Orion and the Dark (2024) Movie Script
1
Hi. My name's Orion.
I'm a kid, just like you,
so we have that in common.
Anyhow, I saw you sitting there
by yourself
and thought maybe you'd like some company.
I know I would.
So that's why I'm walking up to you
right now and...
Walking right past you.
Why, you ask?
Because, Sally,
I'm afraid.
Afraid of what, you want to know?
So much, really.
But in this case,
rejection, humiliation...
that you might tell your friends,
and they would all laugh at me.
And it's not just you
I'm afraid of, Sally.
And not just girls in general.
It's most things, to be candid.
It's tuna. What do you have?
It would be kinda nice to know.
The school counselor told me
to document my fears in some form.
That's why I keep a sketchbook.
It's my way of trying to manage my issues.
Take page 14, for example.
My fear of clogging the toilet...
...and flooding the whole entire school.
Thank God.
I'm also afraid of giving
the wrong answer in class.
Who can tell me
which explorer first reached India by sea?
- Me, me, me!
- A tricky situation.
Mrs. Spinoza usually calls on kids
who don't raise their hands.
But raising my hand so she won't
call on me is a dangerous strategy.
Therefore I try to look invisible.
But at the same time, not too invisible.
I know the answer is Vasco da Gama.
It's the answer to a great many questions
in the fifth grade,
but I'm afraid if called on,
I might say "Gasco da Vama",
or "Dasco ga Vama."
Everyone would laugh.
Mrs. Spinoza, I know!
Yes? Lisa?
- Vasco da Gama.
- Very good, Lisa.
I'm not a real big fan of Lisa.
But to be fair,
there are a lot of things
I'm not a big fan of.
Murderous gutter clowns
are high on my list.
Cell phone waves giving me cancer.
Hi, Grandma.
Mosquito bites getting infected.
Falling off a skyscraper.
- Saying "good morning."
-"Goob dorning!"
Bees. Dogs. The ocean.
I'm afraid of being responsible
for my team losing.
Hey, Orion, catch!
And of course,
I'm afraid of locker rooms.
Because A, what sane person isn't?
You okay, Gabe?
And B...
...Richie Panici.
Well, well, well, look who it is.
Cryin' Orion!
Hey, Richie.
Wear pants much?
I'm afraid of being humiliated
by Richie Panici.
Afraid of being punched by him.
Also, I'm afraid of...
Okay, what if I punch him back?
And his nose goes into his brain,
and he dies.
That can happen, the nose
and the brain thing. Look it up.
I'll go to juvie.
Plus, I'll have to live
with the guilt of--
Hey! I asked if you wear pants much.
Don't be rude.
Yes, I do wear pants.
Much?
What's that pad you always got?
"I'm afraid of monsters,
bees, haircuts, dogs...
the ocean, Richie Panici..."
Hey! I'm famous! Thanks!
Wait. You drew me dead!
No one draws me dead!
I'm hereby "consificating" this
on account of its rudeness to me,
Richie Panici.
If I weren't so scared,
I would tell you that that's my property.
That I put my heart and soul into it,
and that you had no right
to grab it from me.
I would also tell you
that the word is "confiscating."
Thank you, Richie.
Whatever.
I don't know why I thanked him.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
And don't forget to leave
your permission slips on my desk.
The bus for the planetarium leaves
on Monday at nine a.m. sharp.
No. I was hoping Mrs. Spinoza
would've forgotten about the field trip.
This is gonna be so fun!
Fun? It sounds fun to you, Lisa?
Are you insane?
This field trip sounds terrifying.
Getting packed like sardines
into a rusty school bus
with 30 other kids
speeding down the highway?
Sounds like a traffic accident
waiting to happen.
I should know.
I've studied the actuarial charts.
And all those giant models of
our solar system hanging from the ceiling?
I mean, how long
have those things been up there?
A hundred years?
Plus, what if I end up having
to sit next to Sally at the planetarium,
and our hands touch?
I'll have a panic attack.
It'll become a running joke
around the school,
and I'll never know the joy
of a meaningful human connection!
Orion, do you have your permission slip?
I was afraid
she was gonna say that.
Um, my parents won't let me go
to the planetarium.
Yeah, they don't believe in, space.
Yeah, um, it's a whole thing.
She's over here.
Hey, Orion.
I'm super excited for the field trip.
So, um, I was wondering
if maybe you wanted to sit together?
While we're there?
If I weren't so scared,
I'd tell you, "Of course I do, Sally.
Of course I wanna hang out with you.
To be frank, I've never wanted
anything more, but to do that,
I'd have to be able to not constantly
obsess over every negative thing
that could possibly happen..."
That's my mom. I gotta go.
See you at the planetarium, Orion!
No, you won't.
Page 17 in my sketch book.
I'm afraid my parents will move away
while I'm at school.
I don't know why I fear this.
The counselor at school
doesn't have any theories.
My parents certainly seem
nice enough, he says.
And I think he's correct.
Hi, honey!
- Hi, Mom.
- How was school?
- Fine.
- I made you oatmeal cookies.
how'd that get there?
Your father found it
stuffed under the couch.
I think you mean
in between the couch cushions?
- Wanna talk about it?
- Not really.
You should go. It'll be fun.
I'm not so sure about that.
Orion, bud, I get it.
These kind of things can be scary.
But that's the thing.
It's okay to be nervous.
More than okay, in fact. It's normal.
The trick is not to let your fear
get in the way of living your life.
It's true.
Otherwise, I never would've proposed.
Sometimes, you just have
to feel the fear and do it anyway.
I love my parents,
and I appreciate
what they're trying to do, but...
that is, without question,
the worst advice I've ever heard.
It looks like this is
the end of the line for us, guys.
No. This is terrible.
This cartoon
is completely unrealistic.
Recyclable items
do not have eyes or personalities.
They do not go on adventures.
I don't appreciate being condescended to.
Real life is way more
complicated than that.
- And reincarnation is wishful thinking.
- Wow!
For plastic containers
and people.
In real life, when you're dead,
you're dead.
The realization that there's no way
around it terrifies me.
I try to imagine what death is like.
I've concluded it's like nothing.
I try to imagine nothing.
This is black and silent, not nothing.
Blackness and silence is something.
Nothing is perhaps
the one unimaginable thing.
Orion!
Bedtime.
- All tucked in?
- Yes.
Teeth brushed?
All right, buddy. Sleep well.
Goodnight, Orion.
Wait!
Um, how about a quick bedtime story?
You know,
for old times' sake.
Orion, we've talked about this.
Here's a good one. Nice and weighty.
Perfect for bedtime.
Um, I'm not sure we have the time
for David Foster Wallace tonight.
Okay.
You know,
we'll always be here for you, Orion.
But please, stay in bed tonight?
Mom and I need our sleep.
Okay, I will. But...
could you at least
leave the door open tonight?
All right, bud. Say when.
Okay. A little more open?
Here okay?
Actually, a little more.
- Here?
- Good! Yes!
Actually, just a tad bit more?
- Thanks.
- Goodnight, sweetie.
- Goodnight, son.
- Night, Mom. Night, Dad.
Okay. This isn't so bad.
I take it back!
This is bad! Very, very bad!
It's literally the worst!
Because of all the things I'm afraid of,
I'm most afraid of the dark.
No.
It's an old house. Houses settle.
Nothing to worry about.
My parents have work in the morning.
They need their rest.
Can't I just put myself
in their shoes for once?
No! No, no, no, no! No!
Curse you, darkness!
What cruel aberrations hide
within your inky cloak of... darkness?
Why can't you just leave me alone?
Alone... Alone...
Okay! That's it! I've had it with you!
Every single night
with the constant screaming
and the carrying on and whatnot!
Seven nights a week, 365 nights a year.
It's nonstop!
- What are you?
- Isn't that obvious?
The room's dark. It's dark out.
Hello? I'm Dark. Ta-da!
There it is again.
You know, there are a lot of people
that are scared of me.
But you,
you're on a whole different level.
Of all the kids
who are terrified of the dark,
you are by far the loudest,
the most obnoxious,
and frankly, the most hurtful.
And that's no small feat.
You've got
some pretty healthy competition.
Check it out.
Millions of people are afraid of the dark.
- You're keeping a list?
- Yes, I'm keeping a list.
Do you know how many kids
are afraid of me?
It's giving me a complex.
This is just volume one, by the way.
Dark doesn't exist!
Dark doesn't exist!
Then why are you having
a conversation with me?
You know what I mean.
Dark is simply the absence of light.
Not a stupid cartoon character.
Here we go.
Look, you humans have always had
weird ways of conceptualizing me.
I'm not listening to you. You know why?
Because you're not real!
I'm very real.
Here, check it out.
I even made a little movie about myself.
You know, to offer
a different perspective on darkness.
It's kind of a passion project.
Dark has existed
for over five hundred million years,
since early life on Earth
developed light-sensitive proteins.
So?
You didn't like it.
I'm just trying to offer up
some food for thought.
Everyone is against me.
It didn't get into Sundance.
And it's so much better
than half of the movies there.
It's such a boys' club.
I mean, it's good.
It's a little short, though,
for someone who's been around
for over five hundred million years.
But, you know, concise is good.
Listen, I didn't ask
to be a supernatural entity
that evokes dread and despair.
I'm just a regular guy
trying to do my job.
But people always pick on me.
Truth is, almost everyone is scared of me.
Or hates me.
Or thinks I'm evil.
Some people think I'm nothing.
Hurts a guy.
Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--
No, it's okay.
You know, and I-I like people.
That's the thing.
It's just that so much
of how you see yourself
is through the eyes of others,
you know?
I just wish people would give me a chance.
I know how you feel.
A lot of kids at school pick on me, too.
Richie Panici, Davis Jensen,
Howard Helstrom,
Isaac Pill, Rebecca Warren.
She moved, but she still sends me
threatening letters on my birthday.
Which is sort of nice.
Yeah. Thoughtful.
I just wanna not be afraid anymore.
Yeah, that'd be nice.
Then maybe I wouldn't have
to hear you screaming every night.
Tell you what.
I think I've got a way to fix this.
You come watch me do my job for one night,
and you'll finally see
that I'm nothing to be afraid of.
You'll learn to appreciate
the beauty of the night,
instead of being
so terrified all the time.
So what do you say?
- Are you in, or are you in?
- I'm...
definitely not in.
Yeah, of course you're not. Well, fine.
If you wanna spend
the rest of your life paralyzed by fear,
be my guest, but that's on you.
- Wear pants much?
- Hey, Orion, catch!
Cryin' Orion! Cryin' Orion!
Hey, Orion.
I'm super excited for the field trip...
Okay, I'll go!
Mr. Dark?
I knew you'd come around!
Let's shake on it, you know?
Make it official.
See? Nothing to it.
Wait, wait, wait.
I know what you're doing, Dad.
What do you mean?
By telling me this story.
- I'm not doing anything.
- Yes, you are.
You're telling me a story about
how you overcame your fear of the dark
to try and help me overcome
my fear of the dark.
- Well, I--
- But it's not gonna work.
Fear of the dark
is an evolutionary adaptation
that people developed to protect
themselves from nocturnal predators.
Wow. You've done your research.
I wrote a poem about it.
"Hypatia the poet." I love that!
It's one poem, Dad.
I think that counts.
It's not very good.
I'm sure it is. Can I hear it?
No!
All I'm saying
is that fear of the dark is natural.
It's hardwired in us,
so there's nothing we can do about it.
Right. Well, in that case,
- I guess I'll just say goodnight and--
- Wait!
