The Day And Night Cycle

• Sam Hughes, Grade 12, Heritage Christian School
• Short Story
• 2020

Finalist in the 'The Inside Story 2020' competition

She was the night and he was the day. Where he would brighten the planets, she would make the worlds seem to fall into slumber. In their favourite world where life thrived, they would meet every morning and every night just before it was the other's turn to bring the world to life. She was fine with that, for she looked forward to seeing him, even if it was for just a brief moment.

His light would sometimes radiate against her during her time, as radiant as he would become, but the people didn't appreciate it as much as his presence, for he brought not just the light but warmth, hope and growth. Where people thought she brought slumber, darkness and nightmares; one does not escape from till her turn is nearly but done. Everyone loves him, everyone adores him but after a while he noticed that she is never awarded not once for her time, almost like no-one cared about her existence, almost like some see her as an annoyance more than a relief, as most of the people slept through her presence, he never understood why. She may bring the dark, the slumber and half of the nightmares that scare the kids’ awake dead in the night. But in the cover of darkness she also brings life; the kings that would stalk their prey, the orange streaks in a field of sleeping stock and the other shadows that chased the small critters around in the dark. Of all shapes and sizes they hunted and played.
He couldn't change their opinions, this ripped him apart each day that turned by, so he kept her company, every sunrise and sunset, for that is the only time they were seen on an equal plane. Like yin and yang they were essential to life, even if one was loved more than the other, without one there wouldn't be the other, all the worlds would turn to chaos not just this one if there was only the light in the universe.
Sometimes you see them crying throughout the cycle of dark and light, as they wished for the people to understand...
"There is no light without the darkness"
-Mark Frost-