A Nighttime Journey

Moons Above by Lena Erenfeicht

A Nighttime Journey by Naomi Meyer

The half-visible sun took its time, making sure to paint every inch of sky before it settled in for the night. The burnt orange and fiery red outshone all the other colors, boldly pushing the more muted yellow and purple to the farthest corners of the canvas. A few smoky tendrils drifted aimlessly across the vignette, curling and dancing as they moved. As the sun continued slowly sinking behind the hills, it blurred together the edges of each color, blending them skillfully into an oil-like portrait that extended past the horizon.

She leaned out her window and beheld the unfolding masterpiece, her gaze fixed fully on the scene before her. She observed as the light faded slightly with each moment, leaving the vivid colors to finish their nightly routine before it would fully fade into darkness. A sweet evening breeze caressed her cheek, and she turned her face to receive it.

The breeze boldened, embracing her as it blew gently into her room and filled up the entire space. As she closed her eyes and breathed in the summery scent, she began to feel lighter and lighter until it seemed she weighed no more than the wind itself. The breeze swirled leisurely around her feet and began to rise higher, when suddenly she could no longer feel the ground beneath her.

Her eyes fluttered open as she looked incredulously at the three inches that separated her feet from the floor, the breeze filling the gap. She turned slightly towards the window again, and her whole body floated with her. Gaining confidence, she leaned with more intent this time and drifted out of the window entirely. She now hovered two stories off the ground, held in place by only the breeze.

She looked around uncertainly, but the breeze guided her feet as it began to gradually carry her higher and higher. As she floated, her attention shifted to the landscape slowly stretching before her eyes. The houses and buildings slowly disappeared as she rose, replaced by swirls and sprawling expanses of green and blue. She watched as the fields and lawns and hills all wove together into an intricate tapestry, blending effortlessly with the lakes, rivers, and seas.

She glanced up again towards the horizon, the sun barely visible now behind the trees. The sky was stained a beautiful tribute of tangerine, light pink, and periwinkle as the sun finally slipped behind the hills and yielded the world to night.

The breeze came to a slow stop as it reached its destination. Layers of fluffy, soft clouds surrounded her, all floating around sleepily but happily. In shades of pearly white to stormy gray, they curiously gathered at her feet to greet the new arrival. She beamed as some of them amiably nuzzled her hand, impossibly fleecy to the touch. Yet she then frowned as she noticed one cloud at the edge of the crowd, noticeably smaller than the rest. The others drifted back to create a path for her as she floated towards the little cloud and drew up in front of it.

She inclined her head in a silent question, and the cloud cheerfully zipped around her in answer. It came to a halt behind her and then waited patiently as she settled down and sat cross-legged in its center. She then bid farewell to the other clouds as her own little cloud carried her earnestly into what seemed to be the heavens. As the earth became little more than a glassy marble, she gazed at the vast indigo night sky spreading endlessly before her.

Scattered across this vision were millions upon millions of stars; some barely pinpricks of light, some close enough to touch. They glittered around her like fairies, glistening in every shape and size imaginable. Crescents and diamonds shone everywhere she looked, with little almonds of white light twinkling among them. The air was somewhat cool, but the comfort and warmth of her little cloud kept out the chill. She and the cloud sat silently, taking in the unthinkable openness, solitude, and beauty that had existed for longer than she could ever comprehend.

Suddenly, she caught sight of something imperceptible zipping past her field of vision. She whipped her head around, trying to spot what had just passed. Swiftly the object shot back the other way, but closer this time. She stayed still now and watched as it crossed a third time, and then a fourth, and a fifth. The shooting star passed by once more, and then floated back the way it had come until it hovered right in front of her. This star was unlike any of the others she had observed in the night sky. It was nothing but a ball of dazzling pure light, shimmering before her.

Tenderly, she reached out her hand and cupped the shooting star in her palm. It seemed to dim slightly, turning from a brilliant white to a glowing yellow. She brought it towards her and placed it in her open lap. She peered at it as it nestled comfortably into its new seat and then settled down quietly.

