The Curious Case of Barnaby the Bear

barnaby the bear was not on the pillow he was perched on the lampshade again this was getting strange just like sam found that strange blue light you are finding that even familiar things can be mysterious barnaby was alex's oldest friend his button eyes had seen everything but they had never ever seen the top of a lampshade before not until this week on monday barnaby was found inside the laundry basket on tuesday he was tucked into one of alex's rain boots and now wednesday the lamp alex put barnaby back in his spot on the bed he felt soft and normal just a regular teddy bear so how was he getting around was he sleepwalking or

maybe sleepwaddling alex giggled but a tiny shiver went down alex's back too the fun kind of shiver the kind that makes you wanna solve a mystery tonight alex would not sleep tonight alex would be a detective the plan was perfect alex built a pillow fort at the end of the bed it had a small window just big enough to peek through a flashlight was ready a juice box was ready this was a serious stakeout as the house got quiet it also got bigger the shadow stretched the floorboards made little creaking sounds tick duck went the clock in the hall a pile of clothes on the chair looked like a crouching monster alex squinted nope just

laundry a long time passed alex's eyelids felt heavy so heavy maybe this was a silly idea barnaby hadn't moved an inch he was just a bear alex yawned a big wide yawn and that's when it happened a flicker a tiny spark of light no bigger than a firefly zipped across the room it hovered near the bookshelf then it zipped back toward the bed alex's heart went thump thump thump alex peeked through the pillow fort window holding very very still the little light landed right on barnaby's fuzzy head and it wasn't just a light it had legs and tiny antennae that wiggled it was a creature fuzzy and round glowing with a soft gentle green it

put its little arms around barnaby's ear and pulled the huge bear barely budged the creature huffed a tiny silent puff it tried again pulling with all its might it was so funny alex almost laughed out loud this tiny glowing thing was trying to play with a giant teddy bear the creature stopped it turned its little head it looked directly at the pillow fort it had seen alex it froze alex slowly carefully pushed the pillows away and sat up the little creature didn't run it just glowed alex smiled it wasn't a ghost movie barnaby it wasn't spooky magic it was a new friend a very small very strong friend who just wanted to play the little

creature wiggled its antenna as if to say you found me the room didn't feel spooky anymore the shadows were just shadows the creeks were just the house settling down for the night alex had a secret now a wonderful secret the mystery wasn't scary at all it was an invitation to a brand new game hide and seek with a friend who brought their own nightlight