Day One: Song challenge

The stars were bright, and so was the moon. It was summer, and the girls had been in the midst of sleepover gossip and makeovers when the power went out. When the room suddenly went black, a few shrieked before the oldest - Ellie - led them all outside to see the sky. 

"You don't see stars like that every day," Ellie mused, staring up at the tiny pinpoints of light that together illuminated the sky.  "It's amazing." It was late enough that the air outdoors had become crisply cool, just enough that goosebumps began to appear on her arms.

Ellie's younger sister embraced her, a silent hug serving as an invitation to solidarity as their faces turned toward the moon. In the background, the others talked softly of boys and music. As time went on, awe faded and the gossip, louder now, was harder to ignore. After a quick squeeze, the sisters separated, blending back into the crowd of friends.

It wasn't long before the power was restored and the lights from the house, the town, and the nearby freeway once again overpowered the stars in a competition for space in the black dome overhead. Walking up the stairs to the back porch, Ellie imagined the warmth and beauty of the living room and its sleeping bag-covered floor.

Inside, the makeovers began again and someone played a romantic comedy on the TV. Secret stashes of candy and soda were shared. But the room seemed smaller and stuffier now, and Ellie walked over to the window, opening it slightly. As the cool air drifted in slowly, she turned her head sideways, angling her eyes upward.