The Nightlight Girl by Anna Cogbill

The Nightlight Girl

Written by Anna Cogbill Illustrated by Amy Cogbill

The Nightlight Girl Written by Anna Cogbill Illustrated by Amy Cogbill

© Anna Cogbill / January 15, 2019

Edited by Elizabeth Swann Self Published in Creative Writing 1 NFHS 1400 A.O. Jones Blvd, Fort Mill, SC 29715

For our parents

This is Emma.

Emma cannot sleep without her night light.

Emma wants a nightlight, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t brave.

Emma is very brave! Once she got two shots at the doctor’s office, and didn’t even squirm that much.

Emma wants a nightlight, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t strong.

Emma is very strong. She can climb the tree in her yard faster than any kid in her neighborhood.

Emma wants a nightlight, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t smart.

Emma is very smart. She always knows what to say to make someone smile.

So if Emma is brave, and strong, and smart – why does she have to sleep with her nightlight?

I’ll tell you, but only if you promise to keep it a secret. Do you promise?

Well, alright. Since you promised. It all started a few weeks ago.

She was in her room, and it was very dark.

The only light was a little bit of moon coming in through a tiny hole in her curtains.

Emma was scared, because even the bravest, strongest, smartest people can be scared sometimes.

Emma remembered that her Mother had plugged in a nightlight, just in case she got scared.

All she had to do was flip the switch.

So Emma wiggled out of bed and crept over to the nightlight.

It looked like a little crescent moon.

Flick! Emma flicked on the light switch and the moon turned a gentle blue.

But that isn’t all it did.

The moon sparkled. It glimmered.

Swirls and twirls of silver and blue shot out of it like fireworks.

And then, standing next to her in the dark was a little girl, glowing softly like the moon.

“Hello,” the little girl said. “My name is Amy. I’m the nightlight girl.”

“Hi,” Emma said. “I’m Emma.”

Amy looked around Emma’s room.

“Are you scared of the dark?” Amy asked.

“A little,” Emma said. “Are you?”

“I like the dark.” Amy said. “The dark is just a blanket, and it keeps you warm while you sleep.”

“I never thought of it like that,” said Emma.

“But I’m still a little scared.”

“That’s okay! I’ll keep you company tonight, so you’ll know you are safe,” Amy said.

She smiled, and her eyes twinkled like stars.

“Thank you,” said Emma, and she crawled into bed.

For many nights since that night, Emma has slept with her nightlight, and every night Amy visited to keep her safe.

But one night, something changed. Amy’s shine was dimmer, and she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

“Emma,” she said, “You don’t need me anymore – I need to go to bed.”

“But I’m scared!” Emma said, “You keep me safe!

Without you, I’m alone with the dark.”

Amy shook her head. “Emma you don’t need me to be safe.

You are brave, and strong and smart. The darkness loves you just like I do, and you don’t need to be afraid of it.”

And Emma understood. “The darkness is a blanket,” she said, and smiled softly at Amy.

“Exactly.” Amy’s tired eyes shined a little brighter. “I’ll always be here if you need me, but you will be just fine without my light.”

“I know,” Emma said, and she watched Amy disappear.

She smiled, before leaving in a puff of light blue fog.

Emma slept without Amy the Nightlight girl that night – and every night after that.

She was brave, and strong, and smart, and she had made a wonderful friend in the dark.

This is Emma.

Emma can sleep without her nightlight.

Though sometimes, she chooses to visit with a glimmering, glittering, magical friend.

Time for Bed!