Harper was a lively girl with bouncy curls, a strawberry hair clip, and a tiny bear purse she carried everywhere. She lived in a quiet little town, but she had a secret no one else knew—Harper could open the gateway to The Midnight Carnival.
Every night, at exactly 11:59 p.m., a sparkling breeze circled around her, and the forgotten forest path at the edge of town lit up like a runway of stars. Harper would smooth down her black dress, adjust the strawberry on her head, grab her little bear purse, and step into the glowing doorway.
The Midnight Carnival wasn’t for adults—it was only for kids who still believed in magic. The carousel sang old-fashioned tunes, the ferris wheel winked the moment she arrived, and the cotton candy at the snack stand floated gently into her hands. Harper quickly became the Carnival’s little hero because she was always ready to help.
One night, something went wrong. All the star-lights strung across the Carnival suddenly went dark. Without them, the magical world would fade away. Harper didn’t hesitate. With her bear purse bouncing at her side, she ran beneath the dark sky, gathering every piece of fallen starlight she could find.
When she finished, she lifted the glowing star fragments toward the sky. One by one, they rose—shining brighter than ever—and soon the entire Carnival sparkled again.
Since that night, whenever the town’s night sky looks especially bright, people like to say:
“Harper must be helping the Midnight Carnival shine again.”