I'm not saying it's not a good story,
and I don't wanna hear it.
I'm just letting you know
that I know what you're doing,
and it's not going to work.
Okay, I got it.
So, you and Dark
were flying off into the night...
So, Dark and I
were flying off into the night...
Pretty great, right?
If by "pretty" and "great", you mean
"terrifying" and "awful", then yes!
I'm gonna get you to overcome
your fears if it kills me!
And I'm immortal, by the way,
so I've got all the time in the world.
I thought we'd start
with a little tour of what I like to call,
"the virtues of night."
See?
Without me, you wouldn't be able to see
all the wrinkles on the actors' faces.
So far, you're a terrible salesman.
Are you too terrified
to try your best?
Hey? Pretty awesome?
I'm allergic to fireflies.
Not allergic to stars, though!
But I am allergic to dying!
We're way too high!
You're allergic to living.
- What?
- Nothing!
It feels so real in my sleep
Go ahead. Put your hand in the water.
So a shark can bite it off?
Are you insane?
No, so you can see the beauty
of the ocean at night.
You are familiar with the concept
of "fun", are you not?
"Fun" is just a word people made up
to make danger sound more appealing!
Look at that!
You can't have fireworks without the dark!
Technically, you can set them off
at any time of day.
Yeah, I guess.
It'd be pretty lame, though.
Beauty is in the contrast.
Hey, are you closing your eyes?
I'm protecting my retinas!
- Come on! Open them!
- No!
You're missing out on all the fun.
Absolutely not!
- Open your eyes!
- No way!
But that defeats the whole purpose!
- Not my purpose!
- It's for your own good.
You see how much better that is?
Kid? Kid? Kid!
Gotcha!
- My God! My God! My God!
- It was an accident.
You dropped me! I could have died!
I wanna go home!
Don't worry. I'm going to bring you home.
- Eventually.
- Eventually, when?
Hey, look! You can see the Big Dipper.
It's really quite beautiful
this time of year.
When are you bringing me home?
Great question. Very probing.
In 24 hours.
- So, anyway, back to the stars...
- 24 hours?
Yeah, well, that's how
the whole night and day thing works.
It's a 24-hour cycle.
I can't go backwards.
- What? Why not?
- Look, I better get moving.
But, hey, if you wanna walk home
in the middle of nowhere,
- in the dead of night, all by yourself--
- Wait, wait, wait!
I can't walk home by myself!
It's like 100 miles away!
All right then.
Looks like you've gotta come
with me after all.
Buckle up and hold on to your hat
because your mind is about to be blown.
Are you covering your eyes again?
- I plead the Fifth.
- Really?
Do you have any idea how many people
would love to be you right now?
- Zero?
- A lot!
The answer is a lot!
Because I'm the coolest Entity
of all time!
Because that's what you are
when there's no other Entity
that has ever existed
that people like better than you.
Good morning, everybody.
Right on time and so, so fine.
It's going to be 75 and sunny.
Low humidity and a cool breeze
coming out of the west.
Gonna be fun, fun, fun
in the sun, sun, sun.
But, let's be honest, when is it not?
God, I love this job.
Okay, so we got off
to a little bit of a shaky start
with the whole "dropping you
and almost killing you" thing.
But we can't dwell on that because
we've got a lot of work to do, kid.
And in a way,
my job is the most fundamental.
I show up every night, and I bring it.
- Bring what?
- Dark.
And it's probably
the most important job, too,
because without darkness,
the others don't get to do their bits.
What do you mean "the others"?
The other Night Entities.
Wait, there's more?
Raise. In or out, Insomnia?
I'm thinking. I'm always thinking.
You know that.
Can't seem to stop my brain.
Think, think, think!
Crap. I'm out.
What about you, Quiet?
- Call.
- Call.
You're up, Sleep.
What?
Royal flush?
Unbelievable.
Gosh darn it!
What happened? What did I miss?
You won.
Wonderful.
Pleasure doing business with you.
Great.
Wait, wait. Why are we going in here?
Well, kid, it's break time!
The other Night Entities and I
take one every new time zone.
We're fun, you're gonna love us.
- Heya, gang, what's up!
- Heya, Dark!
Welcome back!
Great work tonight, guys.
- You brought the kid?
- Dark brought the kid!
So irresponsible!
Unbelievable!
Are you nuts?
Well, this is the opposite of encouraging.
I've got this.
Orion, allow me to introduce you
to the other Night Entities.
There's Sleep, Quiet,
Insomnia, Unexplained Noises,
and, of course, the most creative
and poetic of us all,
Sweet Dreams.
You brought the Screamer?
The kid who's afraid of everything!
Is this your latest attempt at trying to
convince the world that you're not so bad?
Helping random children
to boost your fragile self-esteem
is not in our job description!
Whoa. That is insightfully harsh.
Do you have any idea
how many things could go wrong?
I mean, what if he freaks out
and slows you down,
and you know who finally catches up,
and you get obliterated,
and the concept
of darkness ceases to exist,
and the fabric of the universe
is permanently and irreparably altered?
- That's a thing that can happen?
- Seems unlikely.
All right. Enough of this nonsense.
I'm sorry, honey,
but Dark never should've brought you here.
You're just gonna have
to find your own way home. Okay?
Now, come on, everyone.
Break time's over!
Some of us have work to do.
Wait!
One night could change everything!
I got 24 hours with this kid.
We help him overcome his fear of the dark
and all his nightly screaming,
and all that interference with your jobs
just goes away.
All right, fine.
Just make sure he stays out of my hair.
Absolutely. Not a problem.
Won't be in your hair at all.
- Did you mean that?
- What?
You really think you can fix everything
I'm afraid of in one night?
One night can change everything.
- Hey, what's that light?
- Light? What light? I don't see any light.
The one behind you that you're trying
to keep me from seeing.
Me? Keep you from seeing?
That's cuckoo banana talk.
Not so close.
I don't think they like me.
What? That's ridiculous.
You're totally likeable.
They called me night enemy number one
and said I ruin their jobs.
Yeah, admittedly, they didn't make
the best first impression.
But just wait
until you see them in action.
It's totally inspiring.
And not scary at all.
Yes, sleep is responsible
for making sure
all the creatures of the world
go to sleep at night.
She's down there
making everyone go to sleep?
Yeah!
You gotta watch, it's really fascinating.
- What?
- Don't worry, she's a professional,
and it's a magic pillow.
...and compare them to
our air fried quinoa.
I love quinoa. Yes!
My God.
Please tell me that's magic chloroform.
Yeah... Magic.
...restless creatures walk more
than 3,000 miles in the seasons ahead.
You're a cutie pie, aren't you?
Stop! No!
Stop!
Dark!
Do you mind? I can't have
this blabbermouth freaking out
while I'm trying to get work done!
None of what you're doing is okay!
Smothering someone with a pillow?
Chloroform? A hammer?
Not to mention,
questions of hygiene with that kiss.
Listen, I've been doing
this job for thousands of years.
I think I know what I'm doing, kid.
And these lips are clean!
Clean.
Thanks for letting us see
how the sausage gets made!
I don't know
if I'll ever be able to sleep again.
Right.
Well, if you're staying up all night
then I've got just the Entity for you.
Insomnia is the best impressionist
I've ever met.
He makes himself sound like
the person he's keeping up,
and then whispers worrisome things
in their ears.
Why is that even a job?
You're just great
at making friends, aren't you?
- Not really.
- Yeah, that tracks.
Now, watch
and learn.
Classic Insomnia.
Why did I say that to Michelle?
She's gonna think I'm an idiot.
Well, I'm pretty sure I'm getting fired.
I'm never going to meet my deadline!
She's sleeping pretty soundly.
I'm gonna have to pull out
the big guns for this one.
Who can tell me the capital of Delaware?
The capital of Delaware is D.
- Who can tell me the capital of Delaware?
- The capital of Delaware is D.
All those sleepless nights
were because of him?
What a jerk--
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You think I'm the one doing that to you?
Nuh-pally. I'm just a megaphone
for the thoughts people already got.
Don't follow me around
with this kid anymore, Dark. Okay?
He's very judgy.
I'm not judgy... Am I?
And we're walking.
Of course, none of us could do our jobs
without a little help from Quiet.
It's too quiet!
- Quiet... Quiet... Quiet...
- Enough with that dog!
We told you that this kid
would ruin everything, and he is!
I'm not some kinda glorified babysitter.
I need absolute concentration
to do my job,
and I can't have this kid getting
in the way and screwing everything up!
Now, get him out of here,
so I can get back to business...
And focus on doing my job!
Okay, got it.
What'd she say?
Was it about me?
I'm gonna be honest.
I never have any idea what she's saying.
But she did look pretty angry.
Unexplained Noises.
Come on, this way.
Hey, hey, what's up?
I'm thinking this moment
calls for a crunching sound,
with the tiniest hint of scraping.
What was that?
Mommy, Daddy! I'm hearing noises!
Yes. I'm really making an impact.
This is so messed up!
- Hey! It's okay, kid! It's not real--
- Can you not...
You're upsetting
the delicate balance of nature.
You may not understand it,
but we're doing very important jobs here!
I mean, in the kid's defense,
a lot of your job does involve
creeping around and scaring children.
I don't have to explain myself
to either of you.
The fact is,
his very presence
threatens to destroy
the fabric of the universe
as we know it!
Don't let her get to you.
Her honk is a lot worse than her bite.
And, hey, I've saved the best for last.
So get ready, and hold on tight!
There she is.
You mean, all those colors?
Yep. That's Dreams doing her thing.
If seeing her work can't make you
appreciate the beauty of nighttime,
- then nothing can.
- What do you mean see her work?
Hey! Shh! Keep it down.
She's working her magic.
All right, what's churning
in your subconscious tonight, Irene?
Okay. A lot of anxiety about work.
Big presentation tomorrow.
Not sure you're ready
for this one, Irene.
Really need to impress your boss. Got it.
And your daughter found a rescue cat
that she wants you to adopt.
Mommy, can we keep him?
Good material tonight.
Now, let's work it all out.
You're confidently
giving your presentation.
If we just re-use the coil
from our winding mechanism,
we can reduce
our manufacturing costs by 30%.
Everyone's loving it.
Irene! Irene!
I think you've earned this, Irene.
World's most competent employee?
Mommy!
You're the best mommy ever!
That was one hell
of a presentation, Irene.
I definitely think
you're getting that promotion.
Mommy. Can we please keep him?
Yes, of course we can!
Whoo!
We love you, Irene!
Amazing, she's amazing.
You're amazed, right?
Yeah. She's pretty great.
I told you.
You know, this reminds me of a dream I had
where I was giving a class presentation.
But instead of cheering,
everyone was booing me.
And the weirdest part was, my classroom
was actually a dentist's office.
Wha...
What the... I didn't conjure that.
- That's a coincidence, right?
- Definitely. It has to be.
Right. Because otherwise,
if I said something random,
like, I don't know, "evil cucumber"...
Wha...?
Hey there, Irene.
Time for your yearly check-up!
What the heck is going on?
Dark?
No! Off-limits!
You promised to keep him out of my hair!
Look, I need to inspire him,
and your work's
the most inspirational stuff
- in the whole night time.
- Sorry about the cucumber.
Usually.
Stop! Don't say one more word.
Creating a dream is a very delicate art.
That means anything you say,
or even think, could influence the dream.
- Got it?
- Anything I think?
You thought of something scary,
didn't you?
What? What did you think of now?
Just a kid from my school.
Who?
Richie Panici.
Run!
You've been "consificated".
The word is "confiscated"!
