Mia floated on a small wooden boat, just big enough for her. The sea was as smooth as a sleeping cat. Stars were dropping themselves into the water like tiny seeds.
A sea turtle came up beside her. Its shell was wide and dark and warm.
"Hello," Mia said. She knew how to be quiet.
The turtle had something on its shell — a tiny star, no bigger than a button. The star was glowing, but only a little. It looked tired.
"Are you lost, little star?"
The star flickered.
Mia put out her small hand and the star rolled into her palm. It was warm, like a piece of bread fresh from the oven. She held it carefully, the way you hold a moth so it doesn't tear.
The turtle blinked at her, slow and kind.
"I know what to do," Mia said.
She lifted the little star up, up — toward the sky. She stood on her toes. The star fluttered. It blinked twice. And then, very gently, it floated up out of her palm and back into the sky, where its bigger friends were waiting.
The other stars all twinkled at once, as if to say, "Thank you, Mia."
The turtle let out a small bubbly breath. Mia smiled. The boat rocked her, soft as a lullaby.
The sea forgot to make any noise. Mia lay down. She watched the sky get fuller and fuller of stars, until it was a quilt of light. Far below, she could feel the turtle staying close — just to keep her company.
Her eyes grew heavy. The waves whispered shhh, shhh, shhh.
Mia smiled again. Tomorrow the sea would still be here. Tonight, she had helped a little star find its way home — and now her own sleep was finding its way to her.
She closed her eyes.