About[]
"If I Don't See Them" is the third tale in the twelfth episode of the eleventh season of The Nolseep Podcast. Written by S.H. Cooper, it has a runtime of 13:10 and was ready by Matthew Bradford, Elie Hirschman, and Nikolle Doolin. It is the 1348th tale overall on the podcast.
Summary[]
Tyler lives in a small trailer with his parents. He has trouble sleeping at night because of the monsters that live in his room. His logic is that if he doesn't see them, they won't see him. He spends every night with eyes clamped shut and not moving.
Since his eyes are always closed, he doesn't know where they come from. He can smell their awful stench and hear their claws raking along things. Sometimes they crawl on his bed and stare at him, but they never get him because he doesn't move or open his eyes.
On his ninth birthday, he invites his best friend Robby to a sleepover. Though Tyler tries to get Robby to stay up as late as possible, he eventually whines that he wants to sleep. Tyler's mom sends them both to his room. He sleeps in his bed, with Robby on the floor beside him. He begs Robby to not open his eyes at all, but he calls him a weirdo and falls asleep.
Sometime early in the morning, Tyler hears Robby gasp, followed by a muffled scream. He can hear the monsters coming out of their hiding places and realize they have his friend. He is too scared to open his eyes and lays there as Robby is slowly dragged under the bed. At one point, Tyler tries to reach for Robby's hand, but pulls it back when he realizes that will give his location away.
By morning, the monsters leave. Tyler realizes with horror that his friend is gone as well.
Cast[]
Matthew Bradford as Tyler
Elie Hirschman as Robby
Nikolle Doolin as Tyler's mother