Cryin' Orion! Cryin' Orion!
Ever had a swirly before, Orion?
I mean, he can't like get hurt
or anything, can he?
No, it's impossible
to get hurt in a dream.
- Well, that's a relief.
- Unless, of course, he dies.
- Then he dies in real life.
- Wait, what?
Kid, you need to get out of here,
or it's going to end very, very badly!
I'm very aware of that!
Come on, Orion!
Think of something to get us out of here!
Come on! Think, think, think!
Wait! Page 14 of my sketchbook.
Clogging the toilet
and flooding the entire school.
No!
Kid!
Hang on, Orion!
What the heck was that?
Kid, you're either extremely disturbed
or extremely creative.
You're extremely lucky.
That could've been a disaster.
But it wasn't a complete disaster.
You know why?
Because you looked your fears in the eye
and showed them what's what!
Okay, let's try that again.
You know what you do,
you just put your hand like this and we...
Is it me, or am I more excited
about this than you are?
I didn't overcome anything.
Kid, I was there.
I saw it with my own two eyes.
What you saw was me
being terrified and trying not to die.
Now that you mention it,
it did kind of have
an air of mortal desperation.
But that doesn't make it
any less impressive!
Dark, you're not listening.
I didn't overcome my fears.
I'm still just as scared as ever.
I know for a fact you're wrong,
and I can prove it.
- I sincerely doubt that.
- Yeah, Mr. Smarty Pants?
Try this one on for size.
You're not still afraid of me.
Are you?
I'm not scared of you.
See?
That's what I'm talking about.
You know, my daughter's gonna love
that we're becoming friends.
I knew you'd start warming up to me.
Hold on, aren't you
too young to have a daughter?
My future daughter.
You're wacko, kid.
Wait.
So, are you saying that you could see
into the future when you were a kid?
I guess. I don't know.
I'm just kind of riffing here.
- Is that a bad idea?
- No. I don't know.
The story is great.
I like that you made
Light a character, too.
Is he coming back,
or was that just like a guest appearance?
Possibly.
Like I said, I'm just riffing.
I don't know how you keep making
all this stuff up.
Well, you could definitely
make up a story like this.
No, I couldn't.
It's just... Is it too much stuff?
Like you're already traveling around
the world with magical Night Entities,
and now you can predict the future, too?
Gilding the lily?
I don't know what that means.
- It means what you said.
- Then, yeah.
That's a terrific point.
I'm going to remove
the "predicting the future" element.
No more predictions from me
as young Orion.
You sure?
I mean, it's kind of cool and funny, so...
Nope! It's gone.
Okay.
I'm lost. Where were we?
You were flying through the night
with Dark again.
Right. So Dark and I were
flying through the night again,
only this time, it was different.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
You're right, you really can see
every wrinkle on the actors' faces!
Like rings on a log.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
If you could blow up the world
With the flick of a switch
Would you do it?
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
I mean, I guess it kind of
looks like a belt.
Know what it looks like to me?
A robot waiting for a hug.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
And so we cannot know ourselves
Or what we'd really do
With all your power
Whoa.
Is that a gas smell?
Did I remember to turn the oven off?
Nothing is working!
Okay, let's see. Which tape to use?
Which tape here...
- Hello!
- What did I tell you, kid?
What if life is a cosmic accident...
- What! No, no, no.
- ...and my existence has no meaning?
- Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, no!
- Mommy!
That's it.
- I gotta get back into therapy.
- Wow, kid! You go deep.
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
What was that?
Honey, I think I heard something.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Do you know how much I pay
for you by the hour? Wait for once, okay?
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
What would you do?
With all your power
With all your power
Mommy! Mommy!
Sweetie, what's wrong?
I got scared.
I hate the dark so much.
Come on, everyone.
I hear the tea is exceptional here.
Hey, Dark. Thanks by the way.
For what?
You know, all of this.
Showing me that there's more to night
than just the darkness.
Don't mention it.
That kid back there?
Don't listen to him.
He doesn't know what he's talking about.
- Maybe he does.
- He doesn't.
I was the same way, remember?
He's just afraid.
Yeah.
I know what it's like to be afraid, too.
You? What could you possibly be afraid of?
I guess I'm afraid
that everyone's right about me.
That I'm not a good guy,
and I'm just as scary as everyone says.
Hey, Dark? Remember when you told me
you're actually a really great guy?
And I didn't believe you?
Yeah.
I'm starting to believe you.
Aw, thanks.
You know, you really have come a long way.
I don't know about that.
That's it. Let's get back to work.
- Time to go.
- Okay. Time to get sleepy.
Welp, come on.
That's our cue. Break's over.
Orion, you dropped this.
Thanks, Quiet.
Don't mention it.
All right, kid, you ready? Hop on.
You gotta be kidding me.
- Who is he?
- That is Light. He's Dark's nemesis.
I like him, for some reason.
He makes me feel safe.
Like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket.
You know,
if you're into that kind of thing.
"Ooh, look at me. I'm so bright!"
I've got tricks too, you know.
But unlike some of us, I like to leave
a little to the imagination,
instead of rubbing it in everyone's face.
Come on, Dark.
Do we really have to
go through this every time?
Go through what?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Your attitude,
your lateness, your insecurity.
How you doing, kid?
Um, hi!
It's always the same routine
with you, man.
I show up, you feel inadequate,
then you start to project
your insecurities onto me.
Every day, I bring brightness
and hope to the world,
and you bring the exact opposite.
That's not... I'm...
I do more than that.
Wait, really? Like what?
Like, a lot of stuff.
I would love to tell you all about it,
but I don't really have
the time right now.
Finally, something we can both agree on.
Welp, I'm bringing daylight through here
in about three seconds,
so if you want to continue to exist,
I'd, you know...
Whatever.
We were leaving anyway. Jerk!
I wouldn't call him a jerk.
He seems okay.
He's not so great. Trust me.
Hey, Dad?
What, you ready for bed?
Actually, no.
I was wondering if we could go for
a little walk while you finish the story.
Really?
So, like, we could be in the night,
like Orion and Dark.
Um... Yeah, sure.
I guess it's not a school night.
So, yeah, let's go.
Um, come on. We can cut through the park.
Okay.
You know what?
- I think I like the other way better.
- Agreed.
Can I have my hand for a minute?
- Of course. Sorry.
- No, it's okay.
I just thought of a couple new lines
and didn't want to lose them.
Good ones?
Well, you know, just about how weird it is
that you can't see any stars.
Yeah. I couldn't agree more.
You don't have to pretend, you know?
That you wanted to come this way, too.
I'm not pretending.
The street lights were out in the park.
It was scary for me, too.
But I thought you got over that.
That's what you said
in the story, at least.
Well, it's a complicated story.
Then couldn't you let it be complicated?
Parents love simple stories like that
because whatever problem
the character has,
it all gets fixed, and then they don't
have to worry about it anymore.
Orion meets Dark. Dark's not so bad.
Orion isn't afraid of him anymore,
then there's a dance party.
You think I should add
a dance party?
I think if you're still scared,
you should let Orion still be scared.
The only stories
that really help are the true ones.
That is a really great point.
You think so?
I do.
And we should definitely use that idea.
What's wrong?
Yeah, did you die?
- Insomnia!
- What?
Jumping to worst case scenarios
is my actual job.
No. I'm good.
- Yeah. He's over that now, right?
- Totally.
Good. All right now, let's get to work.
Race you inside.
Come on.
You all go ahead.
I'm more mortal than you are.
And, I mean,
there's not even a night light.
Trip hazard. No thank you.
What are you so scared of?
Nothing. I just...
I really like the daytime.
Like, the noises.
I mean, have you heard day noises?
- Birds, children playing, brunch?
- It sounds amazing.
It is, and you are definitely missing out.
Like, in the daytime,
there's this sense of connection
between the sounds and colors.
Everything is lit up in the daytime.
It's almost psychedelic.
Reds, greens, yellows, violet.
We have colors at night.
I mean, you can see them better
if there's a fire.
Yeah, that's light!
- Wow! Really?
- Incredible.
- This makes me feel so safe and warm.
- I can see why this makes you less afraid.
I'm not saying I need it.
I'm just saying there's no way
to imagine how beautiful it is,
if you haven't experienced it.
So you're saying the problem is Dark?
Well, in a way, yeah!
And I love him,
but I guess he's the issue here, right?
Don't get me wrong,
Dark's a really nice guy.
The best.
But as long as you're with him,
you can never really enjoy
all the amazing things Light has to...
What?
Well... time to go.
Sure you don't want to
wait for your new best friend?
Hey, Dark, you know,
I think you're the best.
See, I didn't get that
from the conversation
- back at the house with the door.
- No, no, I was just chatting.
Just because I'm talking
about how much I love ice cream,
doesn't mean I don't love French fries.
- Which one am I?
- What?
Ice cream or French fries?
Um, French fries?
And Light is ice cream?
- Exactly!
- Which one do you love more?
Is that really important?
Exactly!
I'm just saying, I wish you could all
experience daylight. You, too!
That's saying you wish everyone could
experience me not being around.
That's not what I meant to say.
Perfect!
Then you won't mind
unsaying it to the rest of the team,
in a touching, heartfelt speech.
Hello!
Come on.
It has been brought to my attention
that some of my comments
during our last break
have been interpreted
in a way I never intended.
So let me be clear.
I love the nighttime
and my good friend, Dark.
Now, some of you might feel
you are missing out
on other experiences in the world.
But I'd like to take a moment
to remind you of the old adage,
"The grass is always greener
on the other side of the--"
World! Because it's daytime there,
and you can see that it's green!
Wait. Wait.
That's not what I was trying to say.
But it's true! I mean, what does
green grass even look like?
Yeah! Why should
the Day Entities get all the colors?
- Yeah!
- Exactly! See?
- That's what I think, too.
- Okay, everyone.
I think we're getting
a little off-track here.
Dark is great.
He has so many wonderful characteristics.
Like what?
Look... my point is that I was wrong.
Implying that Day is superior
to Night was wrong. Period.
Sure, some people might say
that you're not as pretty and vibrant
as Day, but so what?
Because, ultimately, the thing
that makes the vibrancy of Day exist
is its exact opposite, dark and empty.
So, you see,
if you think about it that way,
you are the wind beneath Day's wings.
I don't think this is helping.
Wait, let me finish.
So, in conclusion, thank you.
Thank you for performing
these humble, thankless tasks,
in order to make
Light-filled Day great again.
- Well, that's it. I'm leaving.
- What? You're leaving?
Actually, I'm staying.
I'm staying and waiting for daylight.
Maybe I'll be able to get a job there.
Come on. Be reasonable.
You! Don't even talk to me, you.
You're the reason everyone hates us.
It's you and your infernal Dark.
- But I'm your friend.
- Some friend!
Keeping me from the true beauty of life.
Come on, Unexplained Noises, we all know
you're not actually going to quit.
My name is Debby now. Call me Debby.
Debby!
Well, that's just great.
But at least we've got
the rest of you. Right?
Come on, guys, let's hit the road.
I think what Debby means is that we could
all use a little light in our lives.
We all need to feel seen and--
Well, since no one else will,
I'm just going to come out and say it.
We all need to feel seen and heard.
- Yeah! That's what I've been saying.
- Yeah, we do!
- Exactly!
- That's it. I quit!
I'm quitting, too.
I'm sick of living in your shadow.
Wait, what?
Daydreams are a thing, right?
I bet that'll be a fun new challenge.
Definitely better than nightmares.
Dreams, please...
Well, that does it.
