exactly.

But it has to be real,

Happy laughter.

The kind that makes your belly hurt.

In a good way.

They all sat in silence for a moment,

Thinking of their best jokes.

Finally,

Monty broke the quiet with his classic move.

He crossed his eyes and wiggled his nose in the most ridiculous way possible.

That's so silly!

Jake laughed.

Monty giggled too,

Sending bubbles of light floating into the air.

Ella couldn't help but laugh along with them,

The sound filling the quiet morning.

The laughter filled the air,

Echoing over the quiet hillside,

And above them,

The stars responded.

They twinkled brighter and brighter,

The sky shimmering as if it were made of glitter.

Slowly,

Tiny shimmering particles began to drift down from the sky like snowflakes,

Glowing softly as they floated towards the ground.

The stardust fell gently all around them,

Landing on the grass,

Their clothes,

And on Monty's fur.

It was soft and glittery,

Almost like powdered sugar,

And as it touched the ground,

It gave off a sweet,

Magical scent.

Look,

Ella gasped,

Holding out her hand to catch some of the stardust.

It's working!

Monty's eyes shone with delight as he held up the jar,

Letting the stardust sprinkle into it.

This is perfect!

We've got just enough stardust,

Sugar,

For the recipe!

Ella and Jake grinned at each other,

Amazed by the magic unfolding before their eyes.

They had laughed their way to success,

And now,

With the final ingredient in hand,

Monty would be able to find his way back to the world of friendly monsters.

With the jar of stardust sugar safely in Monty's hands,

The trio started back down the hill towards home.

The sky continued to brighten with the promise of a new day,

And with it,

A sense of excitement and anticipation filled the air.

They had completed their ingredient hunt,

But the real adventure,

Baking the magical cookies and opening up the portal to Monty's world,

Was just beginning.

As the trio arrived back at Ella and Jake's house,

The sun had fully risen,

Casting a warm light over the sleepy neighborhood.

The magical glow of the night's adventure still lingered in the air,

And Ella could hardly contain her excitement as they burst through the front door.

All right,

Time to get baking,

Monty announced,

Clapping his big furry hands together.

Do we have everything we need?

Jake rushed over to the kitchen table,

Where they had set out all the magical ingredients.

He looked at each jar in wonder.

Yep,

We've got it all,

But how do we put them together?

Monty then pulled a cookbook out of his fur,

Flipping through the pages until he found a recipe for magic portal cookies.

The trio gathered around the kitchen counter as Monty began listing the steps of the recipe.

First,

Monty said,

Holding up the jar of whispering vanilla beans,

We need to grind these up and mix them with flour and milk.

The vanilla whispers sweet secrets into the dough,

Making it extra soft and fluffy.

Ella began grinding the vanilla beans with a mortar and pestle.

As she worked,

The beans whispered sweet words like yum and goody.

Next,

Monty carefully added the sparkle sprinkles,

Which immediately made the dough shimmer and sparkle like a disco ball.

His eyes lighting up as the sparkles danced across the surface of the dough.

Now we add the giggly marshmallows and the moonberries,

Monty said.

As Jake opened the lid of the marshmallows,

They started letting out tiny giggles,

Making him laugh uncontrollably.

There,

They're tickling my hands,

Jake managed to say through his laughter.

Ella and Monty couldn't help but laugh too,

As the marshmallows tumbled into the mixing bowl,

Bouncing and giggling with every stir of the spoon.

The laughter was infectious,

And soon all three of them were chuckling as they worked.

Finally,

Monty held up the jar of stardust sugar.

He unscrewed the lid carefully,

As if it were the most precious thing in the world.

This,

He said in a hushed voice,

Is the secret ingredient that ties all the magic together.

He handed the jar to Ella,

Who sprinkled the glittering stardust sugar over the dough,

Watching in awe as it melted into the mixture,

Giving the whole batch a soft,

Otherworldly glow.

Monty grabbed a spoon and gave the dough one final stir.

He carefully shaped the dough into small cookie shapes,

Laying them on a tray that shimmered with magical energy.

The siblings sat down at the kitchen table,

Their eyes glued to the oven as Monty slid the tray in.

Minutes ticked by,

And the kitchen filled with the smell of fresh cookies.

Warm,

Sweet,

And with a hint of something otherworldly,

It smelled like magic.

Finally,

The oven gave a soft ding.

