Sword, shield, helmet, cape. Checking off boxes as you don the hero's attire. You are preparing for a fight. Mom says there is nothing in the shadows, but you know better. You’ve met the ghosts and spooks firsthand, wandering through the house and the garden. You saw them when you were home alone. When you couldn't sleep, watching the streetlights cast blue stripes across your room at night. You know they hide from the adults. You know only children can see them—when they reveal their long faces and burning eyes. Mom says there is nothing in the shadows, but she can't see. She forgot that she ever could. You have to fight this one on your own.