It was the deep middle of the night. The boy lay in his bed, the moonlight washing over his face like a silver veil. He had always loved the moon; its soft glow brought a calm to his heart that the harsh world of the day never could.
Just as his eyes began to heavy, he heard a faint rustle, as if someone had perched upon the edge of his world. He looked toward the window and there she was: a girl, or perhaps a woman, sitting upon the windowsill. She watched him with a serene expression and a smile so sweet it felt like a dream.
Before he could speak, she laughed softly.
"I hope I haven't stolen your sleep," she said, her voice like small bells. "But since you are awake, will you come and wander the stars with me for a while?"
"My mother told me never to go with strangers," the boy replied, pulling his blanket a little higher, though he was more curious than afraid.
"Do I truly feel like a stranger to you?" she asked, tilting her head. "Has a stranger ever climbed to your window just to share the night?"
She reached out her hand, waiting. Despite his caution, the pull of the unknown was too strong. He took her hand. Her grip was firm and cool, and in an instant, they were rising, flying high into the velvet sky.
She reached out her hand, waiting. Despite his caution, the pull of the unknown was too strong. He took her hand. Her grip was firm and cool, and in an instant, they were rising, flying high into the velvet sky.
The sudden ascent stole his breath. Frightened by the height, the boy squeezed his eyes shut.
"Open them," she whispered. "You will love this view."
He hesitated, then slowly looked down. The world had become a miniature map. He saw the dark spine of the mountains, the swaying shadows of the forest, and the tiny, sleeping lights of his own village. He trembled, clutching her hand until his knuckles turned white.
"You need not hold me so tightly," she said gently. "You will not fall, little one. Not as long as I am here."
The boy began to relax. They soared through the cool air, witnessing the secret beauty of the night that no one else ever saw. Yet, his eyes always returned to the moon. From up here, it looked so close, yet remained so far. He felt as though the moon were a giant eye watching over him, glad to see him finally smiling.
When they broke through the layer of clouds, his fear vanished entirely, replaced by a feeling of absolute freedom. But as the first pale light of dawn touched the horizon, she turned to him.
"The sun is waking," she announced. "I must take you home."
"Will you come back?" he asked as she tucked him back into his bed.
"Every single night," she promised with a spark in her eye.
From that night on, the boy refused to sleep. He sat by the window, watching the owls and the secret lives of the people below, terrified that if he closed his eyes, she would never return. He wished the night would last forever, so he would never have to face the dull, repetitive routine of the coming day.
One evening, she arrived to find him changed. His eyes were heavy with exhaustion and clouded with deep sorrow. She saw the weariness in his soul.
"I know the wish you carry in your heart," she said, stepping into the room. "You want the night to never end. You seek the peace that only the Moon can give."
She leaned closer, her presence smelling of starlight and cold air. "The Moon sent me for you. It has been waiting for you since the beginning. I can grant you that eternal night, but only if you choose it."
The boy hesitated, glancing at his empty room and then at the vast, shining sky. He did not speak, but the girl saw the answer written in the way he looked at the stars.
"Shall we go home?" she asked softly.
The boy threw his arms around her, feeling his burdens melt away as she held him. She embraced him lightly, easing the ache in his heart. That night, the boy finally reached the place he loved most—the Moon, and the eternal night that had been waiting to welcome him home.