He’s the monster in the closet or under the bed. He’s the ghost in the attic. Some call the monster outside the window in the fields a Chupacabra who will eat small children at night. The Mexican people call her La Llorona. She looks for her drowned children at night near the riverbanks, lake shores, and beaches of Texas and Mexico. In the Caribbean Islands, she is the Mad Cow. There she shakes her chains in the fields while the good children lie asleep in their beds. The naughty children lay awake, afraid. The ones who dare to get up to sneak out. Those who say they don’t believe in her, it is said that she strangled them with her chains.

Opa told me when I was a small child that she is called Alte Hexe. She steals the children in the middle of the night, especially on Christmas Eve. She cooks them and eats them for a special dinner. She’s the witch of fairy tales born in Europe. “Hansel and Gretel,” “Snow White,” and “Sleeping Beauty” were all, in some form or another, spellbound under her evil ways. Pointy hat and shoes, she looks like the wicked witch of the west in The Wizard of Oz.

“But, I thought Dorothy killed the witch,” said Reese, stopping Mom in the nightly storytelling ritual.

“Um, well, yes, she did,” said Mom, caught in the fairytale moment and forgetting the learning logic of a bipolar child.

“Then, how come she’s been in all these different other stories and all these different places?” asked Reese.

Reese sat in his bed upright. His younger brother, Frank, put his thumb in his mouth and sank more deeply into his pillow, eyelids drooping. His older brother, Derik, picked up his video game controller and grinned. He glanced over to Mom and winked. Then, without breaking a moment from game playing, he spoke very matter-of-factly.

“Reese, that story isn’t fake. Mom’s not making up that one. That is a real lady, and she was once really beautiful, but she wanted too much stuff. She was really spoiled, so God made her really ugly and now she goes around the world trying to steal children and eat their souls. Don’t you get it? Mom is telling you one of that witch lady’s stories, so you stay in bed and go to sleep. That lady doesn’t ever die. I mean, for a little while, but then she comes back to life. That’s her punishment, and that’s why she looks for kids to steal their souls, cause if she gets enough souls, she thinks she’ll become beautiful again,” said Derik.

“Is that true , Mom?” asked Reese.

“No, that isn’t true . These are just entertaining fun stories and that is it,” said Mom. She threw a side eye toward Derik.

“Ok. But, that’s not what Opa said,” said Derik in a na-na-boo-boo tone.

Derik turned off his game. Reese stared at Derik. Opa’s word was, after all, the most valid. Opa was always right. Reese looked terrified.

“Can you sleep on the couch in here tonight, Mommy?” asked Reese.

Mom stared at Derik in disbelief as he smiled at her without a word. Then, he turned toward the wall, pulling the sheet over his shoulder and lay down.

“No, sweetie, but I will leave on a night light and your brothers are here. Plus, I’m just in the other room,” said Mom.

“But, Mom, please,” begged Reese. “She comes in the middle of the night to steal children.”

“She will only get you if you get out of bed,” said Derik. “Now go to sleep.”

“I’ll leave the door open,” said Mom.

“But what if I have to go to the bathroom?” said Reese.

“You wet the bed anyway,” said Derik.

“Oh, honey. If you have to pee, just call me and I’ll come in, but really, there is nothing to worry about. These are just stories. We’ll go see Opa in the morning, and he’ll tell you,” said Mom.

“But, he’s going garage sailing tomorrow. Do you know what time he gets back from the boat?” asked Reese.

“Sailing. Haha. It’s sale like a clearance sale, Reese. You’re dumb,” said Derik, turning back toward his brother and laughing.

“Stop it, the Alte Hexe will get you for laughing at me and being mean,” said Reese.

“Ooooh, I’m scared,” said Derik, pretending to shake.

“Stop it, Derik, or I’ll turn into the Alte Hexe,” said Mom.

“Can that happen?” asked Reese, even more terrified.

Mom stopped. She took a deep breath and said to Derik, “You’re naughty. I don’t want to hear another word.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Derik said with a contemptuous grin. “I love you, Mommy.”

Mom gave Derik a disdainful look.

“Reese, just go to sleep. I am not going to turn into the Alte Hexe,” Mom said.

“But, you said,” said Reese.

“I only said that teasing to Derik,” said Mom. “It’s a story. We tell fun stories every night. It’s fun. These are stories we have told all our lives in my family. Your Opa told me and his Opa told him. They are for fun only. Do you not want to hear bedtime stories?”

Reese let out a big sigh.

“Way to go, Reese,” said Derik.

“No, I want to hear the stories,” said Reese.

The sound of sucking came from Frank’s bed. Mom glanced in his direction. His thumb went deeper into his mouth.

“Ok. Just remember, these are just stories. Only stories. O.k.?” said Mom again.

“Ok. Goodnight,” said Reese.

“Goodnight, Derik. Goodnight, Reese,” said Mom.

Mom pulled the chain on the ceiling fan light. The room went dark. She turned on the night light, and as the room brightened slowly in the corner pulling out a soft glow over the room, she bent down, kissed all three boys, and walked out of the room. A shadow was cast over the room from outside the window.

