Submitted for the November 2025 prompt: Celestial Signals

As the sun set, the strange light show in the sky became visible once again. It was the second night in a row, and Tommy Edgewood stared up, mesmerized, from the small yard behind his house. It had rained earlier in the evening, and the grass was yet to dry, but Tommy paid that no mind. He lay flat on his back, cradling his head in his hands — and watched.

 

The flashes and streaks of green and gold came in sporadic bursts and never seemed to appear in the same place twice. Through his six-year-old eyes, it looked like magic. He thought back to what his mother had told him the previous night, trying to imagine what was really going on up there. Not an easy thing to do.

 

“Really, kiddo?” said Tommy’s mother, who was suddenly standing over him. “You’re wearing a white shirt. Unless you’re ready to take over the laundry duties around here, I need you to be more careful. Okay?”

 

“Yeah. Sorry. I just wanted to see the… sky… things. What are they called again?”

 

Sighing, his mother planted her hands on her hips and let her eyes fall closed for an overlong blink. “Honestly, kiddo, it’s getting late, and I’m tired. I think we all are. Let’s get tucked in for the night, and I’ll tell you all about it again tomorrow. Sound good?”

 

“Please, Mom. I’ll go to bed right after. I promise.”

 

Instead of answering right away, Tommy’s mother stared off into the distance — not at the sky — and sighed again. Finally, she said, “Okay. Real quick, but then you’re going to bed. Got it?”

 

Tommy nodded.

 

“They’re called sky serpents. A serpent is like a snake, but the ones up there are much, much bigger than any snakes that live down here on Earth. Sky serpents are peaceful creatures that live among the stars, and they don’t visit here often. But when they do, they put on this beautiful light show.”

 

“It is beautiful,” Tommy agreed.

 

“Yes, it is. Some people say it’s also good luck. They say that when sky serpents appear above us, it means good things are about to happen.”

 

“Alright. Thanks, Mom.”

 

Without another word, Tommy picked himself up, kissed his mother on the cheek, and headed off to bed.

 

* * *

 

Tommy’s mother found her husband still awake, sitting up in bed with an unopened book resting on his lap.

 

“I don’t think it was a good idea,” he whispered, “telling him all that. He’s not that little anymore. And he’s a smart kid. So is his brother. We can’t keep them away from the newsfeed forever.”

 

“We can keep them away from it for a while,” she whispered back. “I hope. The longer, the better.”

 

“And what about when a burning piece of starfighter comes tumbling down out of the sky? What are we supposed to say then?”

 

Tommy’s mother sighed and said, “Then we’ll… figure it out. When we have to. Right now, all I want is for them to get a good night’s sleep without worrying about the end of the world.”

 

* * *

 

“I don’t get it,” whispered Tommy’s brother from the bottom bunk. “If you know the sky serpents aren’t real, and so does Mom, then why pretend you believe in them?”

 

Tommy thought about that for a moment before whispering back. “Mom and Dad seem so tired lately. They’ll never get to sleep if they’re worried about us worrying about the end of the world."