If Dreams is quitting then so am I.
I'm not sticking around
in the nighttime for dreamless sleep.
What's the point?
Well, if Sleep leaves, then, what...
it's my job to keep everyone awake
all the time?
No, no. That's too much work.
I quit, too.
Okay, break time's over, guys.
Stop messing around.
We need to keep moving.
Can't wait to see the dawn of a new day.
Guys, don't make me
do this by myself, please.
We all need to work together.
We're...
we're friends.
Well, I really enjoyed spending
all that time with you all.
Have a good morning.
Good morning, everybody!
Did someone say, "Light"?
Honestly, I don't know
what anyone sees in him.
That makes one of us.
There's nothing left of the night but me.
This isn't night anymore.
It looks like nothing now.
It sounds like nothing.
And tomorrow, even you're gone.
So I just fly around by myself forever?
- This was a terrible idea.
- I'm really sorry.
Maybe tomorrow,
I can find them during the day,
- and I can try to convince them that--
- No!
I'm not going on.
I'm going to sit on this...
whatever it is.
Rock? I don't know.
I don't think it's alive.
I'm gonna sit right here
on this thing and wait for daylight.
- No, you can't!
- Why not?
Nobody likes me anyway.
- That's not true.
- So where did everyone go?
Hey, Dark!
Let's go! Move it or lose it.
Dark?
Come on! Let's go.
Dark, come on, you can't be in the light.
You can't be where you're not.
You'll disappear.
I'm willing to risk that possibility.
Okay.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
- Wait, don't!
- I'm really sorry, kid.
But day waits for no one.
Dark, you have to leave now!
I didn't get that right at all.
What are the odds?
No! Dark!
Dark!
Bummer. I-I tried to warn him.
Well, I have to go make
life on Earth possible and stuff, so...
see you, kid.
Good morning, everyone!
I hope your days are
as bright and beautiful as your faces.
Yeah, but then what?
- I don't know.
- What do you mean?
I don't know what's next.
That's all I got.
You're just leaving little you
all by himself in the middle of...
Where are you?
Europe somewhere? I-I don't know.
That's not a good ending.
Yeah. I've said
it was a complicated story.
I guess I just ran out of ideas.
It's your story. It happened to you!
True. But I don't know how it ends.
These visible patterns
amongst the stars
came to be known as constellations.
Looking over various
ancient depictions
of the night sky,
- we start to recognize...
- We're looking at a ceiling.
It's a really good illusion, though.
And highly educational.
We should be able
to look at the real sky at night.
They build a city
that blocks out the stars,
then they put up fake stars to look at?
That's... That's a really profound
thought, sweetie.
Thanks.
I didn't mean to put down your job.
I really think the planetarium is cool.
Really cool.
It's a cool place to work.
Thanks. I like it,
and I like what you said. Both things.
Maybe I have an idea
about where the story could go.
Yeah? Well, let's hear it.
Really? Are you sure?
I'm very sure. Go on.
Okay. So, I show up.
- You?
- Do you not like it?
No, I love it. Keep going.
I always wondered if we would be friends
if we were the same age.
I can't wait to find out.
Please, continue.
Okay. So, I show up.
Hello.
Hello, person appearing on my turtle.
I'm Hypatia.
The ancient Greek astronomer?
Well, I'm not her.
Named after her, though.
I guess that makes more sense. I'm Orion.
The constellation.
Yes, which, to me, looks less
like a hunter and more like a...
like a robot waiting for a hug.
Yeah. I've heard that.
Do you know where we are?
Europe somewhere? I don't know.
Man. I'm so far from home.
I ruined a lot of things last night.
I know. I've been following your story.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Without night,
people won't be able to sleep.
And without sleep,
everyone's gonna go crazy.
- We can't let this happen!
- That's why I'm here.
I think I have an idea about how to get
all the Night Entities back.
Really? What's your idea?
I have a poem I wrote to try to help.
"Now that it's gone, I miss the night
Now that the only thing left is light"
I don't know.
I don't think this will help.
Keep going.
"And something else
Neither night nor day
Maybe everyone cheers, 'Hooray'
But I miss the night
Because it's like me
And when it is dark is when I best see
Maybe the world has become too bright"
"Too loud, too selfish,
and ready to fight"
Possible apocalyptic event,
which is creating a climate emergency,
with catastrophic consequences
in the absence of darkness.
It's not quite how I imagined it.
"And the one
That is quiet never gets heard
And the ones that are awkward
Dismissed as mere nerds"
Okay.
I gotta admit, this is starting
to undermine my confidence a little.
"I once thought quiet
The absence of sound
But learned it's the space
Where small sounds can be found
I once thought Dark
Was the absence of Light
But it is the place
Where starlight is bright
The Quiet, the Dark
The Dreams once embraced me
They let me feel safe
In a world that erased me
Now that it's gone, I miss the night
Now that the only thing left is light"
You're a poet.
Yeah, I am.
It was beautiful. Thank you.
We need to bring the night
back to the world.
But Dark is... He's gone.
We can't make night without him.
But he's not.
Dark is still very much alive,
in your memory.
But the only one
who can access your memories is--
Dreams. We need your help, Dreams.
We need all of you.
The whole team.
Remember, if you die in the dream,
you die in real life.
- Insomnia!
- What? I'm doing my job!
On second thought, maybe it's not such
a good idea to put the fate of the world
in the hands of an 11-year-old kid
with severe performance anxiety.
Don't worry.
I'll be right there with you.
I'm on it.
Okay, Sleep. You're up.
Do not worry. I've got this.
All right. Time to put you to...
sheep!
Great job, Sleep.
You ready?
Sweet dreams, Orion.
We're gonna have to go deep.
Into the darkest recesses of his mind.
Talking to Sally.
Speaking in class.
Murder clowns.
Cell phone waves... Mosquito
bites...
Falling off a skyscraper.
Yes. Here it is.
It's the night you first met Dark.
You're in your bedroom...
you hear a low rumbling
from the room's darkest corner.
You see an ominous form taking shape...
as if being drawn out of
the very darkness of the room.
- Dark!
- Orion!
- You came back for me.
- Of course I did. You're my friend.
I was afraid I lost you.
Nope. I'm right here, bud.
- Whoa!
- Dark!
No!
Dark!
Orion!
What is that?
Why does it keep showing up?
This is in your head, Orion!
You're the only one who can stop it!
You have to go in there and pull him out!
I can't just jump in there!
What's gonna happen?
I have no idea,
but I think that's the point!
Wh-- What are you talking about?
We always want to know the ending
because it makes things less scary
in the middle parts.
But maybe being scared
is just a part of life.
I think you just need to feel the fear.
And do it anyway.
Good luck, Orion.
Thank you, Hypatia.
Hang on, Dark. I'm coming!
Orion! Over here!
Orion!
Dark!
Now let's get you out of here.
It's not gonna hold!
No. Just hang on.
We need to wake him up now!
If we don't do something,
they're both going to--
Get torn into
a million tiny pieces and die?
Move over. I've got this.
It's going to suck us in!
What happens now?
I don't know.
But being with you, somehow,
it makes the horror of the unknown
less horrible.
I know what you mean.
- It's been a pleasure knowing you, Orion.
- The pleasure is all mine.
Orion!
Time to wake up!
You're late for school!
You read an article
about how sleep stunts your growth!
Come on, wake up!
- Why isn't it working?
- I don't know, man!
I've never put that many Z's
on anyone before!
Wake up, wake up! Time to wake up!
Wake up!
- Wake up already!
- Come on, wake up!
Orion, if you don't wake up
you're going to miss your field trip.
You're going to miss your field trip.
Sally!
Dark. We made it.
That's some nice work, kid.
All right! There it is.
Glad to have you back, old buddy.
Bye, Orion. It's been a dream
spending the night with you.
- It really has.
- See you, Hypatia.
I admire your work.
And I admire yours.
And I admire yours, too.
Wow.
You're the best, Dark.
Yeah, I second that.
- Thanks for everything, Dark.
- Hear, hear.
- So, this is it.
- But I'll see you tomorrow night.
Sure. You'll see dark.
I mean, I won't look exactly like this.
But you'll see me in new ways.
Ways that are even better.
Yeah. I can see that now,
and I can appreciate it.
Thanks for that.
No. Thank you, Orion.
- For what?
- Well, seeing me the way you do.
So much of how you see yourself
is through the eyes of others. You know?
So, you gonna go
on that field trip tomorrow?
Yep.
- You nervous?
- Terrified.
But I'm going anyway.
Good for you, kid.
You're gonna be all right.
Well, it was nice meeting you, Hypatia.
It was nice meeting you, too, Dark.
- You've got a good father there.
- I know.
Wait, what?
- I don't understand.
- I came to help you get home.
- From the future?
- Um, I guess so, yeah.
- Am I okay, in the future?
- Yeah, you're doing good.
So, I don't have to worry so much,
is what you're saying?
I guess that's what I'm saying.
They look so young.
Really?
They look a million years old to me.
What?
Orion. I thought we agreed,
no check-ins tonight.
We did, Dad. It's tomorrow night.
You and Mom slept through the entire day.
- What? My God, it's true.
- Really? Holy cow, we overslept!
Yeah, I think you were tired.
I-I wanted to let you sleep.
To give you a break.
Who's that?
Believe it or not,
that's my child...
hood friend.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- What's your name?
- Hypatia.
That's pretty.
So, I was wondering
if you could maybe drive Hypatia home.
- Um, where do you live, sweetheart?
- Manhattan.
Manhattan? How'd you get here?
Do your parents know you're here?
- Sort of.
- And they can't pick you up?
- Um--
- Yeah, right.
Maybe we'll give them a call.
- What do we do?
- I don't know.
We can't just drop you off in New York
20 years before you were born.
Yes, I know.
How did you get back here
in the first place?
- I don't know. I just did it.
- Well, do it again.
Okay.
- What's wrong?
- I don't know. It's not working.
This is terrible.
Maybe my parents can adopt you.
- What? No! What about Mom?
- She seemed to like you in there.
Not your mom. My mom. Your wife?
Yeah.
I have a wife?
- Yes, my mother!
- I know!
This is a disaster!
Who are you?
I'm Tycho. I came to help.
I have my time machine out on your lawn.
I can take you home.
- You can?
- But we have to go now.
Coming back to get you has released
interdimensional time monsters,
and we have to stop them
before they multiply and destroy history!
See you in 20 years.
When I say "now,"
make a beeline for the capsule.
Got it!
Now!
Yeah!
Hold on to your butts!
What the...
Dad!
Hypatia!
Hi, Tycho. Long time no see.
You haven't changed a bit.
You have. You're so old now.
Well, I guess
I have grown up a little bit.
Well, gotta go.
Thank you for getting me home.
No problem.
And then I piloted the time machine module
all the way back here,
killed the time monsters,
and climbed back in bed.
- That's such a good ending.
- Yeah?
Definitely. Thank you for figuring it out.
I was stuck.
- You sleepy?
- Yeah.
- Goodnight, sweetie.
- Goodnight, Mom.
Open or closed?
Closed tonight.
Okay. Sleep tight.
Hey, Dad.
He asleep?
- Almost.
- Did he come up with an ending?
He did.
Time machine.
That's good.
A time machine.
That's a good idea.
I thought so, too. You up for a while?
I'm heading back to the city
in the morning,
so I thought I would
just enjoy the night for a bit.
Okay, Dad. I'm turning in.
Goodnight, Hypatia.
Goodnight, Mom.
Goodnight, Hypatia.
Mind if I sit with you?
I would love that.
