The Magic of Shadow Shapes

Moyin loved his school, especially the late-afternoon reading club. As the clock ticked toward five, the golden sun began to dip below the horizon, stretching long, spindly shadows across the classroom floor. Moyin was a kind boy who always noticed when someone needed a hand, but today, he felt a little shiver. The familiar desks and chairs looked strange and jagged in the dimming light.

The teacher asked Moyin to fetch a stack of cushions from the storage closet at the end of the hall. As he walked, the hallway lights flickered. Huge, dark shapes seemed to reach out from the corners. To Moyin, a tall coat rack looked like a looming giant, and the fluttering curtains looked like ghostly wings. His heart beat a little faster, thump-thump, thump-thump, against his ribs.

Suddenly, Moyin heard a small whimper coming from behind a stack of gym mats. He forgot his own fear and hurried over. It was little Sam, a first-grader who was trembling with his eyes squeezed shut. 'The shadows are going to grab me!' Sam whispered. Moyin knelt down beside him, his kind heart instantly focused on making his friend feel safe. He realized that the scary 'monster' was just a pile of hula hoops blocking the light.

Moyin took Sam’s hand and pointed to the wall. 'Look, Sam,' he said gently. 'Darkness is just a place where the light hasn't reached yet. It’s like a blank page.' Moyin moved his hand in front of a small nightlight, making a funny bunny shape on the wall. Sam giggled. They spent the next few minutes turning all the 'scary' shapes into silly animals, realizing that the shadows were just reflections of the things they already knew and loved.

By the time they walked back to the reading club, the hallway didn't feel spooky at all. Moyin felt proud of himself for being brave and kind. He learned that when you add a little bit of light—or a little bit of friendship—the darkness isn't scary anymore. It is just a quiet space waiting for the sun to return the next morning.