Dad had a surprise for Sasha and her brother Theo. They were going on a night hike in the forest behind the campsite, armed with headlamps and a thermos of hot chocolate.
At first the dark felt big and thick, pressing in from all sides. Theo kept his flashlight pointed straight ahead and walked close to Dad.
Dad told them to pause and turn off their headlamps. For a moment it was completely dark. Then their eyes slowly adjusted and the world reappeared in silver and shadow.
Look up, Dad said softly. The trees opened above them, and the sky was packed with stars, more than either of them had ever seen.
As they walked deeper into the forest, they heard owls calling from high in the branches. Frogs sang from a nearby pond. The forest was full of sound.
Then Dad pointed his light at a tree trunk. A moth the size of a hand rested there, its wings patterned like two big eyes staring back at them.
They stood very still and watched until the moth fluttered away into the dark. Sasha felt like they were in a different world, a secret one that only came alive at night.
Back at the campsite, they wrapped their hands around warm mugs and talked about everything they had seen. Sasha decided that nighttime was not frightening. It was just the world wearing a different outfit.