Far below the ground was the Underworld. It was not only dark. It had purple caves, blue stones, and tiny mushrooms that blinked like sleepy stars.
In a round little house lived a girl named Aurora the Vampire Slayer. Aurora wore yellow boots, a red cape, and a shiny moon badge. She was kind. She was brave too. She did not like hurting anyone. When a grumpy vampire came near, Aurora lifted her sun-lantern and said, “Shoo, shoo! Go home and have a nap!” The vampires always ran away to their cozy caves.
One soft night, Aurora’s lantern went blink.
Then it went blink-blink.
Then, oh dear, it went out.
The Underworld became very dim. The mushrooms stopped twinkling. The blue stones looked gray. Even the little cave fish hid under their rocks.
“Where did the light go?” Aurora asked.
A silver puff of smoke swirled beside her. Out stepped Sorceress. She had a tall purple hat and a warm, round smile. She carried a teapot full of sparkles.
“I saw a Living Shadow,” said Sorceress. “It slid through the Echo Tunnel. It may have taken the lantern’s glow.”
“Why?” asked Aurora.
“Perhaps it is lonely,” said Sorceress gently.
Then came a tap-tap-tap. Spellcaster arrived with a green scarf and a bag of funny magic tools. He was very clever, but his socks never matched. One was striped. One had ducks.
“I packed a rope, a bell, three biscuits, and a spoon,” said Spellcaster.
“A spoon?” Aurora asked.
“For important spoon jobs,” he said.
Aurora smiled. “Let’s go.”
They walked through the Echo Tunnel. Drip, drip, drip, went the cave water.
“Hello!” called Aurora.
“Hello, hello, hello!” called the tunnel back.
Spellcaster jumped. “So many Auroras!”
At the end of the tunnel, they found a black puddle moving across the floor. It had little wiggly arms. It had two pale eyes. It was the Living Shadow.
In its arms was a tiny golden glow. Aurora’s lantern light!
“Please give it back,” said Aurora in a calm voice.
The Living Shadow made a small sound. “No.”
“Are you mean?” asked Spellcaster.
The shadow shook its head.
“Are you sad?” asked Sorceress.
The shadow nodded.
“I live where nothing shines,” it whispered. “When I hold this glow, I am not scared.”
Aurora looked at the trembling shadow. She remembered how scary a dark room could feel.
“You need a light of your own,” she said.
Sorceress poured one sparkle from her teapot. It floated up, but it was too small. Spellcaster rang his bell. Ding! The sparkle grew a little. Aurora opened her red cape wide and held up her moon badge.
“Let’s all help,” she said.
The cave fish peeked out. The blinking mushrooms blinked. The blue stones gave a tiny shine. All the small lights of the Underworld came together.
Whoosh!
They made a soft gray lamp for the Living Shadow. It was not bright like the sun-lantern. It was gentle, like moonlight under a blanket.
The Living Shadow held the lamp. Its wiggly arms stopped shaking.
“For me?” it asked.
“For you,” said Aurora.
The shadow smiled. Yes, a shadow can smile. It gave back the golden glow.
Aurora placed it inside her lantern.
Blink.
Blink-blink.
Shine!
The whole Underworld lit up again. Purple caves glimmered. Blue stones sparkled. The mushrooms danced their little blinking dance.
The cave fish swam in circles and said, “Bubble-bubble hooray!”
Sorceress gave Aurora a gift: a small golden whistle shaped like a star.
“When someone is frightened,” said Sorceress, “blow this whistle. It will call kind lights to help.”
Spellcaster gave Aurora something too. From his bag, he pulled out a treasure box. Inside were seven bright moon-pebbles and, of course, one very important silver spoon.
“For your brave work,” he said.
Aurora laughed. “Thank you. I think the spoon is my favorite.”
The Living Shadow now lived near the Echo Tunnel with its gentle lamp. At night, it helped lost cave fish find home.
Aurora the Vampire Slayer walked back to her round little house. Her lantern shone. Her treasure box jingled. Her new star whistle rested by her moon badge.
And whenever the Underworld felt dark, Aurora remembered: a brave heart can carry light, and a kind hand can share it.