Late at night
Middle of the dark
In a quiet, still house
She screams

"What's wrong?"
Asks her mama
Hurried to her room

"Monsters,"
she says.

All the radiation, anesthesia,
Chemicals meant to kill what's in her
But only the bad parts

"Monsters,"
she says.

She crawls between
Mama and Daddy.
It is warm. It is safe.

Mama curls around her,
Her breath warm on Baby's head
Baby smiles, and sleeps.

Late at night
Middle of the dark
Making no sound at all
Mama screams.