The Night the Stars Wandered Away

The villagers woke to a sky emptied of stars. Not one spark remained above them, as if the heavens had exhaled and gone dark. At first, people panicked, fearing it was an omen of endings, but a small girl named Lira refused to accept despair. She searched fields, rooftops, and riverbanks, calling softly for the lost constellations. On the third night, she heard faint chiming—like tiny bells drifting across the grass. Following the sound, she discovered stars hiding in puddles, resting quietly on the earth. They had not vanished, only descended. Lira asked them why they left the sky, and they answered that sometimes even light grows tired of being far away. She gathered them with cupped hands, lifting each spark back into the air. The stars rose, spiraling upward until they settled once more into familiar constellations. From then on, whenever the night felt heavy, Lira searched puddles and shadows, knowing that sometimes the brightest things come close to remind us we are not alone.