Progressive 13
The Walk at Midnight
Ethan Harper was a light sleeper. For the past month, he had been sleepwalking. Some mornings he woke with muddy feet or leaves in his hair. Sometimes he even found himself in the kitchen with no memory of how he got there.
At first, he laughed. He thought it was just stress. But when his neighbor, Mrs. Alcott, saw him walking down the street late at night, things became serious.
The Rumors
People in town started talking.
“I saw Ethan Harper walking in the park at midnight,” Mrs. Alcott told the cashier at the grocery store.
“Really? Didn’t something go missing from the Thompson’s garden last week?” the cashier asked.
Soon, everyone in town thought Ethan was causing problems. Garden tools went missing. Footprints appeared by the pond. Even a fence was broken. People believed Ethan was responsible.
Confrontation
At work, Ethan’s coworker Sarah said, “People are talking. Mrs. Alcott says she saw you walking at night.”
“I sleep by ten every night,” Ethan replied.
“Apparently not,” Sarah said. “Maybe you should find out what is happening.”
The next night, Ethan put his phone to record himself while he slept. In the morning, he saw the footage. There he was, walking out the front door at 2 a.m., eyes half-open.
The Incident
The following night, a loud crash woke the neighborhood. Someone broke into the Johnson’s shed and scattered tools. Mrs. Alcott said she saw Ethan leaving the scene. By morning, the town was talking about him again.
The Solution
Ethan went to Dr. Patel, a sleep specialist.
“You are sleepwalking,” Dr. Patel explained. “It is caused by stress or another condition. It can be treated.”
Dr. Patel gave advice: lock doors, use motion alarms, and keep a sleep journal. Ethan also used a GPS tracker to see where he walked at night.
Clearing His Name
A week later, the GPS led Ethan to the park. He found Mrs. Alcott’s missing cat stuck in some rose bushes. He freed the cat and returned it to her.
“You weren’t sneaking around?” she asked.
“No,” Ethan said. “I was sleepwalking.”
The townspeople apologized for believing the rumors. They even held a meeting to learn about sleepwalking.
A Peaceful Night
With Dr. Patel’s help, Ethan controlled his sleepwalking. People in town greeted him warmly. One night, sitting on his porch, Ethan smiled under the stars. The sleepwalking had caused problems, but it also taught him to face challenges, even in the dark.
Comprehension Questions
Why did people in town think Ethan was causing problems?
What did Ethan do to understand his sleepwalking?
Who helped Ethan understand his condition?
How did Ethan clear his name?
What lesson did Ethan learn from this experience?
Your Thoughts
Have you ever had a strange experience while sleeping?
Why do you think people believed the rumors about Ethan so quickly?
How can mistakes help people learn and grow?
