As soon as Joy falls in the dark and says “Ow” Suzy’s hand, which I’m still holding, tightens. 

Another bump is heard and Charlie calls out in pain and that’s it for Suzy. 

She lets go of my hand and I hear her walk forward with determination even though none of us can see anything. “Justin! Stop that right now!” 

“Mom! I’m teaching her a lesson!” 

“Justin! You’re a father! You may never ever hurt your child! Never!” 

“Mom. If I don’t teach her that she can’t protect herself in the dark, she’ll die! She’ll just die!” 

As the two argue in darkness on the surface of the Night Planet, I hear not just the words but the silence: Joy and Charlie are completely silent. They’re listening to every word. 

“Justin, you keep thinking you’re her friend. You’re not her friend, you’re her father. You don’t need to explain everything. If she doesn’t get it, then you put your damned foot down. Like you would to a daughter, but not to a friend. Like you would to your mother but not to a friend. You say it’s dangerous. You say it’s not allowed. And that’s it. It’s done.” 

Now Justin is silent, too. It’s a long silence. 

Then the light returns all of the sudden and two suns shine on us. The planet-sized rock that hid the suns is gone, and I can see we’re on a dock, with Bonnie’s Revenge in the water a couple of meters to my right.

Joy and Charlie are sitting up on the wooden ground. 

“Right,” Justin says to Joy, offering one hand to her and one hand to Charlie. “That dream is too dangerous. You can’t survive it. You can’t ever go in it. You’ll die.” 

He turns around and boards the ship without looking back. 

We all begin to walk back to Bonny’s Revenge. I hear Joy whisper to Suzy a sarcastic “Thanks!” 

Suzy, without losing a beat, says with warmth and empathy, “He just saved your life, Joy. You could tell him thanks, and mean it.” 

Suzy walks up the ramp without looking back. I see Joy’s face, though, and she looks like she’d just been slapped in the face.

I turn my back to her and follow Suzy. It was the right thing to say and a good lesson to teach, but I don’t want to see Joy’s face. I don’t want to see how she’s taking it.

Thirty seconds later we’re in the air, then in outer space, then on our way back home.

—Told by Grampa Walt