"Mommy, mommy!" yelled Álvaro as he ran terrified into his parents' room. "What's wrong son?" asked Mom. "There's a hand, mom!" he whimpered. "There's a green and hairy hand. It grabbed my feet and had a strong grip! And it talked mom, it said it was going to drag me to the attic and lock me there until I stopped being so 'cowardly'!"

"CELIA!" barked Mom. The door of the girl's room opened and a freckled face emerged from it. "What's wrong mommy?" "How many times have I told you not to scare your brother?" asked Mom, a broad smile was drawn on the girl's face. "It's very fun, mom." Celia was twelve, two years older than her brother.

She was a happy, cunning, and naughty girl with a big imagination. What she enjoyed the most in the world was scaring her little brother. She made up stories about "child-eating" monsters, "blood-sucking" vampires, and witches that turned younger siblings into toads, so they could later cook them in their cauldrons. She used any every opportunity to frighten her brother. She hid behind the doors, into the closets, sneaked under the beds, and loved to dress in the creepiest ways possible. 

"I don't care how much you protest Celia. You're not coming with us to the mall, you're grounded." Mom told her, Celia wouldn't stop complaining. "Dinner is on the microwave. Do your chores and remember you must NOT open the door to anyone. And no television, we'll be back around ten, do you understand?" " Yes, mom!" Celia replied reluctantly. It wasn't fair, she had only given him a little scare, nor it had been so much. She didn't comprehend why Mom had become so upset.

She waited for the car to disappear on the road and ran downstairs to the living room. She decided the chores were not that urgent, it was Friday and she had all the weekend to do them. Vegetables? Pfft! A bowl of popcorn would be a better supper. And ice-cream for dessert!

Celia had fallen asleep on the couch. She looked at the clock and read that it was past twelve. She got up angrily. Surely they were a the burger's, that wasn't fair! Out of the sudden, she realized that she was alone at home and it was the haunting hour. 'Celia don't be silly, witches are not real." She told herself. A thunderous laughter filled the living room and she noticed how a shadow crossed the dining hall behind her back. 

Celia ran scared to the front door. She opened it and when she was about to run for her life, she felt fear for the first time in her life. Outside hung the blackest darkness. The wind stirred the trees' branches, and these hit the second floor. 

And if it was actually a vampire waiting for her to open the window? Because, as she had told her little brother on several occasions, vampires have to be invited in, and once you let them in, you're doomed. They pounce on you and suck your blood until not even a drop remains inside your body. She decided to go to her room, she would be safe there. She ran upstairs as fast as her feet allowed her to and with a tremendous bang, she closed the door. She fumbled for the switch and pressed it. The light didn't turn on, the light didn't turn on!

Something hairy had brushed her shoulder. Was it true that under the beds and inside the closets were the monsters with whom she frightened her little brother every night? She would get on her bed and cover herself with the blankets to her head, yes that's what she would do, but she immediately got rid of the idea. Could the blankets protect her from the vampire's sharp fangs? From the monster's powerful claws? Or the witch's evil crackle?

A hand began to shake her. She screamed, screamed as loud as she could and didn't stop her yells until she heard her mother's voice trying to silence her. "Celia, have you gone insane? Don't you realize how much you've scared us?" Celia wouldn't stop crying, and she told her what had happened to her that night. "Now it is enough! This has exceeded the limit. Stop telling lies. Vampires only exist in movies, witches only live in fairy tales and I can assure you that the furry monsters do not live in the closets nor wait crouched under the beds to take the children. You have too much imagination and should use it for something more constructive."

"Juan, do you think Celia has learned the lesson?" asked Celia's mother to her husband. "I'm sure she did honey, I'm sure..." And what Celia didn't know was that her parents and little brother had been responsible for all that had happened. Monsters are not real kids... 

Are they?