Hi. My name's Orion.
I'm a kid, just like you,
so we have that in common.
Anyhow, I saw you sitting there
by yourself
and thought maybe you'd like some company.
I know I would.
So that's why I'm walking up to you
right now and...
Walking right past you.
Why, you ask?
Because, Sally,
I'm afraid.
Afraid of what, you want to know?
So much, really.
But in this case,
rejection, humiliation...
that you might tell your friends,
and they would all laugh at me.
And it's not just you
I'm afraid of, Sally.
And not just girls in general.
It's most things, to be candid.
It's tuna. What do you have?
It would be kinda nice to know.
The school counselor told me
to document my fears in some form.
That's why I keep a sketchbook.
It's my way of trying to manage my issues.
Take page 14, for example.
My fear of clogging the toilet...
...and flooding the whole entire school.
Thank God.
I'm also afraid of giving
the wrong answer in class.
Who can tell me
which explorer first reached India by sea?
- Me, me, me!
- A tricky situation.
Mrs. Spinoza usually calls on kids
who don't raise their hands.
But raising my hand so she won't
call on me is a dangerous strategy.
Therefore I try to look invisible.
But at the same time, not too invisible.
I know the answer is Vasco da Gama.
It's the answer to a great many questions
in the fifth grade,
but I'm afraid if called on,
I might say "Gasco da Vama",
or "Dasco ga Vama."
Everyone would laugh.
Mrs. Spinoza, I know!
Yes? Lisa?
- Vasco da Gama.
- Very good, Lisa.
I'm not a real big fan of Lisa.
But to be fair,
there are a lot of things
I'm not a big fan of.
Murderous gutter clowns
are high on my list.
Cell phone waves giving me cancer.
Hi, Grandma.
Mosquito bites getting infected.
Falling off a skyscraper.
- Saying "good morning."
-"Goob dorning!"
Bees. Dogs. The ocean.
I'm afraid of being responsible
for my team losing.
Hey, Orion, catch!
And of course,
I'm afraid of locker rooms.
Because A, what sane person isn't?
You okay, Gabe?
And B...
...Richie Panici.
Well, well, well, look who it is.
Cryin' Orion!
Hey, Richie.
Wear pants much?
I'm afraid of being humiliated
by Richie Panici.
Afraid of being punched by him.
Also, I'm afraid of...
Okay, what if I punch him back?
And his nose goes into his brain,
and he dies.
That can happen, the nose
and the brain thing. Look it up.
I'll go to juvie.
Plus, I'll have to live
with the guilt of--
Hey! I asked if you wear pants much.
Don't be rude.
Yes, I do wear pants.
Much?
What's that pad you always got?
"I'm afraid of monsters,
bees, haircuts, dogs...
the ocean, Richie Panici..."
Hey! I'm famous! Thanks!
Wait. You drew me dead!
No one draws me dead!
I'm hereby "consificating" this
on account of its rudeness to me,
Richie Panici.
If I weren't so scared,
I would tell you that that's my property.
That I put my heart and soul into it,
and that you had no right
to grab it from me.
I would also tell you
that the word is "confiscating."
Thank you, Richie.
Whatever.
I don't know why I thanked him.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
And don't forget to leave
your permission slips on my desk.
The bus for the planetarium leaves
on Monday at nine a.m. sharp.
No. I was hoping Mrs. Spinoza
would've forgotten about the field trip.
This is gonna be so fun!
Fun? It sounds fun to you, Lisa?
Are you insane?
This field trip sounds terrifying.
Getting packed like sardines
into a rusty school bus
with 30 other kids
speeding down the highway?
Sounds like a traffic accident
waiting to happen.
I should know.
I've studied the actuarial charts.
And all those giant models of
our solar system hanging from the ceiling?
I mean, how long
have those things been up there?
A hundred years?
Plus, what if I end up having
to sit next to Sally at the planetarium,
and our hands touch?
I'll have a panic attack.
It'll become a running joke
around the school,
and I'll never know the joy
of a meaningful human connection!
Orion, do you have your permission slip?
I was afraid
she was gonna say that.
Um, my parents won't let me go
to the planetarium.
Yeah, they don't believe in, space.
Yeah, um, it's a whole thing.
She's over here.
Hey, Orion.
I'm super excited for the field trip.
So, um, I was wondering
if maybe you wanted to sit together?
While we're there?
If I weren't so scared,
I'd tell you, "Of course I do, Sally.
Of course I wanna hang out with you.
To be frank, I've never wanted
anything more, but to do that,
I'd have to be able to not constantly
obsess over every negative thing
that could possibly happen..."
That's my mom. I gotta go.
See you at the planetarium, Orion!
No, you won't.
Page 17 in my sketch book.
I'm afraid my parents will move away
while I'm at school.
I don't know why I fear this.
The counselor at school
doesn't have any theories.
My parents certainly seem
nice enough, he says.
And I think he's correct.
Hi, honey!
- Hi, Mom.
- How was school?
- Fine.
- I made you oatmeal cookies.
how'd that get there?
Your father found it
stuffed under the couch.
I think you mean
in between the couch cushions?
- Wanna talk about it?
- Not really.
You should go. It'll be fun.
I'm not so sure about that.
Orion, bud, I get it.
These kind of things can be scary.
But that's the thing.
It's okay to be nervous.
More than okay, in fact. It's normal.
The trick is not to let your fear
get in the way of living your life.
It's true.
Otherwise, I never would've proposed.
Sometimes, you just have
to feel the fear and do it anyway.
I love my parents,
and I appreciate
what they're trying to do, but...
that is, without question,
the worst advice I've ever heard.
It looks like this is
the end of the line for us, guys.
No. This is terrible.
This cartoon
is completely unrealistic.
Recyclable items
do not have eyes or personalities.
They do not go on adventures.
I don't appreciate being condescended to.
Real life is way more
complicated than that.
- And reincarnation is wishful thinking.
- Wow!
For plastic containers
and people.
In real life, when you're dead,
you're dead.
The realization that there's no way
around it terrifies me.
I try to imagine what death is like.
I've concluded it's like nothing.
I try to imagine nothing.
This is black and silent, not nothing.
Blackness and silence is something.
Nothing is perhaps
the one unimaginable thing.
Orion!
Bedtime.
- All tucked in?
- Yes.
Teeth brushed?
All right, buddy. Sleep well.
Goodnight, Orion.
Wait!
Um, how about a quick bedtime story?
You know,
for old times' sake.
Orion, we've talked about this.
Here's a good one. Nice and weighty.
Perfect for bedtime.
Um, I'm not sure we have the time
for David Foster Wallace tonight.
Okay.
You know,
we'll always be here for you, Orion.
But please, stay in bed tonight?
Mom and I need our sleep.
Okay, I will. But...
could you at least
leave the door open tonight?
All right, bud. Say when.
Okay. A little more open?
Here okay?
Actually, a little more.
- Here?
- Good! Yes!
Actually, just a tad bit more?
- Thanks.
- Goodnight, sweetie.
- Goodnight, son.
- Night, Mom. Night, Dad.
Okay. This isn't so bad.
I take it back!
This is bad! Very, very bad!
It's literally the worst!
Because of all the things I'm afraid of,
I'm most afraid of the dark.
No.
It's an old house. Houses settle.
Nothing to worry about.
My parents have work in the morning.
They need their rest.
Can't I just put myself
in their shoes for once?
No! No, no, no, no! No!
Curse you, darkness!
What cruel aberrations hide
within your inky cloak of... darkness?
Why can't you just leave me alone?
Alone... Alone...
Okay! That's it! I've had it with you!
Every single night
with the constant screaming
and the carrying on and whatnot!
Seven nights a week, 365 nights a year.
It's nonstop!
- What are you?
- Isn't that obvious?
The room's dark. It's dark out.
Hello? I'm Dark. Ta-da!
There it is again.
You know, there are a lot of people
that are scared of me.
But you,
you're on a whole different level.
Of all the kids
who are terrified of the dark,
you are by far the loudest,
the most obnoxious,
and frankly, the most hurtful.
And that's no small feat.
You've got
some pretty healthy competition.
Check it out.
Millions of people are afraid of the dark.
- You're keeping a list?
- Yes, I'm keeping a list.
Do you know how many kids
are afraid of me?
It's giving me a complex.
This is just volume one, by the way.
Dark doesn't exist!
Dark doesn't exist!
Then why are you having
a conversation with me?
You know what I mean.
Dark is simply the absence of light.
Not a stupid cartoon character.
Here we go.
Look, you humans have always had
weird ways of conceptualizing me.
I'm not listening to you. You know why?
Because you're not real!
I'm very real.
Here, check it out.
I even made a little movie about myself.
You know, to offer
a different perspective on darkness.
It's kind of a passion project.
Dark has existed
for over five hundred million years,
since early life on Earth
developed light-sensitive proteins.
So?
You didn't like it.
I'm just trying to offer up
some food for thought.
Everyone is against me.
It didn't get into Sundance.
And it's so much better
than half of the movies there.
It's such a boys' club.
I mean, it's good.
It's a little short, though,
for someone who's been around
for over five hundred million years.
But, you know, concise is good.
Listen, I didn't ask
to be a supernatural entity
that evokes dread and despair.
I'm just a regular guy
trying to do my job.
But people always pick on me.
Truth is, almost everyone is scared of me.
Or hates me.
Or thinks I'm evil.
Some people think I'm nothing.
Hurts a guy.
Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--
No, it's okay.
You know, and I-I like people.
That's the thing.
It's just that so much
of how you see yourself
is through the eyes of others,
you know?
I just wish people would give me a chance.
I know how you feel.
A lot of kids at school pick on me, too.
Richie Panici, Davis Jensen,
Howard Helstrom,
Isaac Pill, Rebecca Warren.
She moved, but she still sends me
threatening letters on my birthday.
Which is sort of nice.
Yeah. Thoughtful.
I just wanna not be afraid anymore.
Yeah, that'd be nice.
Then maybe I wouldn't have
to hear you screaming every night.
Tell you what.
I think I've got a way to fix this.
You come watch me do my job for one night,
and you'll finally see
that I'm nothing to be afraid of.
You'll learn to appreciate
the beauty of the night,
instead of being
so terrified all the time.
So what do you say?
- Are you in, or are you in?
- I'm...
definitely not in.
Yeah, of course you're not. Well, fine.
If you wanna spend
the rest of your life paralyzed by fear,
be my guest, but that's on you.
- Wear pants much?
- Hey, Orion, catch!
Cryin' Orion! Cryin' Orion!
Hey, Orion.
I'm super excited for the field trip...
Okay, I'll go!
Mr. Dark?
I knew you'd come around!
Let's shake on it, you know?
Make it official.
See? Nothing to it.
Wait, wait, wait.
I know what you're doing, Dad.
What do you mean?
By telling me this story.
- I'm not doing anything.
- Yes, you are.
You're telling me a story about
how you overcame your fear of the dark
to try and help me overcome
my fear of the dark.
- Well, I--
- But it's not gonna work.
Fear of the dark
is an evolutionary adaptation
that people developed to protect
themselves from nocturnal predators.
Wow. You've done your research.
I wrote a poem about it.
"Hypatia the poet." I love that!
It's one poem, Dad.
I think that counts.
It's not very good.
I'm sure it is. Can I hear it?
No!
All I'm saying
is that fear of the dark is natural.
It's hardwired in us,
so there's nothing we can do about it.
Right. Well, in that case,
- I guess I'll just say goodnight and--
- Wait!
I'm not saying it's not a good story,
and I don't wanna hear it.
