"No, Mommy, I don't want to go in there!" The girl wails. She has bright green eyes and curly brown hair. Her lips are curled, and she crosses her arms. "I won't go."

The mother takes her daughter's hand. "It's only for a little while, love. It'll be over before you know it."

The girl shudders, and pulls away from her mom. "But they're gonna give me a shot."

The mother bites her lip. "Yes, they are. But--honey-"

"I WON'T GO!" The girl's eyes well up with tears, and soon they stream down her cheeks.

The mother sighs. "Darling, it's for your health. You don't want to get sick, do you?"

The girl lets out a small whimper. "You can't make me go, Mommy."

The mother is about to respond when a nurse, a smile plastered on her face, comes into the waiting room. "Is she ready?" The nurse asks.

"NO! NO! NO!" The girl's face is red from screaming and crying. She clutches her teddy bear. "You can't make me!"

The nurse still his her smile, but she really hates having to put up with this. "Now, sweetheart, I-"

"You can't make me get a shot, you can't make me!" The girl's eyes are wide with fear. She buries her face in her teddy bear and lets out a sob.

The nurse clasps her hands together, and tilts her head. "Oh, it'll be over before you know it. You won't feel a thing!"

The girl brings her teddy bear down from over her eyes, and peers up at the nurse. "I don't wanna get a shot," she says, her voice hot with tears.

The mother lifts her daughter up, and heaves her onto her hip, although she's been telling her daughter that she's been too old for being carried for a while now. The mother kisses the girl's cheek. "Shh, it'll be alright."

The girl starts sucking on her teddy bear's ears. "Really, Mommy? Really?"

Another kiss from the mother. "Really, honey."

The three of them walk into bright room full of stuffed animals, cardboard books, and cartoony posters.

All is going well, until the doctor comes in, and brings out the shot.

The girl lets out a scream. "NO, NO, NO! NO!"

The mother looks flustered. "Shh, honey, shh."

The girl is shaking. "NO! You can't make me, you really can't!"

The doctor, a man with warm brown eyes and shocking red hair, smiles. "It won't hurt, I promise."

The girl shakes her head vigorously. "No!"

The mother lets out a long, soft sigh. "Sweetheart, just hold out your arm."

The girl lets out another scream. "NO, NO!"

The adults try to persuade her.

"You won't even feel it."

"It'll be fine."

"It will help you."

"I promise that it will be okay."

"Just hold out your arm."

The girl gazes at her mother and the doctor, her green eyes wet with tears. She wipes them away, and holds out her arm. Her heart is racing and she is taking in short, fearful gasps of breath.

The doctor wipes a spot on her arm, and plunges the needle in.

The girl lets out a terrified scream, although it doesn't hurt that much, not really.

The doctor takes the needle out, and disposes it. He puts an Ariel Band-Aid on her arm, where she had gotten the shot. "See? It wasn't that bad," he says calmly.

The girl hesitates. Her heart is still racing, although it is slowing a bit. She glances at the doctor, and at her mother. "It wasn't so bad," she admits.

Her mother beams. "I'm so proud of you, honey."

And the girl is proud of herself, too. After she gets her lollipop and is out the door, she says, "Mommy, I have a question."

"What is it, honey?"

"Can I get a shot again?" She asks, very seriously. "I really like lollipops, Mommy."

The mother laughs, but the girl just looks confused. "We'll come back soon enough," she says, and ruffles her daughter's hair.

"Okay!" The girl says cheerfully, and dashes off, cherry lollipop in mouth, teddy bear under arm.