Chapter 1

Little did she know

Valeraine sat on her couch flipping through the channels. Nothing good was ever on T.V. She sipped her chai tea smiling as she smelled the spicy aroma. As she yet again changed the channel her doorbell rang. It was nearly eight at night, who would want to visit this late? Valeraine got up to answer anyway; she didn't expect to see her Aunt and little cousin.

"Hello, Val dear I'm sorry to bug you this late at night but I need a huge favor to ask." He aunt asked sweetly. She was a nice woman and Val didn't mind helping when she could.

"What can I do for you?"

"Can you watch Tracey for a while? I got called on a last minute business meeting. It will only be till Friday night." Val didn't have to think long; Of course she would watch her cousin. She wasn't at all thrilled about it but she wasn't going to leave her cousin with no place for Five days.

"Sure I can" she smiled. Her Aunt was thankful and dropped everything off inside before leaving. Valeraine helped Tracey unpack in the guest room. Tracey was a cute five year old. She could be hyper as well; something Valeraine was hoping would not cause problems during her stay. Tracey was rather tired this night and Valeraine put her to bed early. After Valeraine got her cousin to sleep, she sat on her couch and continued to read a book she was into. One chapter was as far as she would ever get with it however. After the chapter was finished she heard screaming and the next second Tracey was running down the stairs.

"Tracey, what's wrong?" she asked in a panic

"It's the boogie man! He's in the closet! I had a bad dream!" She said all at once. Valeraine face expression was a mix of confused and are you kidding me?

"The what? I'm lost."

"I had a bad dream. That means the boogie man was here. And he's most likely hiding in the closet. That's where he goes to hide." Tracey had such an imitation. Valeraine smiled a bit gave her little cousin a hug.

"Oh sweetie, the boogie man isn't real. And there is no such thing as a bad dream, you had a nightmare."

"He is too real! The nightmare was proof." Her cousin could be so stubborn. She had to try not to curse out parents for telling their children of such things as the boogie man.

"Would you like me to go check your room to see if he is still there?" she asked.

"Yes" Tracey held onto her cousin's hand as they walked up to the bedroom. She was hoping he would be gone. Valeraine walked in and looked around. She even looked under the bed and in the closet. As she looked in the closet she found a spare blanket that gave her an idea.

"Oh Mr. Boogie man you in here?" Valeraine asked. "See Trace, there's no boogie man in here."

"Well he's not going to appear to you. Your grown up and don't believe in him anymore. You have to believe to see him" Valeraine sighed. Why must kids have comebacks? And they had good comebacks at that.

"Oh? What if I do believe in him? I get nightmares too."

"But you're still a grown up so I don't think you can see him."

"Really, let's experiment. How bout we turn the lights off and see if he pops up? And if he doesn't then that proves he isn't real." Valeraine didn't wait for a reply, she turned the light out and went to get the blanket quietly.

"I believe in you now Boogie man, come out come out where ever you are~" Valeraine said while pulling the blanket over her head. Tracey was too afraid to move and notice what her cousin was doing. Valeraine snuck up behind Tracey and grabbed her suddenly

"BOO! I'm the boogie man~!" She began to tickle her cousin. Tracey screamed and then started to laugh when she realized it was only Val.

"The boogie man doesn't tickle people!" she laughed.

"And he isn't real. Go back to bed." Valeraine turned the lights back on and put the blanket down.

"You said you believed in him"

"Alright, even if he is real he can't get you so long as I'm here." She Picked Tracey up and placed her back in bed.

"Promise?"

"Yes, now please go back to sleep"

"Can you sing me a song first? It will help me sleep." Valeraine smiled and sang a lullaby for her cousin. Once Tracey was asleep she turned the lights off and went back downstairs.

"Damn boogie man…"