I'm just letting you know
that I know what you're doing,
and it's not going to work.
Okay, I got it.
So, you and Dark
were flying off into the night...
So, Dark and I
were flying off into the night...
Pretty great, right?
If by "pretty" and "great", you mean
"terrifying" and "awful", then yes!
I'm gonna get you to overcome
your fears if it kills me!
And I'm immortal, by the way,
so I've got all the time in the world.
I thought we'd start
with a little tour of what I like to call,
"the virtues of night."
See?
Without me, you wouldn't be able to see
all the wrinkles on the actors' faces.
So far, you're a terrible salesman.
Are you too terrified
to try your best?
Hey? Pretty awesome?
I'm allergic to fireflies.
Not allergic to stars, though!
But I am allergic to dying!
We're way too high!
You're allergic to living.
- What?
- Nothing!
It feels so real in my sleep
Go ahead. Put your hand in the water.
So a shark can bite it off?
Are you insane?
No, so you can see the beauty
of the ocean at night.
You are familiar with the concept
of "fun", are you not?
"Fun" is just a word people made up
to make danger sound more appealing!
Look at that!
You can't have fireworks without the dark!
Technically, you can set them off
at any time of day.
Yeah, I guess.
It'd be pretty lame, though.
Beauty is in the contrast.
Hey, are you closing your eyes?
I'm protecting my retinas!
- Come on! Open them!
- No!
You're missing out on all the fun.
Absolutely not!
- Open your eyes!
- No way!
But that defeats the whole purpose!
- Not my purpose!
- It's for your own good.
You see how much better that is?
Kid? Kid? Kid!
Gotcha!
- My God! My God! My God!
- It was an accident.
You dropped me! I could have died!
I wanna go home!
Don't worry. I'm going to bring you home.
- Eventually.
- Eventually, when?
Hey, look! You can see the Big Dipper.
It's really quite beautiful
this time of year.
When are you bringing me home?
Great question. Very probing.
In 24 hours.
- So, anyway, back to the stars...
- 24 hours?
Yeah, well, that's how
the whole night and day thing works.
It's a 24-hour cycle.
I can't go backwards.
- What? Why not?
- Look, I better get moving.
But, hey, if you wanna walk home
in the middle of nowhere,
- in the dead of night, all by yourself--
- Wait, wait, wait!
I can't walk home by myself!
It's like 100 miles away!
All right then.
Looks like you've gotta come
with me after all.
Buckle up and hold on to your hat
because your mind is about to be blown.
Are you covering your eyes again?
- I plead the Fifth.
- Really?
Do you have any idea how many people
would love to be you right now?
- Zero?
- A lot!
The answer is a lot!
Because I'm the coolest Entity
of all time!
Because that's what you are
when there's no other Entity
that has ever existed
that people like better than you.
Good morning, everybody.
Right on time and so, so fine.
It's going to be 75 and sunny.
Low humidity and a cool breeze
coming out of the west.
Gonna be fun, fun, fun
in the sun, sun, sun.
But, let's be honest, when is it not?
God, I love this job.
Okay, so we got off
to a little bit of a shaky start
with the whole "dropping you
and almost killing you" thing.
But we can't dwell on that because
we've got a lot of work to do, kid.
And in a way,
my job is the most fundamental.
I show up every night, and I bring it.
- Bring what?
- Dark.
And it's probably
the most important job, too,
because without darkness,
the others don't get to do their bits.
What do you mean "the others"?
The other Night Entities.
Wait, there's more?
Raise. In or out, Insomnia?
I'm thinking. I'm always thinking.
You know that.
Can't seem to stop my brain.
Think, think, think!
Crap. I'm out.
What about you, Quiet?
- Call.
- Call.
You're up, Sleep.
What?
Royal flush?
Unbelievable.
Gosh darn it!
What happened? What did I miss?
You won.
Wonderful.
Pleasure doing business with you.
Great.
Wait, wait. Why are we going in here?
Well, kid, it's break time!
The other Night Entities and I
take one every new time zone.
We're fun, you're gonna love us.
- Heya, gang, what's up!
- Heya, Dark!
Welcome back!
Great work tonight, guys.
- You brought the kid?
- Dark brought the kid!
So irresponsible!
Unbelievable!
Are you nuts?
Well, this is the opposite of encouraging.
I've got this.
Orion, allow me to introduce you
to the other Night Entities.
There's Sleep, Quiet,
Insomnia, Unexplained Noises,
and, of course, the most creative
and poetic of us all,
Sweet Dreams.
You brought the Screamer?
The kid who's afraid of everything!
Is this your latest attempt at trying to
convince the world that you're not so bad?
Helping random children
to boost your fragile self-esteem
is not in our job description!
Whoa. That is insightfully harsh.
Do you have any idea
how many things could go wrong?
I mean, what if he freaks out
and slows you down,
and you know who finally catches up,
and you get obliterated,
and the concept
of darkness ceases to exist,
and the fabric of the universe
is permanently and irreparably altered?
- That's a thing that can happen?
- Seems unlikely.
All right. Enough of this nonsense.
I'm sorry, honey,
but Dark never should've brought you here.
You're just gonna have
to find your own way home. Okay?
Now, come on, everyone.
Break time's over!
Some of us have work to do.
Wait!
One night could change everything!
I got 24 hours with this kid.
We help him overcome his fear of the dark
and all his nightly screaming,
and all that interference with your jobs
just goes away.
All right, fine.
Just make sure he stays out of my hair.
Absolutely. Not a problem.
Won't be in your hair at all.
- Did you mean that?
- What?
You really think you can fix everything
I'm afraid of in one night?
One night can change everything.
- Hey, what's that light?
- Light? What light? I don't see any light.
The one behind you that you're trying
to keep me from seeing.
Me? Keep you from seeing?
That's cuckoo banana talk.
Not so close.
I don't think they like me.
What? That's ridiculous.
You're totally likeable.
They called me night enemy number one
and said I ruin their jobs.
Yeah, admittedly, they didn't make
the best first impression.
But just wait
until you see them in action.
It's totally inspiring.
And not scary at all.
Yes, sleep is responsible
for making sure
all the creatures of the world
go to sleep at night.
She's down there
making everyone go to sleep?
Yeah!
You gotta watch, it's really fascinating.
- What?
- Don't worry, she's a professional,
and it's a magic pillow.
...and compare them to
our air fried quinoa.
I love quinoa. Yes!
My God.
Please tell me that's magic chloroform.
Yeah... Magic.
...restless creatures walk more
than 3,000 miles in the seasons ahead.
You're a cutie pie, aren't you?
Stop! No!
Stop!
Dark!
Do you mind? I can't have
this blabbermouth freaking out
while I'm trying to get work done!
None of what you're doing is okay!
Smothering someone with a pillow?
Chloroform? A hammer?
Not to mention,
questions of hygiene with that kiss.
Listen, I've been doing
this job for thousands of years.
I think I know what I'm doing, kid.
And these lips are clean!
Clean.
Thanks for letting us see
how the sausage gets made!
I don't know
if I'll ever be able to sleep again.
Right.
Well, if you're staying up all night
then I've got just the Entity for you.
Insomnia is the best impressionist
I've ever met.
He makes himself sound like
the person he's keeping up,
and then whispers worrisome things
in their ears.
Why is that even a job?
You're just great
at making friends, aren't you?
- Not really.
- Yeah, that tracks.
Now, watch
and learn.
Classic Insomnia.
Why did I say that to Michelle?
She's gonna think I'm an idiot.
Well, I'm pretty sure I'm getting fired.
I'm never going to meet my deadline!
She's sleeping pretty soundly.
I'm gonna have to pull out
the big guns for this one.
Who can tell me the capital of Delaware?
The capital of Delaware is D.
- Who can tell me the capital of Delaware?
- The capital of Delaware is D.
All those sleepless nights
were because of him?
What a jerk--
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You think I'm the one doing that to you?
Nuh-pally. I'm just a megaphone
for the thoughts people already got.
Don't follow me around
with this kid anymore, Dark. Okay?
He's very judgy.
I'm not judgy... Am I?
And we're walking.
Of course, none of us could do our jobs
without a little help from Quiet.
It's too quiet!
- Quiet... Quiet... Quiet...
- Enough with that dog!
We told you that this kid
would ruin everything, and he is!
I'm not some kinda glorified babysitter.
I need absolute concentration
to do my job,
and I can't have this kid getting
in the way and screwing everything up!
Now, get him out of here,
so I can get back to business...
And focus on doing my job!
Okay, got it.
What'd she say?
Was it about me?
I'm gonna be honest.
I never have any idea what she's saying.
But she did look pretty angry.
Unexplained Noises.
Come on, this way.
Hey, hey, what's up?
I'm thinking this moment
calls for a crunching sound,
with the tiniest hint of scraping.
What was that?
Mommy, Daddy! I'm hearing noises!
Yes. I'm really making an impact.
This is so messed up!
- Hey! It's okay, kid! It's not real--
- Can you not...
You're upsetting
the delicate balance of nature.
You may not understand it,
but we're doing very important jobs here!
I mean, in the kid's defense,
a lot of your job does involve
creeping around and scaring children.
I don't have to explain myself
to either of you.
The fact is,
his very presence
threatens to destroy
the fabric of the universe
as we know it!
Don't let her get to you.
Her honk is a lot worse than her bite.
And, hey, I've saved the best for last.
So get ready, and hold on tight!
There she is.
You mean, all those colors?
Yep. That's Dreams doing her thing.
If seeing her work can't make you
appreciate the beauty of nighttime,
- then nothing can.
- What do you mean see her work?
Hey! Shh! Keep it down.
She's working her magic.
All right, what's churning
in your subconscious tonight, Irene?
Okay. A lot of anxiety about work.
Big presentation tomorrow.
Not sure you're ready
for this one, Irene.
Really need to impress your boss. Got it.
And your daughter found a rescue cat
that she wants you to adopt.
Mommy, can we keep him?
Good material tonight.
Now, let's work it all out.
You're confidently
giving your presentation.
If we just re-use the coil
from our winding mechanism,
we can reduce
our manufacturing costs by 30%.
Everyone's loving it.
Irene! Irene!
I think you've earned this, Irene.
World's most competent employee?
Mommy!
You're the best mommy ever!
That was one hell
of a presentation, Irene.
I definitely think
you're getting that promotion.
Mommy. Can we please keep him?
Yes, of course we can!
Whoo!
We love you, Irene!
Amazing, she's amazing.
You're amazed, right?
Yeah. She's pretty great.
I told you.
You know, this reminds me of a dream I had
where I was giving a class presentation.
But instead of cheering,
everyone was booing me.
And the weirdest part was, my classroom
was actually a dentist's office.
Wha...
What the... I didn't conjure that.
- That's a coincidence, right?
- Definitely. It has to be.
Right. Because otherwise,
if I said something random,
like, I don't know, "evil cucumber"...
Wha...?
Hey there, Irene.
Time for your yearly check-up!
What the heck is going on?
Dark?
No! Off-limits!
You promised to keep him out of my hair!
Look, I need to inspire him,
and your work's
the most inspirational stuff
- in the whole night time.
- Sorry about the cucumber.
Usually.
Stop! Don't say one more word.
Creating a dream is a very delicate art.
That means anything you say,
or even think, could influence the dream.
- Got it?
- Anything I think?
You thought of something scary,
didn't you?
What? What did you think of now?
Just a kid from my school.
Who?
Richie Panici.
Run!
You've been "consificated".
The word is "confiscated"!
Cryin' Orion! Cryin' Orion!
