There are far more disturbing, malicious and sinister creatures out there to terrify children into going to bed or doing their homework than just the boogeyman under the bed or the monster living in the closet. Around the world, parents have employed timeless tales of disturbing and grotesque monsters, ghosts, and demons to scare children into obedience. These boogeyman equivalents discourage kids from wandering into dark forests, staying out late after school, peeking down wells, avoiding bedtime, or just being overall brats. These monsters go beyond scary Halloween stories of ghosts, demons, vampires, and werewolves. England has the Black Annis, a blue-skinned witch with iron claws that tans the skins of stolen children and makes it into clothing. Mexico has the La Lorona, the phantom of a woman who drowned her children to win the heart of a man, only to be rejected. She drowned herself, and now haunts riverbanks, looking for children to steal and soothe her heartbreak. The Nalusa Falaya from Choctaw mythology slithers like a snake, preying on children who stay out too late. If you dare, scroll through this roster of scary monsters for a creative Halloween costume ideas. Or if you need more scary stories to tell in the dark, read up on the fascinating mythology below the creepy pictures.