“Argggghhhh,” screamed Reese.

Mom listened to Reese’s scream from the living room as she read a novel. The TV softly voiced on in the background.

He screamed again.

Mom took a step from the couch and walked over to the bedroom area of the house. She entered the room. All three boys were up. Derik stood by the window laughing. Outside the window, Dad laughed too.

“What’s so funny?” asked Mom, her hands on her hips.

“Dad, he walked past the window and he was wearing an old witch’s hat,” said Derik.

“Stay there, I want to talk to you,” said Mom.

“Ok. I’m here,” said Dad.

Mom stormed out of the room. Reese cried hysterically. Derik laughed harder. Frank whimpered only because his brother was crying.

“What the hell, Dad? It took me forever to get the boys to sleep,” said Mom.

“Come on, Mom. It’s no big deal. They’ll laugh about this when they get older,” said Dad. “Besides, it’ll make him into a man.”

“A sadistic man,” said Mom.

“Listen. You are going to go along with my next story. I have to calm that boy down. He’s hysterical. I don’t care how wild it is; you have to go along with it.”

“That’s the spirit,” said Dad.

Mom glowered at Dad. Dad laughed.

“Follow me,” she demanded.

“Yes M’am,” patronized Dad.

Mom walked back into the house and made up a new story in her head quickly as she entered the room.

“Reese, Reese. Your dad just completed the story. I forgot to tell you that part,” Mom said to Reese as he cried too loudly to hear her completely.

“What?” he asked, sobbing deep breaths.

“The story. I forgot to tell you about the capturing of the witch,” said Mom.

“The witch is captured. I thought if she was killed, she always came back,” said Reese.

“Well, yeah, but she only comes back to those who don’t have her power,” said Mom. “See, anyone who captures her takes her power. She still escapes, but now they have the power and she doesn’t dare fight them because humans with a witch’s power are stronger than fairytale witches.”

Reese took in a deeper breath and sighed again.

“Did Dad catch the witch?” asked Reese.

“That’s right. That’s what he did. He caught the witch. He saw her outside your window and he caught her and then he laughed because laughing makes witches nervous,” said Mom.

Dad stood behind Mom with a witch’s hat in his hand.

“I have the power of the witch,” said Dad. “She cannot hurt you anymore.”

Dad handed Reese the witch’s hat.

“With this hat, she cannot hurt you tonight,” said Dad. “But, I need it for tomorrow’s witch hunt.”

Reese’s shoulders dropped and he lay in his bed exhausted.

“I’m going to go to sleep now,” said Reese.

It was all he could muster; his little body worn out from the evening’s excitement. Frank lay back down too, noting the thrill was over. Derik’s mouth dropped in dismay.

“Close your mouth and go to sleep now, Derik,” said Mom.

“You are a wicked wicked woman,” said Dad leaning over to kiss her cheek and grab her butt as they walked out of the room.

“I am not,” said Mom walking in front of him to the couch.

She sat down.

“When are you leaving on your business trip?” She asked.

“Tomorrow. C’mon. Let’s go to bed,” Dad said as he nuzzled his lips against her cheek.

“No, no. Reese is going to be worried tomorrow. You’ll be gone and you have the power, not him. I have to give him the power or he’ll be frantic all over again.”

“You’ll think of something. You always do,” said Dad.

“Ok. Let’s go to bed,” said Mom.

“Now you’re talking. I am really tired,” said Dad.

“Sure you are. You beast,” said Mom.

The sun burnished brightly with the deep yellow of all Texas summers the next morning. The kids rustled in the kitchen pulling down bowls and clattering spoons from noisy drawers. The creak of the rusted refrigerator door sounded loudly and Mom jumped up from the bed glaring at the clock radio. Seven thirty? How did she sleep so late?

“I feel good, Na-na-na-na-na, just like I should, Na, na, na, na, na. I feel good, Na-na-na-na-na, Just like I should,” said Dad in his best James Brown imitation.

“Good morning,” said Mom in a soft voice as she walked into the kitchen dining area.

The boys were too deeply engrossed in their morning meals to acknowledge Mom’s entrance.

“Good morning, sunshine? It’s a beautiful morning in downtown Corpus Christi, don’t you think?” said Dad.

“Probably, only we don’t live downtown. We are a bit closer to the beach,” said Mom.

“Semantics, semantics,” said Dad. “I am making bacon and eggs. Want some?”

“No, thank you, I’ll eat a half a grapefruit in the fridge. You should eat one instead also. Artery clogging grease, come on, Dad. I want you to live to see your grandchildren,” said Mom.

“I live to be happy,” said Dad.

“Ok. Well, today, we are going to go hit the garage sales,” said Mom.

“Great. If you see any fishing equipment,” started Dad and then heard the smoke alarm go off.

Both Mom and Dad opened the windows. The cool air rushed in and the smoke alarm died. Dad busily prepared his eggs and pulled a plate from the cabinet sliding the eggs on to the plate. Browned bread popped from the toaster and warm bacon lay on countertop where grease was absorbed into the paper towels underneath them.

