The moon was not always alone in our sky. At one time our moon, who back then called herself Luna, had a sister whom she loved very much for their parents were long gone and they only had each other.

Luna’s sister was called Swan and she was much younger than Luna. Together they sailed the night, smooth as pebbles and white as stars.

In those days, Luna and Swan would only ever be seen at night. When the sun came up, Luna would take Swan in her arms and hold her tight. “Hush-a-light, Swan,” she would say. “It is time we sank out of sight.” And, holding her breath and closing her eyes, Luna would then swim down into the night pool where they both would sleep until the sky cooled once again.

Like younger sisters before and since, Swan had dreams of staying up late. She dreamt of feeling the sun on her face and of playing in the cerulean sky but whenever she asked, Luna would say no. “It is too dangerous, sister-love,” said Luna. “I cannot see in the daytime to keep you safe.” And Swan would nod and fold herself into Luna’s arms and fall asleep beneath the chill waters of night.

But the longing did not abate. “Did you not dream as I do?” asked Swan. “Did you never want to stay and feel warm? Why must we always go to sleep? I’m not even tired and I’m no longer a child.”

And this was true. Swan was growing bigger and more beautiful all the time. She was no longer a child but she never left her sister’s side. Together they spun around the earth. And together they spun around each other.

One night, as Swan asked once more about Luna’s dreams, Luna tightened her hands around her sister’s wrists and hissed out an answer.

“No,” she said. “No I do not dream. I have never dreamt because I have always had you.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Luna was sorry. She tried to change the words. “You are my dream,” she said, turning her hiss into a soothe. “I feel warmed by you, sister-love. Come, let’s play.”

But Swan had heard the hiss and as they spun in their endless game, she copied it and Luna felt sad for she heard how anger sounds. Still, they played their game and danced their dance and sank into the night pool as the sun came up. “Hush-a-light, Swan,” said Luna. “It is time we sank out sight.” She said the words slowly, with a heavy heart for she did not like to think of Swan capable of anger. “Hush-a-light. Out of sight.”

“Just one more spin,” said Swan. “Just one and then I will swim with you, my darling sister.”

Luna was given hope at Swan’s request. One more spin and they would be back as they were. One more spin and then the sleep swim and then the night would be bright with them both again.

“Just one more spin, Swan,” said Luna, trying to sound like the elder sister.

Luna took Swan by the wrists and spun her around. Swan flung her head back and leaned into the spin more than ever before, feeling the force of their movement. “Not so far back, Swan-sister,” Luna said.

Swan did not listen.

Swan leaned back even further and twisted in the night which even then was beginning to trickle away into the night pool. She felt the water on her body and laughed. And then, as the arc of their spin was almost complete, Swan wriggled. The water had made her body slick and smooth as feathers and Luna felt her grasp loosen and then give.

“Swan!” she cried. “Reach out to me.”

Luna tried to dart forwards but her spin had been too strong and she was carried forward even as Swan was carried downward towards the earth. “Swan!”

As she fell, Swan wrapped her arms behind her and stretched her neck out and revelled in the heat of the sun. Down and down she flew, her body growing white hot and changing like glass being spun into something new.

Swan landed with a splash on one of the blue lakes earth had cupped in its hand. She did not sink below as she did into the night pool but found she floated upon it. “Sister-love,” she cried. “Come and join me.”

Swan raised her long head and listened but she heard nothing. Luna had spun away from her and all she could see was the bright sun, warm but harsh upon her. “Luna!” she called once more. Swan tried to fly back to her sister. She flapped her arms and left the lake but there was nothing but blue and before long she grew tired and fell back and tucked her head beneath her arms and pretended it was night again.

Luna searched the skies for Swan. She looked and looked but everything on the earth looked so tiny and she could not see her sister. Sometimes she stayed up late and felt the sun on her face but those days were even worse for not only could she not see Swan, she could not see much of anything. She kept her face to the earth and watched for any sign of Swan, her poor back becoming scarred as she did.

Far below, down on the earth, Swan would sometimes see her sister’s reflection, deep in the lake as though searching the night pool for her.

And Swan would hiss.

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