Ben, You have an uncommon gift for vividly visceral description. I’m still squirming at my desk.

As a young child, my monsters were mostly in the basement. Like you, I had a policy of domesticating them, though in my case it was by crowning myself “King of the Demons.” My poor mother heartily agreed.

But oh dear! Having read your creepy portrayals of so-called “alien gods,” I foolishly checked out Google images of hagfish and sea monkeys — YIPES! What in heaven’s name was God thinking? There go any plans for visiting Toronto’s much-ballyhooed new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada!