Ripley's POV

The night is warm. Ripley's father is excitedly making adjustments to a telescope sitting in the middle of their backyard. Ripley's mother hums from her chair on the porch. A cool breeze blows through the evening, keeping Ripley from sweating in the summer heat.

Ripley is playing on the swing, singing a song she learned at school the other day. Her little legs pump hard, so she swings higher and higher. If she tips her head back just a little, the stars stretch out, ...