What lurks in the dark?

As children we fear that gap between the closet door, that gap of blindness, where no light can enter. We seem to see the unseen, the "monster' that stalks us at night, it takes our sleep, every noise is a threat, we look for comfort through our blankets. Parents can't see it, they've gone past the fearful age. The only thing that can stop it is light, the light of a lamp or nightlight is best, we find protection in light. Why is that? a warning from our past? to be careful of the dark?
Is it a childs imagination that creates these monsters? or is something really there?
Children have an imagination more powerful than the greatest artist, greater than the most advanced computer. They can see the unseen, create monsters from nothing. When we get older we think of how silly we were, "how could there have been a monster in my closet?" we ask ourselves as we stare at that space, wondering, "could something be there? was it my imagination?" a minute feels 10, an hour is like eternity, time slows, we stare on thinking, wondering. The thought never leaves us, the monster stays, stalking us until we have no time to think of it, we forget it, yet, it's there. Whenever we lay in the silence of night, we hear that creak, we see the gap, the portal to our childhood, we grip our blankets for comfort, we seek the light. What is the Monster? why does it stalk us?
Some would say it's a defence mechanism left over from our evolution, there to protect us from the predators that lurk in the dark. I would say it's our fear of the unknown, as Humans we seek answers, "what lies in the dark that we cannot see?" we create monsters to give us an answer to that burning question. It happens to children more because they have a greater imagination. We can't help but create these fears, fears that stalk us in our most vulnerable state.
I still fear that gap, i find myself staring at it, wondering, "is something watching me?" my eyes are drawn to that space, the emptiness of it, in seek of an answer. "what lurks in the dark?"

-Ernie

why grow up when you can stay a kid?