WHAT'S REALLY THERE?

WRITTEN BY STELLA LEE

After dinner, every day, I am nervous.

Why, you may ask.

Well, I'll tell you.

Night is the time when creatures are waking up.

Night is when spirits play tricks on humans.

But Mama tells me there is nothing to fear.

No more jumping onto the bed so monsters don't grab my ankle.

No more crawling under my sheets and staying wide awake.

None of that anymore.

Papa even says, "Go use your imagination to write books."

But he doesn't get it.

And neither does Mama.

Mama starts to say, "When I was little, I used to think . . ."

Mama tells me how when she was little, she used to think the same things.

And I don't believe a word of it.

Until she whispers into my ear, "Imagine they're not there. But you and I know they are. Put on your scientific mind and think, 'That's actually pretty cool!'"

I smile, knowing it was true she used to think that.