Milk and Moonlight

Chapter 1: The Restless Puppy

The bedroom is dim, lit only by a laptop screen and a small lamp. ⟨Character 1⟩ sits on the bed, a mug of cocoa in his hand.

⟨Character 1⟩: Almost done. Just one more email, then sleep. This cocoa is perfect. Warm and sweet. Maybe I’ll have another biscuit. No, I shouldn’t. But they’re right there. Okay, one more.

A small puppy pads into the room, his nails clicking on the floor. He circles three times, whines, and nudges the windowpane with his nose.

⟨Character 1⟩: What is it, boy? You want to go out? It’s late. And cold. And I’m tired. Come here. Lie down. Good dog. Just relax. I’ll finish this and we’ll both go to sleep. Okay?

The puppy ignores him and scratches at the window, looking up at the night sky.

⟨Character 1⟩: Oh, the moon. You want the moon? It’s up there. Way up. You can’t have it. It’s not a toy. Come on. I have a biscuit for you. See? A nice biscuit. Take it. Please?

The puppy sniffs the biscuit, then turns away and trots to the bedroom door. He looks back at ⟨Character 1⟩.

⟨Character 1⟩: You’re not going to give up, are you? Fine. Fine. Let me just close this laptop. There. All done. Now, where are we going? You lead the way. But if it’s cold, we’re coming right back. Deal?

Chapter 2: The Search in the Garden

The garden is cool and quiet. The grass is wet underfoot, and moths bump softly against the fence. The puppy sniffs around a bush, then digs with quick little paws.

⟨Character 1⟩: Not in the dirt, little one. The moon isn’t buried. You’re getting your nose all muddy. Look at you. You’re digging like there’s a bone down there. There’s no bone. Just roots and a very surprised worm, probably. Come on. Let’s look somewhere else.

The puppy trots to a stone birdbath. The water is still, and a full white moon sits right in the middle of it. The puppy’s tail wags fast.

⟨Character 1⟩: That’s the reflection, boy. Look up. Up there. See? The real moon. It’s silver and round and very far away. The one in the water is just a picture. Like a photo on my phone. You can’t drink it.

The puppy plunges his nose into the water. The moon in the puddle wobbles into rings. The puppy barks at it, one small, puzzled bark.

⟨Character 1⟩: You broke it. You broke the moon. It’s just water, see? Now your whiskers are dripping. And you’re looking at me like I did it. Fine. Here. Let me help.

⟨Character 1⟩ kneels on the wet grass and gently tilts the puppy’s head up to the sky. The puppy looks up. His tail slows, then stills. He yawns, a long, squeaky yawn.

⟨Character 1⟩: There it is. You see it now, don’t you? Big and bright, up past the fence. It’s not going anywhere. It never does. And now you know where to look. Good boy. Okay, sleepyhead. Let’s go inside.

Chapter 3: Home and Sleepy

The bedroom is warm. On the little stove, milk heats in a small pot, sending up a soft white curl of steam.

⟨Character 1⟩: Just milk now. Warm milk. The sleepy puppy comes back inside, and his eyes are already half closed. There we go. A little in your bowl, a little in my mug. Careful, it’s warm. Wait a second. Blow on it. Good. That’s the sleepy puppy sorted out.

They settle on the rug. The puppy laps his milk slowly, his tail thumping the floor once, twice, three times. Above them, through the window, the moon moves pale light across the boards.

⟨Character 1⟩: See the moon on the floor? It came inside with us. It looks right at home there, stretching across the rug. You looked for it all over the garden, and here it is, waiting in our own room. Funny moon. Now finish your milk.

⟨Character 1⟩ clicks off the lamp. The room turns silver with moonbeams. The puppy finishes his milk, sighs, and curls at ⟨Character 1⟩’s feet.

⟨Character 1⟩: Goodnight, little sleepy puppy. You found your moon. I found my sleep. Fair trade, I think. The laptop is shut. The cocoa is done. The coat is gone. Now I just have to fall asleep. Should be easy. It’s very quiet here. And warm.

The puppy snores, small and even. ⟨Character 1⟩’s eyes slide shut, one hand resting on the rug near the puppy’s paws. Outside, the moon keeps watch.