Status Updates From The Darkest Dark

He'd seen that the darkness of the universe was so much bigger and deeper than the darkness in his room, but he was not afraid. He wanted to explore every corner of the night sky.

For the first time, Chris could see the power and mystery and velvety black beauty of the dark.

[2/2]

That night, Chris did a little experiment. He turned off all the lights in his room, even the night-light. It was still dark. Very, very dark. There were still shadows that looked a little, well, alien.
Nothing had changed.

But Chris had changed.

[1/2]

The grown-ups huddled around the TV were amazed. Their whole lives long, they'd never expected to see this sight. Even Chris (who had been to the Moon just the night before) was amazed. He'd never really noticed how dark it was there.
Outer space was the darkest dark ever.

They tucked Chris in.
They turned on the night light.
They even gave him a special bell to ring if he was nervous.

Clang.

Clang! Clang!

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

They took away the bell.

"You're a big boy now," said Chris's father. "You have to sleep in your own bed."
And Chris tried, he really did, but his room was dark. Very, very dark.
The kind of dark that attracts the worst sort of aliens.
But his parents meant it.
Chris. Was. Going. To. Sleep. In. His. Own. Bed. Tonight.