Imagine that like Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, you will write a supernatural tale ”to curl the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart.” What will be the opening lines (or even the ending lines) of your ghost story? Who will be your hero or evil doer? Describe him or her — or it. Use your nightmares to help you.

Through some miracle you are able to understand the thoughts and conversations of your favorite pet or animal. The creature’s thoughts and words astonish you — they even shock you. They provide you with the rare chance to see the world in an entirely new light. What stories do you hear the creatures tell? What do you learn?

There is a bully who terrorizes everything, including you. One afternoon you follow him home and hide behind a bush in front of his window. Peeping in, you see him in a whole new light. He is not the same person you know at school. Describe him in his home setting.