“Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen…” and before Stinky could say “fifteen,” she heard something.
“I hear something!”
“What does it sound like?”
“Lap, lap, lap, lap.”
“That’s the Night Mare stopping at the Milky Way for a drink of sweet cream. She’s tired from running through the night sky, and needs the cream to quench her thirst.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Just the same, it’s still true. Are you still under the covers? Is your head on your pillow? Are you squinting your eyes and looking at the night-light?”
Stinky did all four.
“What number are we on?”
“Sixteen,” Stinky whispered.
“Go on counting then.”
“Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen…” and before Stinky could say “twenty,” she heard something.
“I hear something!”
“What does it sound like?”
“Flap, flap, flap, flap.”
“That’s the Night Mare flapping her wings to stop on the street outside our house.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Just the same, it’s still true. Are you still under the covers? Is your head on your pillow? Are you squinting your eyes and looking at the night-light?”
Stinky did all four.
“What number are we on?”
“Twenty-one,” Stinky whispered.
“Go on counting then.”
“Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four…” and before Stinky could say “twenty-five,” she heard something.
“I hear something,” she said softly and slowly.
“What does it sound like?”
“Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop.”
“That’s the Night Mare walking through the house and coming to your room.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Just the same, it’s still true.”
To Stinky’s amazement, the Night Mare walked into her bedroom. The mare glowed soft-white, and her wings were folded at her sides. She
SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR IWACA
18 | IWACA
STINKY AND THE NIGHT MARE