The sun was slipping behind the rooftops when Dad came home.
“Put on your jacket, Steve,” he said. “Tonight, you are coming with me to close the zoo.”
Steve’s eyes grew wide. He pulled on his jacket, buttoned it crookedly, and hurried outside.
At the zoo, Dad gave him a small silver flashlight.
“My very own?” asked Steve.
“Your very own,” said Dad.
Steve clicked it on. Bright. Round. Ready.
The last visitors went home, and the great zoo gate closed behind them.
Clink. Clank. Click.
Steve had never seen the zoo without people.
But it was not quiet yet.
The elephant trumpeted. The monkeys chattered. The parrots squawked. The penguins splashed and the lion cubs rumbled.
The zoo was full of evening sounds.
Above them, the moon peeked over the trees.
“Let’s see who is ready for bed,” said Steve.
They visited the elephant first.
She filled her trunk with water and sprayed one last silvery fountain into the air.
Whoooosh!
Then she folded her legs beneath her and laid down. Her big ears stopped flapping. Her trunk rested on the ground like a garden hose after someone had turned off the water.
Steve shone his flashlight very gently.
“Good night, Elephant. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo grew a little quieter.
Five monkeys were still swinging through the branches.
Five monkeys bounced. Four monkeys yawned. Three monkeys cuddled close. Two monkeys tucked their tails around each other. And one tiny monkey tried to keep one eye open.
But not for long.
Soon, all five were curled together in one warm, furry bundle.
“Good night, Monkeys. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo grew a little quieter.
The parrots were talking in their cosy house.
“Hello!” “Lovely day!” “Crunchy cracker!” “Lovely crunchy hello!”
One by one, they tucked their bright heads beneath their wings.
The last parrot blinked sleepily. “Gooood niiiight,” she mumbled.
Then she closed her eyes.
“Good night, Parrots. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo grew a little quieter.
The giraffe was ready for bed.
But where could she put such a long neck?
She tried resting her head on a branch. Too scratchy.
She tried resting it on a tall rock. Too hard.
At last, she curled her neck around and placed her head softly upon her own back.
Steve smiled.
“Good night, Giraffe. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo grew quieter still.
The penguins gathered beneath the moon.
One stood beside another. And another. And another. They made a small, warm circle.
One penguin leaned to the left. One leaned to the right. The tiniest penguin stood safely in the middle.
Soon, only their soft breathing could be heard.
“Good night, Penguins. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo grew quieter still.
Inside the aquarium, the water glowed blue.
The little fish floated silently between the rocks. Their eyes were open.
Steve stopped. “Dad, aren’t the fish tired?”
“They are sleeping,” Dad whispered. “Fish do not have eyelids, so they rest with their eyes open.”
Steve watched a little golden fish rocking gently in the water.
“Good night, Fish. Now you are sleeping too.”
And the zoo became very quiet.
A soft rustle came from the old tree.
Steve lifted his flashlight.
Two golden eyes looked back at him.
An owl sat awake upon a branch.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Steve asked.
“I sleep in the daytime,” said the owl. “At night, I watch over the zoo.”
Steve felt warm and safe.
“Good night, Owl,” he whispered. “You can keep watch.”
The owl blinked slowly. The moon climbed higher.
Near the lion house, one little cub was still awake.
He turned one way. Then the other. He patted his bed with a paw.
“I can’t sleep,” he sighed.
Dad knelt beside him.
“The elephant is sleeping,” Dad whispered. “The five monkeys are cuddled together. The parrots have said their last good night. The giraffe’s head is resting on her back. The penguins are warm in their circle. And the little fish are rocking gently in the water.”
The lion cub gave a tiny yawn.
“And the owl is watching over every—”
But the cub was already asleep.
“Good night, little Lion. Now you are sleeping too,” whispered Steve.
And the whole zoo was still.
Dad locked the final gate. Click.
Steve’s flashlight no longer danced across the trees. Its small circle of light rested on the path before his feet.
Steve walked slowly. His legs felt heavy. His eyelids felt heavier.
Dad lifted him into his arms.
Steve placed his head on Dad’s shoulder, just like the giraffe.
The little flashlight slipped gently into Dad’s hand.
At home, Dad tucked Steve beneath his blanket.
The moon had climbed all the way to his window.
“The elephant is sleeping,” Steve murmured. “The monkeys are sleeping. The parrots are sleeping. The giraffe is sleeping. The penguins are sleeping. The fish are sleeping. The little lion is sleeping…”
“And the owl?” whispered Dad.
“Watching over everyone.”
Steve closed his eyes.
The zoo was asleep.
Steve was asleep.
And you?
Commentary