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Lasso was afraid of the dark.

The dark lived in the same House as Laszlo, a big place with a creaky roof, smooth, cold windows, and several sets of stairs.

Sometimes the dark hid in the closet.

Sometimes it sat behind the shower curtain.

But mostly it spent its time in the basement. All day long the dark would wait in a distant corner, Far from the squeaks and rattles of the washing machine, pressed up against some old, damp boxes and a chest of drawers nobody ever opened.

At night, of course, the dark went out and spread itself against the windows and doors of Laslo‘s house. But in the morning the dark would be back in the basement, where it belonged.

Laszlo would peek at the dark every morning. “Hi,“ he would say. “hi,dark”

Laszlo thought that if he visited the dark in the dark’s room, maybe the dark wouldn't come visit him in his room

But one night, it did.

“Laszlo,“ the dark said, in the dark The voice of the dark was as creaky as the roof of the house, and as smooth and cold as the windows, and even though the dark was right next to Laszlo, the voice seemed very far away.

“What do you want?“ Asked Laszlo.

“I want to show you something,“ said the dark.

“In the closet?”

“No, “said the dark.

“Behind the shower curtain?

“No, no,“ said the dark, “downstairs.“

“Downstairs?“

“Yes, “said the dark.

In Laslo‘s living room was the biggest window in the house. Laszlo looked out at all the dark outside. Above him the roof creaked, and he closed his eyes. Now the dark was all Laszlo could see.

“No, no, “said the dark again. “Not there.“

“Down here.”

“In the basement? “Asked Laslo.

“Yes,” said the dark.

Laszlo had never dared come to the dark’s room at night.

“Come closer, “said the dark.

Laszlo came closer.

“Even closer, “said the dark.

You might be afraid of the dark, but the dark is not afraid of you. That’s why the dark is always close by.

The dark peaks around the corner and waits behind the door, and you can see the dark up in the sky almost every night, gazing down at you as you gaze up at the stars.

Without a creaky roof, the rain would fall on your bed, and without a smooth, cold window, you could never see outside, and without a set of stairs, you could never go into the basement, where the dark spends its time.

Without a closet, you would have nowhere to put your shoes, and without a shower curtain, you would splash water all over the bathroom, And without the dark, everything would be light, and you would never know if you need a lightbulb.

“Bottom drawer, “said the dark

“What? “Said Laszlo

“Bottom drawer, “said the dark. “open the bottom drawer.”

“Thank you, “said Laszlo as he pulled out a lightbulb.

“You’re welcome, “said the dark.

By the time Laszlo got back into bed, the dark was no longer in his room, except when he closed his eyes to go to sleep,

The next morning, Laszlo visited the dark in the basement.

“Hi, “he said. “Hi, dark. “

The dark didn’t answer, but the bottom drawer was still open, so it looked like something in the corner was smiling.

The dark kept on living with Laszlo, but it never bothered him again.