The heavy pendulum of the grandfather clock swung back and forth. Bong, bong, bong. Midnight echoed through the silent house. A perfectly round ring of golden light gently clicked on across the bedroom rug.
Eleanor slowly peeked over her thick quilt. Down on the rug, her stuffed lion stood upright on two fuzzy limbs! He dusted off his velvet coat and pulled a tiny top hat out of thin air.
She held her breath, afraid the slightest sound would end the magic. Silver dust motes floated and danced inside the glowing beam. The performer tipped his hat toward the bed in a silent greeting.
The grand show had begun. The lion balanced a wooden alphabet block on his nose, spinning it quickly. Beside him, three plastic dinosaurs tumbled past in a perfectly straight line.
Eleanor pressed her cheek against the cool cotton pillowcase. A massive grin spread across her face. Click-clack, click-clack. The hard plastic claws clattered softly against the wooden floorboards as the tiny acrobats flipped.
The room filled with a sudden, busy whirring sound. A bright red wind-up car rolled right into the center of the illuminated ring. The lion stepped back and pointed one velvet paw at the noisy vehicle.
The tin car sped up a steep ramp made of stacked picture books. With a sudden loud pop, the ramp launched a little ragdoll high into the air!
The brave doll did three dizzying flips above the bedroom floor. She wobbled on her flat fabric feet for just a second, then landed flawlessly on the lion's velvet shoulders. Eleanor gasped out loud, quickly clapping both hands over her mouth.
The fantastic acrobats turned to face the bed. They gracefully linked their short arms and took one last sweeping bow together. Standing in the silent shadows, they awaited their applause.
"Bravo," Eleanor whispered warmly into the dark room. The little performers waved back just as the shiny magic beam shrank away. She pulled the heavy blanket up to her chin, letting her heavy eyelids flutter shut.