Once the star was safely secured in her lap, she guided the little cloud towards the large pale moon looming ahead. As she approached it, she could see the craters spreading across its exterior, but her cloud flew her around it to a small undisturbed area. It felt cold and smooth under her fingers as she reached out to touch the surface. Gently, she clenched her hand and clasped a small handful of clay-like moon. Her fingers left little indents as she left her own small crater in exchange for the moon’s gift to her. She lay her small bit of moon down next to her star and continued her journey with the cloud.

Their next stop was a familiar friend, happy to have a visitor while it rested for the night. The sun brightened as it saw her coming, but then remembered to soften again so that she could see it clearly. It welcomed her with open rays, and was glad to let her bathe in its warmth as she reveled in its glorious enormity and cheerfulness among such a limitless expanse. When she was ready to leave, the sun gifted her one of its precious rays to hold with her shooting star and her moon clay.

And so she and the cloud continued on and visited every single planet, and received gifts from each one to add to her collection. She accepted a sprinkling of orange dust from Mars, a small chunk of ice from Saturn's rings, and a vibrant blue rock from Neptune. Her collection grew and grew as she made her way through the solar system, and it was threatening to overflow by the time she finally reached Pluto. Pluto didn’t have much to give her besides its good wishes, as it was barely big enough to keep its own moons as it was. She assured it that she fully understood and then bade it farewell.

Now sitting on her cloud at the farthest reaches of the galaxy, she shivered. Out here the sun could only manage to send weak light, and no warmth. The little cloud was just as soft as always, but by now she was beginning to feel the countless cold raindrops held within it. As she stared across the immense space of sky towards the distant sun, she suddenly felt very alone. There was no one else in the universe out here but her. She was so very small compared to the majestic giants that had hung in this place for eons.

Her eyes found the small green and blue marble three spots away from the sun. She became aware of just how far away that place really was from her now. Time didn’t seem to hold much importance out here, and it seemed as if she had spent hours, or perhaps days, or months, or even years exploring every new phenomenon that had caught her attention in this strange, wonderful place. But now she was so far away, and she just wanted to go home. She hurriedly urged her cloud toward that marble, but it just drifted towards it at the same lazy pace as always.

Growing slightly frantic, she leaned forward as far as she dared and silently willed the cloud to go even a tiny bit faster, but nothing changed. She gave a sob and clutched her precious collection anxiously, completely unsure of how to proceed. As Pluto loomed icily to her right, she hugged her collection to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She was entirely and fully alone, and she wanted to go home. All she wanted was to go home.

A glistening tear escaped onto her cheek as she imagined as much about Earth as she could remember. Desperately, she thought of mountains and cities and beaches, but these things had faded to fuzzy images. As the tear rolled down her cheek she hysterically imagined the picnics, concerts, and plays that could be happening on Earth right at that moment. The tear reached the edge of her jaw as she suddenly remembered her wonderful little room with its wonderful little window. The tear dropped from her face and landed on the shooting star in her arms.

At once there was a blinding white light, brighter than any she had yet seen on her journey. The light burned through her closed eyelids, and she gave a shuddering gasp as she averted her gaze. The light was blazing, filling her whole vision even with her eyes shut. It grew brighter and brighter until she thought she would go blind from it... when suddenly it changed. 

The color became slightly yellower, and more cheerful. It was no longer blazing; it just seeped pleasantly under her eyelids and urged her to open them. She obliged. She squinted towards the source of the light as she opened her eyes and found herself staring at a clear, cerulean sky. As her eyes adjusted, a clean white frame came into focus around the sky, half filled with a lattice of the same paint. She continued staring out her window and began to hear the lighthearted chirping of birds, singing a beautiful chorus to the morning.

She slowly glanced around her and noticed the rumpled sheets, and the thick blanket she clutched too tightly to her chest. She took a deep breath, carefully unfurled her hands and relaxed her tense shoulders. She gently closed her eyes again and felt the warm, buttery sunlight on her face, shining from far, far above, and smiled. She was home.

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