1,000 字以內的極短篇小說

Client: parents of Leo, 5, who loves trains and is afraid of the dark. Task: a 5-minute bedtime story where Leo is the hero and the dark turns out to be friendly.

Leo and the Night Train

One evening, just as Leo pulled the blanket up to his nose, he heard a soft toot-toot outside the window.

There, on rails made of moonlight, stood a little blue train. "I'm the Night Train," it whispered. "I carry dreams to every sleeping child. But my lamp has gone out, and I need a brave driver."

Leo looked at the dark garden. It was very dark. But the train looked even more worried than he felt. So Leo climbed into the cab.

As they rolled through the night, Leo saw that the dark was not empty at all. Owls waved their wings. Fireflies lit the tracks. The stars blinked, one, two, three, as if saying hello.

"The dark is just the night getting ready for dreams," said the train. And with every friend Leo greeted, its lamp glowed a little brighter, until it shone like a tiny moon.

When the last dream was delivered, the Night Train brought Leo home. "You were the bravest driver I've ever had," it said. "Shall I come back tomorrow?"

"Yes," said Leo, already half asleep. "Toot-toot."

Length: 260 words, about 5 minutes read slowly.