Shhhh.
Hold your breath, you won’t want to make a sound tonight.
Throw the covers back and feel the crisp air greet you
Soak up the secure blanket of darkness the nighttime brings
And slowly sneak out, to the mysterious world of midnight that waits

Shhhh.
Creep across the floor, one step, one step, one step at a time
Careful! Not there! The floorboard creaks, singing out a tune to your parents’ room.
Don’t worry; soon enough you’ll know the maze, which floorboards can keep secrets and which have mouths that can’t keep shut.

Shhhh.
I’ll let you in on a secret: the trick is to not run down the stairs.
You must gently set one foot onto the bottom step first.
Let it sink into the plush carpet slowly, yet with the precision of a ballerina.
Lower, lower, lower you descend until you’re standing directly in front of the golden gate that leads to the your destination.


Shhhh.
The hardest obstacle of all is surely the front door.
The biggest traitor of them all, its wood will groan and surely ruin your plan.
So, first, my friend, gently grip the handle and move it slowly downwards
Then pull lightly and quickly too, until you are face-to-face with the dark, alluring night.

Shhhh.
Sound can still travel inside, so hurry! Close the door behind.
Stand here for a second, dare to look up into the pitch black eyes of the night.
So dark they seem, unreadable and distant. Yet it is the mystery it presents that’s made you curious in the first place.


Shhhh.
People are sleeping. People are snuggled in their beds, safe and sound at home.
But not you. No, you were too intrigued by something new and unfamiliar.
You - yes, you - wanted to see with your own eyes what events could occur underneath the gloomy night sky.
You wanted to taste the feeling of escaping the rules set up so carefully and so cautiously for really your own good.

Shhhh.
Listen to the wind whisper.
Listen to crickets sing.
Listen to the hum of outdoor lights.
Just listen.

You’ve made it! You’ve made it!
You’ve escaped it all from out of your bedroom and out into the world.
And though you may seem so captivated by the sweet feeling of success,
Dear friend, let me share with you my last bit of advice:

Though I may have helped you out the door,
You must realize now that, here in the night, actions still count.
Just because you may do something under the cover of a black sky,
Know that your actions may follow you throughout your whole life.

So, yes, you’ve escaped the overprotective chiefs that rule your house,
But as soon as the first streak of sunlight shall appear,
Just like Cinderella, you’ll be forced to retreat.
And just like Cinderella’s glass slipper did not disappear,
The crazy adventure you have won’t evaporate with the night either.

All I’m saying is be careful.
You have been warned,

Shhhh!
The night is a friend to no one at all.