Monty opened the door carefully,

Pulling out the tray.

The cookies on the tray were perfect,

Round,

Golden,

And sparkling faintly with stardust.

He set the tray down on the counter and carefully lifted three cookies onto plates for each of them.

Here's the fun part,

Monty said,

Sitting down at the table with his own cookie.

We eat the cookies,

But any crumbs that fall onto your plates are super important.

We need them to open the portal.

Ella and Jake stared at the glowing cookies in front of them,

Then back at Monty,

Who was already taking a big bite of his.

His eyes widened in delight,

And he gave a satisfied hum.

Ella took a bite of her cookie,

Her mouth filled with the sweetest,

Fluffiest,

Most magical flavor she had ever tasted.

It was like tasting a rainbow,

Laughter,

And sunshine all at once.

She couldn't help but giggle,

And as she did,

A few crumbs fell onto her plate,

Shimmering as they landed.

Jake took a bite and let out a contented sigh.

This is the best cookie I've ever had,

He said,

His mouth full.

Monty laughed,

His cheeks full of cookie.

The three of them ate their cookies,

Making sure to keep all the crumbs that fell on their plates.

By the time they were done,

Each of them had a small pile of magical crumbs glittering in front of them.

Monty pulled a small jar out of his fur and began carefully scooping the crumbs from Ella and Jake's plates,

And then his own.

Now we have just enough to open the portal,

He said.

Ella felt a pang of sadness in her chest.

So,

This is it?

She asked softly.

Monty's expression softened.

I know,

But I'll visit again.

This isn't goodbye forever.

Just for now.

Jake sniffed and wiped his nose.

Promise?

Monty nodded.

Promise.

With the jar of magic cookie crumbs safely in his hands,

Monty led the way back to Ella's bedroom.

Ella and Jake stood on either side of Monty as he approached the closet door.

With a deep breath,

Monty opened the jar and carefully sprinkled the cookie crumbs in front of the closet.

As the crumbs hit the floor,

They began to shimmer and swirl,

Creating a glowing,

Swirling portal that filled the closet with soft,

Golden light.

The portal shimmered,

Its edges glowing with stardust and laughter,

And beyond the portal,

Ella and Jake could see glimpses of Monty's world.

Bright colours,

Friendly monsters,

And rolling hills that seemed to glow with magic.

Monty turned to Ella and Jake,

His eyes misty with emotion.

Thank you.

You've been the best friend a monster could ask for.

Jake sniffed again.

We'll miss you,

Monty.

Ella nodded,

Her voice soft.

Don't forget us,

Okay?

Monty shook his head.

Never.

With one final smile,

Monty stepped into the portal.

The light swirled around him,

And with a flash,

He was gone,

Leaving only the faint scent of stardust and cookies behind.

The closet door clicked shut,

And the room fell quiet.

Ella and Jake stood there for a moment,

Staring at the now-closed door.

It felt strange,

Knowing their friend was gone.

But as they turned to leave,

Ella noticed something on her pillow,

A single glowing cookie.

Jake found one on his pillow,

Too.

They exchanged smiles,

Knowing exactly who had left them.

Monty hadn't said goodbye for good.

He had left a piece of his world behind for them to remember.

The two siblings sat on their beds,

Savoring every bite of the magical cookie.

As they ate,

They couldn't help but giggle at the memories of their adventure,

The strange ingredients they had collected,

And Monty's endless appetite for cookies.

Each bite felt like a little piece of friendly monster land,

Filled with laughter,

Magic,

And friendship.

When they finished eating their cookies,

They noticed something even more special.

The tiny cookie crumbs that had fallen on their plates shimmered,

Just like the ones Monty had used to open the portal.

Ella gently gathered the crumbs and placed them in a small jar on her nightstand,

Smiling to herself.

You never know,

She giggled.

We might just need these one day.

Maybe one day,

Monty will come back,

Jake said,

His eyes twinkling.

Ella nodded,

Feeling a sense of comfort.

She knew the magic of their adventure will always be with them.

The closet door no longer seemed mysterious or scary.

It was a doorway to a world of possibilities.

With a final glance at the closet,

The two siblings curled up on their beds,

Their hearts light and their minds filled with wonder.

They had made a friend in Monty,

And although he was back in monster land,

They knew their connection to him and to the magical world he came from would never fade.

The End