Ever had a swirly before, Orion?
I mean, he can't like get hurt
or anything, can he?
No, it's impossible
to get hurt in a dream.
- Well, that's a relief.
- Unless, of course, he dies.
- Then he dies in real life.
- Wait, what?
Kid, you need to get out of here,
or it's going to end very, very badly!
I'm very aware of that!
Come on, Orion!
Think of something to get us out of here!
Come on! Think, think, think!
Wait! Page 14 of my sketchbook.
Clogging the toilet
and flooding the entire school.
No!
Kid!
Hang on, Orion!
What the heck was that?
Kid, you're either extremely disturbed
or extremely creative.
You're extremely lucky.
That could've been a disaster.
But it wasn't a complete disaster.
You know why?
Because you looked your fears in the eye
and showed them what's what!
Okay, let's try that again.
You know what you do,
you just put your hand like this and we...
Is it me, or am I more excited
about this than you are?
I didn't overcome anything.
Kid, I was there.
I saw it with my own two eyes.
What you saw was me
being terrified and trying not to die.
Now that you mention it,
it did kind of have
an air of mortal desperation.
But that doesn't make it
any less impressive!
Dark, you're not listening.
I didn't overcome my fears.
I'm still just as scared as ever.
I know for a fact you're wrong,
and I can prove it.
- I sincerely doubt that.
- Yeah, Mr. Smarty Pants?
Try this one on for size.
You're not still afraid of me.
Are you?
I'm not scared of you.
See?
That's what I'm talking about.
You know, my daughter's gonna love
that we're becoming friends.
I knew you'd start warming up to me.
Hold on, aren't you
too young to have a daughter?
My future daughter.
You're wacko, kid.
Wait.
So, are you saying that you could see
into the future when you were a kid?
I guess. I don't know.
I'm just kind of riffing here.
- Is that a bad idea?
- No. I don't know.
The story is great.
I like that you made
Light a character, too.
Is he coming back,
or was that just like a guest appearance?
Possibly.
Like I said, I'm just riffing.
I don't know how you keep making
all this stuff up.
Well, you could definitely
make up a story like this.
No, I couldn't.
It's just... Is it too much stuff?
Like you're already traveling around
the world with magical Night Entities,
and now you can predict the future, too?
Gilding the lily?
I don't know what that means.
- It means what you said.
- Then, yeah.
That's a terrific point.
I'm going to remove
the "predicting the future" element.
No more predictions from me
as young Orion.
You sure?
I mean, it's kind of cool and funny, so...
Nope! It's gone.
Okay.
I'm lost. Where were we?
You were flying through the night
with Dark again.
Right. So Dark and I were
flying through the night again,
only this time, it was different.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
You're right, you really can see
every wrinkle on the actors' faces!
Like rings on a log.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
If you could blow up the world
With the flick of a switch
Would you do it?
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
I mean, I guess it kind of
looks like a belt.
Know what it looks like to me?
A robot waiting for a hug.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
And so we cannot know ourselves
Or what we'd really do
With all your power
Whoa.
Is that a gas smell?
Did I remember to turn the oven off?
Nothing is working!
Okay, let's see. Which tape to use?
Which tape here...
- Hello!
- What did I tell you, kid?
What if life is a cosmic accident...
- What! No, no, no.
- ...and my existence has no meaning?
- Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, no!
- Mommy!
That's it.
- I gotta get back into therapy.
- Wow, kid! You go deep.
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
What was that?
Honey, I think I heard something.
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Ya, ya, ya, ya
ya, ya, ya, ya
Do you know how much I pay
for you by the hour? Wait for once, okay?
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
What would you do?
With all your power
With all your power
Mommy! Mommy!
Sweetie, what's wrong?
I got scared.
I hate the dark so much.
Come on, everyone.
I hear the tea is exceptional here.
Hey, Dark. Thanks by the way.
For what?
You know, all of this.
Showing me that there's more to night
than just the darkness.
Don't mention it.
That kid back there?
Don't listen to him.
He doesn't know what he's talking about.
- Maybe he does.
- He doesn't.
I was the same way, remember?
He's just afraid.
Yeah.
I know what it's like to be afraid, too.
You? What could you possibly be afraid of?
I guess I'm afraid
that everyone's right about me.
That I'm not a good guy,
and I'm just as scary as everyone says.
Hey, Dark? Remember when you told me
you're actually a really great guy?
And I didn't believe you?
Yeah.
I'm starting to believe you.
Aw, thanks.
You know, you really have come a long way.
I don't know about that.
That's it. Let's get back to work.
- Time to go.
- Okay. Time to get sleepy.
Welp, come on.
That's our cue. Break's over.
Orion, you dropped this.
Thanks, Quiet.
Don't mention it.
All right, kid, you ready? Hop on.
You gotta be kidding me.
- Who is he?
- That is Light. He's Dark's nemesis.
I like him, for some reason.
He makes me feel safe.
Like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket.
You know,
if you're into that kind of thing.
"Ooh, look at me. I'm so bright!"
I've got tricks too, you know.
But unlike some of us, I like to leave
a little to the imagination,
instead of rubbing it in everyone's face.
Come on, Dark.
Do we really have to
go through this every time?
Go through what?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Your attitude,
your lateness, your insecurity.
How you doing, kid?
Um, hi!
It's always the same routine
with you, man.
I show up, you feel inadequate,
then you start to project
your insecurities onto me.
Every day, I bring brightness
and hope to the world,
and you bring the exact opposite.
That's not... I'm...
I do more than that.
Wait, really? Like what?
Like, a lot of stuff.
I would love to tell you all about it,
but I don't really have
the time right now.
Finally, something we can both agree on.
Welp, I'm bringing daylight through here
in about three seconds,
so if you want to continue to exist,
I'd, you know...
Whatever.
We were leaving anyway. Jerk!
I wouldn't call him a jerk.
He seems okay.
He's not so great. Trust me.
Hey, Dad?
What, you ready for bed?
Actually, no.
I was wondering if we could go for
a little walk while you finish the story.
Really?
So, like, we could be in the night,
like Orion and Dark.
Um... Yeah, sure.
I guess it's not a school night.
So, yeah, let's go.
Um, come on. We can cut through the park.
Okay.
You know what?
- I think I like the other way better.
- Agreed.
Can I have my hand for a minute?
- Of course. Sorry.
- No, it's okay.
I just thought of a couple new lines
and didn't want to lose them.
Good ones?
Well, you know, just about how weird it is
that you can't see any stars.
Yeah. I couldn't agree more.
You don't have to pretend, you know?
That you wanted to come this way, too.
I'm not pretending.
The street lights were out in the park.
It was scary for me, too.
But I thought you got over that.
That's what you said
in the story, at least.
Well, it's a complicated story.
Then couldn't you let it be complicated?
Parents love simple stories like that
because whatever problem
the character has,
it all gets fixed, and then they don't
have to worry about it anymore.
Orion meets Dark. Dark's not so bad.
Orion isn't afraid of him anymore,
then there's a dance party.
You think I should add
a dance party?
I think if you're still scared,
you should let Orion still be scared.
The only stories
that really help are the true ones.
That is a really great point.
You think so?
I do.
And we should definitely use that idea.
What's wrong?
Yeah, did you die?
- Insomnia!
- What?
Jumping to worst case scenarios
is my actual job.
No. I'm good.
- Yeah. He's over that now, right?
- Totally.
Good. All right now, let's get to work.
Race you inside.
Come on.
You all go ahead.
I'm more mortal than you are.
And, I mean,
there's not even a night light.
Trip hazard. No thank you.
What are you so scared of?
Nothing. I just...
I really like the daytime.
Like, the noises.
I mean, have you heard day noises?
- Birds, children playing, brunch?
- It sounds amazing.
It is, and you are definitely missing out.
Like, in the daytime,
there's this sense of connection
between the sounds and colors.
Everything is lit up in the daytime.
It's almost psychedelic.
Reds, greens, yellows, violet.
We have colors at night.
I mean, you can see them better
if there's a fire.
Yeah, that's light!
- Wow! Really?
- Incredible.
- This makes me feel so safe and warm.
- I can see why this makes you less afraid.
I'm not saying I need it.
I'm just saying there's no way
to imagine how beautiful it is,
if you haven't experienced it.
So you're saying the problem is Dark?
Well, in a way, yeah!
And I love him,
but I guess he's the issue here, right?
Don't get me wrong,
Dark's a really nice guy.
The best.
But as long as you're with him,
you can never really enjoy
all the amazing things Light has to...
What?
Well... time to go.
Sure you don't want to
wait for your new best friend?
Hey, Dark, you know,
I think you're the best.
See, I didn't get that
from the conversation
- back at the house with the door.
- No, no, I was just chatting.
Just because I'm talking
about how much I love ice cream,
doesn't mean I don't love French fries.
- Which one am I?
- What?
Ice cream or French fries?
Um, French fries?
And Light is ice cream?
- Exactly!
- Which one do you love more?
Is that really important?
Exactly!
I'm just saying, I wish you could all
experience daylight. You, too!
That's saying you wish everyone could
experience me not being around.
That's not what I meant to say.
Perfect!
Then you won't mind
unsaying it to the rest of the team,
in a touching, heartfelt speech.
Hello!
Come on.
It has been brought to my attention
that some of my comments
during our last break
have been interpreted
in a way I never intended.
So let me be clear.
I love the nighttime
and my good friend, Dark.
Now, some of you might feel
you are missing out
on other experiences in the world.
But I'd like to take a moment
to remind you of the old adage,
"The grass is always greener
on the other side of the--"
World! Because it's daytime there,
and you can see that it's green!
Wait. Wait.
That's not what I was trying to say.
But it's true! I mean, what does
green grass even look like?
Yeah! Why should
the Day Entities get all the colors?
- Yeah!
- Exactly! See?
- That's what I think, too.
- Okay, everyone.
I think we're getting
a little off-track here.
Dark is great.
He has so many wonderful characteristics.
Like what?
Look... my point is that I was wrong.
Implying that Day is superior
to Night was wrong. Period.
Sure, some people might say
that you're not as pretty and vibrant
as Day, but so what?
Because, ultimately, the thing
that makes the vibrancy of Day exist
is its exact opposite, dark and empty.
So, you see,
if you think about it that way,
you are the wind beneath Day's wings.
I don't think this is helping.
Wait, let me finish.
So, in conclusion, thank you.
Thank you for performing
these humble, thankless tasks,
in order to make
Light-filled Day great again.
- Well, that's it. I'm leaving.
- What? You're leaving?
Actually, I'm staying.
I'm staying and waiting for daylight.
Maybe I'll be able to get a job there.
Come on. Be reasonable.
You! Don't even talk to me, you.
You're the reason everyone hates us.
It's you and your infernal Dark.
- But I'm your friend.
- Some friend!
Keeping me from the true beauty of life.
Come on, Unexplained Noises, we all know
you're not actually going to quit.
My name is Debby now. Call me Debby.
Debby!
Well, that's just great.
But at least we've got
the rest of you. Right?
Come on, guys, let's hit the road.
I think what Debby means is that we could
all use a little light in our lives.
We all need to feel seen and--
Well, since no one else will,
I'm just going to come out and say it.
We all need to feel seen and heard.
- Yeah! That's what I've been saying.
- Yeah, we do!
- Exactly!
- That's it. I quit!
I'm quitting, too.
I'm sick of living in your shadow.
Wait, what?
Daydreams are a thing, right?
I bet that'll be a fun new challenge.
Definitely better than nightmares.
Dreams, please...
Well, that does it.
