One day my mom asked me who I wanted to play with. "My friend in the neighborhood," I said. My mom introduced me to a few girls in the neighborhood. She would let me walk to their house after I got permission on the phone.

What things could I do with my friends? We just hung out. There were animals, toys, games, movies, sports, and the T.V.

We kept doing the same activities over and over. BORING!!!!

We became so bored and then other kids started to find us. They wanted to start a fight.

Something strange happened. Someone left animal masks in the room we were in. I put the tiger mask on and ran to my friend and said, " Look I turned into a tiger!" The kids started laughing.

My other friend put the skunk mask on and said she turned into a skunk. The kids kept laughing.

Another friend put the frog mask on and said I turned into a frog. The kids were laughing so hard that adults came out and sent them home.

I am a tiger I will have to live in my imaginary jungle. Oh no!

I am a skunk I will have to live in the imaginary forest. I will smell too!

I am a frog and I will have to live at an imaginary pond on a lily pad. I'll have to stay up all night singing! Oh no!

One of the adults came over and said you would not stop hanging out and look at what happened, he yelled. You turned into animals!

Everyone left. And the three of us could not take off the masks.

I'll never see my mom and dad again. 

I'll never see my brother again.
I'll never see any of my friends again.

We went into the house and we had no one there but us.

I went to my room and could not stop imagining what the jungle could look like. Where would I sleep? Is the jungle safe?

I went to my room and I could not stop imagining the forest. What would I eat? Is it safe there?

I went to my room and imagined the pond. How will I swim in such murky water? Is that safe?

In the morning all we had to eat was cereal and milk.

Did you come up with your songs?
Did you come up with a way to not smell?
Did you come up with a safe place to live?

How do we get out of being animals?

Maybe if we try really hard to think about our lives, and keep saying our names over and over, maybe, we will be able to take off our masks.

I thought about how I wanted to sing really well to my family. But who would teach me?

I wanted to learn how to take care of a baby like my mother and father did.