“If I find some at a good price, I’ll get some,” said Mom a few moments later.

“Good girl,” said Dad.

“Mom, is Opa and Oma picking us up?” asked Derik. “I want to ask him about the Alte Hexe, especially since Dad is leaving today. We are gonna have to figure out a way to keep her away tonight.”

“Where you going, Dad?” Reese stopped his spoon mid way to his mouth and looked up to his Dad.

“I’m going on a business trip to Dallas,” said Dad. “But, don’t worry, Mom’s got a special day planned for you.”

“You can’t fight away the Alte Hexe for me?” said Reese.

“No, you are going to do it,” said Dad.

“How am I going to do it?” asked Reese. “I’m too little. You have the powers.”

“Find a witch’s hat. That’s all you need,” said Dad.

“I love it. We are going to hunt snipes,” said Derik.

“What are snipes?” asked Reese.

“Never mind. Dad has a witch’s hat. He’ll give it to you,” said Mom.

“Nope, sorry, mine’s packed. I don’t want the Alte Hexe to get me either,” said Dad, winking at Derik.

Mom rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Oh, no we’re doomed,” said Derik and pretended to bite his nails in angst.

“You guys. You are just awful,” said Mom finishing her grapefruit. “Ok, Dad. We’re off. We need to find a witch’s hat. Thanks for the snipe.”

“You’re welcome,” said Dad, leaning over for a kiss.

“What’s a snipe?” asked Reese again.

Mom gave Dad a kiss half heartedly.

“Be safe. Have a good trip,” commanded Mom.

“I will. Nothing can hurt me now that I have witch’s powers,” he teased.

“Ok, kids, clean up and get in the car. Buckle up. Anyone have to go to the bathroom first, then go,” Mom ordered grabbing her purse.

The kids bustled the cereal boxes back to the pantry and the dishes into the sink. Derik threw a wet rag on to the table top sopping up the spills of milk and then threw the rag basketball style into the sink hoop. Once they were all buckled into the van, Mom waved to Dad as he drove off ahead of them. They took off to several garage sales finding knick knacks and small toys. Finally, they gathered themselves out of the car to the last garage sale of the day.

“Hello,” said the owner of the home.

“Hello,” said Mom. “Anything good left over?”

“Well, it’s late. But, I have this most excellent fishing pole that I forgot to bring out this morning,” the owner said winking.

“You know my husband, don’t you?” asked Mom, smiling and shaking her head.

“You’re Mom? Dad said you’d be by. I’m John. I told him $20 but you can have it for $15.”

“How about $5?” said Mom.

“$10 and it’s a deal,” said John.

“Mom. Mom. Look. Look what I found? It’s the witch’s hat. The witch’s hat! The lady over there had it in her lap and she’s selling it for only a dollar!” announced Reese.

Mom handed John a $10 bill.

“Do you think she knows about its power?” asked Reese in a whisper.

“Hmmm. I hate to be responsible for taking away the power of someone from getting harmed by the Alte Hexe,” Mom said turning to John.

“Oh, no worries. We have three hats. One for me and one for my wife, Yolanda,” said John to Reese and then to his wife and Mom, “This is Mom, Yolanda. Dad’s wife.”

“Your son was telling me all about the story of the Alte Hexe. I told him that I already had another hat. We’ve caught several witches in our many travels to different countries,” said Yolanda.

“So she has a lot of different kind of witch’s hats,” declared Reese.

Derik walked in on the scene with Frank. Frank took the hat from Reese and looked inside.

“So, Reese now has witch powers?” asked Derik.

“No. He took her powers away. You have to be a witch to use witch powers. But she can’t use them on him or anyone within a mile of the hat as long as he has a hat, and she knows that when the time comes, he will know just how to use the powers on her,” said John.

“How do I know?” asked Reese.

“You’ll know,” said John, Mom and Yolanda at the same time.

“Wow, power of three. I guess it’s meant to be,” said Derik.

“That’s a spell,” said Frank.

Mom laughed now.

“Yes, it is Frankie. It’s a spell when three people say something at the same time and another person says a rhyme. You remembered. Smart boy,” said Mom.

Derik rolled his eyes.

“$10 for the fishing pole and the witch’s hat,” said Mom.

“You got a deal. Say hello to Dad,” John said and waved goodbye as the family gathered into the van.

Reese stopped running to the vehicle and turned around suddenly. He smiled from ear to ear.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” he announced over and again.

He turned back to the van again just as Mom started the engine and climbed inside. Derik slammed shut the door, and Reese held on tightly to the witch’s hat all the way home.

When night came, after another Alte Hexe story, Reese grabbed for his Alte Hexe hat and held on tightly as any other child would like with a Teddy Bear. Next to the hat lay his dust buster which he believed would suck up bad dreams. He grabbed it with the other hand and nodded off into a deep sleep. No cares in the world touched his little heart that night or many others to come.