If Dreams is quitting then so am I.
I'm not sticking around
in the nighttime for dreamless sleep.
What's the point?
Well, if Sleep leaves, then, what...
it's my job to keep everyone awake
all the time?
No, no. That's too much work.
I quit, too.
Okay, break time's over, guys.
Stop messing around.
We need to keep moving.
Can't wait to see the dawn of a new day.
Guys, don't make me
do this by myself, please.
We all need to work together.
We're...
we're friends.
Well, I really enjoyed spending
all that time with you all.
Have a good morning.
Good morning, everybody!
Did someone say, "Light"?
Honestly, I don't know
what anyone sees in him.
That makes one of us.
There's nothing left of the night but me.
This isn't night anymore.
It looks like nothing now.
It sounds like nothing.
And tomorrow, even you're gone.
So I just fly around by myself forever?
- This was a terrible idea.
- I'm really sorry.
Maybe tomorrow,
I can find them during the day,
- and I can try to convince them that--
- No!
I'm not going on.
I'm going to sit on this...
whatever it is.
Rock? I don't know.
I don't think it's alive.
I'm gonna sit right here
on this thing and wait for daylight.
- No, you can't!
- Why not?
Nobody likes me anyway.
- That's not true.
- So where did everyone go?
Hey, Dark!
Let's go! Move it or lose it.
Dark?
Come on! Let's go.
Dark, come on, you can't be in the light.
You can't be where you're not.
You'll disappear.
I'm willing to risk that possibility.
Okay.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
- Wait, don't!
- I'm really sorry, kid.
But day waits for no one.
Dark, you have to leave now!
I didn't get that right at all.
What are the odds?
No! Dark!
Dark!
Bummer. I-I tried to warn him.
Well, I have to go make
life on Earth possible and stuff, so...
see you, kid.
Good morning, everyone!
I hope your days are
as bright and beautiful as your faces.
Yeah, but then what?
- I don't know.
- What do you mean?
I don't know what's next.
That's all I got.
You're just leaving little you
all by himself in the middle of...
Where are you?
Europe somewhere? I-I don't know.
That's not a good ending.
Yeah. I've said
it was a complicated story.
I guess I just ran out of ideas.
It's your story. It happened to you!
True. But I don't know how it ends.
These visible patterns
amongst the stars
came to be known as constellations.
Looking over various
ancient depictions
of the night sky,
- we start to recognize...
- We're looking at a ceiling.
It's a really good illusion, though.
And highly educational.
We should be able
to look at the real sky at night.
They build a city
that blocks out the stars,
then they put up fake stars to look at?
That's... That's a really profound
thought, sweetie.
Thanks.
I didn't mean to put down your job.
I really think the planetarium is cool.
Really cool.
It's a cool place to work.
Thanks. I like it,
and I like what you said. Both things.
Maybe I have an idea
about where the story could go.
Yeah? Well, let's hear it.
Really? Are you sure?
I'm very sure. Go on.
Okay. So, I show up.
- You?
- Do you not like it?
No, I love it. Keep going.
I always wondered if we would be friends
if we were the same age.
I can't wait to find out.
Please, continue.
Okay. So, I show up.
Hello.
Hello, person appearing on my turtle.
I'm Hypatia.
The ancient Greek astronomer?
Well, I'm not her.
Named after her, though.
I guess that makes more sense. I'm Orion.
The constellation.
Yes, which, to me, looks less
like a hunter and more like a...
like a robot waiting for a hug.
Yeah. I've heard that.
Do you know where we are?
Europe somewhere? I don't know.
Man. I'm so far from home.
I ruined a lot of things last night.
I know. I've been following your story.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Without night,
people won't be able to sleep.
And without sleep,
everyone's gonna go crazy.
- We can't let this happen!
- That's why I'm here.
I think I have an idea about how to get
all the Night Entities back.
Really? What's your idea?
I have a poem I wrote to try to help.
"Now that it's gone, I miss the night
Now that the only thing left is light"
I don't know.
I don't think this will help.
Keep going.
"And something else
Neither night nor day
Maybe everyone cheers, 'Hooray'
But I miss the night
Because it's like me
And when it is dark is when I best see
Maybe the world has become too bright"
"Too loud, too selfish,
and ready to fight"
Possible apocalyptic event,
which is creating a climate emergency,
with catastrophic consequences
in the absence of darkness.
It's not quite how I imagined it.
"And the one
That is quiet never gets heard
And the ones that are awkward
Dismissed as mere nerds"
Okay.
I gotta admit, this is starting
to undermine my confidence a little.
"I once thought quiet
The absence of sound
But learned it's the space
Where small sounds can be found
I once thought Dark
Was the absence of Light
But it is the place
Where starlight is bright
The Quiet, the Dark
The Dreams once embraced me
They let me feel safe
In a world that erased me
Now that it's gone, I miss the night
Now that the only thing left is light"
You're a poet.
Yeah, I am.
It was beautiful. Thank you.
We need to bring the night
back to the world.
But Dark is... He's gone.
We can't make night without him.
But he's not.
Dark is still very much alive,
in your memory.
But the only one
who can access your memories is--
Dreams. We need your help, Dreams.
We need all of you.
The whole team.
Remember, if you die in the dream,
you die in real life.
- Insomnia!
- What? I'm doing my job!
On second thought, maybe it's not such
a good idea to put the fate of the world
in the hands of an 11-year-old kid
with severe performance anxiety.
Don't worry.
I'll be right there with you.
I'm on it.
Okay, Sleep. You're up.
Do not worry. I've got this.
All right. Time to put you to...
sheep!
Great job, Sleep.
You ready?
Sweet dreams, Orion.
We're gonna have to go deep.
Into the darkest recesses of his mind.
Talking to Sally.
Speaking in class.
Murder clowns.
Cell phone waves... Mosquito
bites...
Falling off a skyscraper.
Yes. Here it is.
It's the night you first met Dark.
You're in your bedroom...
you hear a low rumbling
from the room's darkest corner.
You see an ominous form taking shape...
as if being drawn out of
the very darkness of the room.
- Dark!
- Orion!
- You came back for me.
- Of course I did. You're my friend.
I was afraid I lost you.
Nope. I'm right here, bud.
- Whoa!
- Dark!
No!
Dark!
Orion!
What is that?
Why does it keep showing up?
This is in your head, Orion!
You're the only one who can stop it!
You have to go in there and pull him out!
I can't just jump in there!
What's gonna happen?
I have no idea,
but I think that's the point!
Wh-- What are you talking about?
We always want to know the ending
because it makes things less scary
in the middle parts.
But maybe being scared
is just a part of life.
I think you just need to feel the fear.
And do it anyway.
Good luck, Orion.
Thank you, Hypatia.
Hang on, Dark. I'm coming!
Orion! Over here!
Orion!
Dark!
Now let's get you out of here.
It's not gonna hold!
No. Just hang on.
We need to wake him up now!
If we don't do something,
they're both going to--
Get torn into
a million tiny pieces and die?
Move over. I've got this.
It's going to suck us in!
What happens now?
I don't know.
But being with you, somehow,
it makes the horror of the unknown
less horrible.
I know what you mean.
- It's been a pleasure knowing you, Orion.
- The pleasure is all mine.
Orion!
Time to wake up!
You're late for school!
You read an article
about how sleep stunts your growth!
Come on, wake up!
- Why isn't it working?
- I don't know, man!
I've never put that many Z's
on anyone before!
Wake up, wake up! Time to wake up!
Wake up!
- Wake up already!
- Come on, wake up!
Orion, if you don't wake up
you're going to miss your field trip.
You're going to miss your field trip.
Sally!
Dark. We made it.
That's some nice work, kid.
All right! There it is.
Glad to have you back, old buddy.
Bye, Orion. It's been a dream
spending the night with you.
- It really has.
- See you, Hypatia.
I admire your work.
And I admire yours.
And I admire yours, too.
Wow.
You're the best, Dark.
Yeah, I second that.
- Thanks for everything, Dark.
- Hear, hear.
- So, this is it.
- But I'll see you tomorrow night.
Sure. You'll see dark.
I mean, I won't look exactly like this.
But you'll see me in new ways.
Ways that are even better.
Yeah. I can see that now,
and I can appreciate it.
Thanks for that.
No. Thank you, Orion.
- For what?
- Well, seeing me the way you do.
So much of how you see yourself
is through the eyes of others. You know?
So, you gonna go
on that field trip tomorrow?
Yep.
- You nervous?
- Terrified.
But I'm going anyway.
Good for you, kid.
You're gonna be all right.
Well, it was nice meeting you, Hypatia.
It was nice meeting you, too, Dark.
- You've got a good father there.
- I know.
Wait, what?
- I don't understand.
- I came to help you get home.
- From the future?
- Um, I guess so, yeah.
- Am I okay, in the future?
- Yeah, you're doing good.
So, I don't have to worry so much,
is what you're saying?
I guess that's what I'm saying.
They look so young.
Really?
They look a million years old to me.
What?
Orion. I thought we agreed,
no check-ins tonight.
We did, Dad. It's tomorrow night.
You and Mom slept through the entire day.
- What? My God, it's true.
- Really? Holy cow, we overslept!
Yeah, I think you were tired.
I-I wanted to let you sleep.
To give you a break.
Who's that?
Believe it or not,
that's my child...
hood friend.
- Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- What's your name?
- Hypatia.
That's pretty.
So, I was wondering
if you could maybe drive Hypatia home.
- Um, where do you live, sweetheart?
- Manhattan.
Manhattan? How'd you get here?
Do your parents know you're here?
- Sort of.
- And they can't pick you up?
- Um--
- Yeah, right.
Maybe we'll give them a call.
- What do we do?
- I don't know.
We can't just drop you off in New York
20 years before you were born.
Yes, I know.
How did you get back here
in the first place?
- I don't know. I just did it.
- Well, do it again.
Okay.
- What's wrong?
- I don't know. It's not working.
This is terrible.
Maybe my parents can adopt you.
- What? No! What about Mom?
- She seemed to like you in there.
Not your mom. My mom. Your wife?
Yeah.
I have a wife?
- Yes, my mother!
- I know!
This is a disaster!
Who are you?
I'm Tycho. I came to help.
I have my time machine out on your lawn.
I can take you home.
- You can?
- But we have to go now.
Coming back to get you has released
interdimensional time monsters,
and we have to stop them
before they multiply and destroy history!
See you in 20 years.
When I say "now,"
make a beeline for the capsule.
Got it!
Now!
Yeah!
Hold on to your butts!
What the...
Dad!
Hypatia!
Hi, Tycho. Long time no see.
You haven't changed a bit.
You have. You're so old now.
Well, I guess
I have grown up a little bit.
Well, gotta go.
Thank you for getting me home.
No problem.
And then I piloted the time machine module
all the way back here,
killed the time monsters,
and climbed back in bed.
- That's such a good ending.
- Yeah?
Definitely. Thank you for figuring it out.
I was stuck.
- You sleepy?
- Yeah.
- Goodnight, sweetie.
- Goodnight, Mom.
Open or closed?
Closed tonight.
Okay. Sleep tight.
Hey, Dad.
He asleep?
- Almost.
- Did he come up with an ending?
He did.
Time machine.
That's good.
A time machine.
That's a good idea.
I thought so, too. You up for a while?
I'm heading back to the city
in the morning,
so I thought I would
just enjoy the night for a bit.
Okay, Dad. I'm turning in.
Goodnight, Hypatia.
Goodnight, Mom.
Goodnight, Hypatia.
Mind if I sit with you?
I would love that.