My dears," Grandma Layla began, her voice as soft as a fleece blanket. "Have I ever told you about my very first time sleeping under the stars? It was a long, long time ago, when I was just a little girl, about your age."
"I was so excited! We packed the car with a big, floppy tent and sleeping bags that smelled like sunshine. My mum and dad said we were going on an adventure, and my tummy felt all fluttery with happy butterflies."
"When we arrived, the trees were so tall they tickled the clouds. We had to put our tent together, and it was a bit wobbly at first, like a sleepy giraffe trying to stand up. My dad laughed, and we all worked together to make it strong."
"While Mum and Dad made a fire, I went exploring. The forest floor was a carpet of crunchy leaves and soft moss. I looked for treasures and found a little, smooth stone that shimmered with tiny specks of gold."
"As the sun went down, we sat around the crackling fire. It was so warm and bright. We roasted marshmallows until they were gooey and golden, and they tasted like the sweetest clouds you could imagine."
"But when it was time to go to bed, the forest began to whisper. The shadows danced, and I heard a hooting owl and the snap of a twig. My tummy butterflies were gone, and in their place were little, wobbly worms of worry."
"I whispered to my mum that I was scared. She wrapped her arms around me and told me that the sounds were just the forest saying goodnight. 'Listen,' she said, 'it's a lullaby.'"
"My dad unzipped the tent flap a little, and we looked up. The sky was a big, dark blanket, but it was covered in a million tiny, sparkling holes. 'Those are the stars,' he said. 'And they're watching over us.'"
"I snuggled down deep in my sleeping bag. The sounds of the forest didn't seem scary anymore. They were just the secret songs of the night, and the stars were my own personal nightlights."
"When I woke up, the sun was peeking through the trees, and the birds were singing a happy song. My first night camping was over, and I knew it wouldn't be my last. And do you know what?" Grandma Layla said, holding up a small, smooth stone. "I still have the treasure I found that day."
The end.
Layla's First Night Under
the Stars
By Melissa Leech
