Listen to “The Lost Hug” on Spreaker.
The Lost Hug
Every night, after the stars twinkled to life and the moon rose high, a magical creature named Snuzzle made his rounds across the world. Snuzzle was small and fluffy, with ears like cotton candy and fur that glowed softly in the dark. He wore a little satchel filled with warm, cozy hugs—one for every child who needed comfort before bedtime.
Snuzzle didn’t need a map. The hugs told him where to go. They wriggled and shimmered inside his satchel, guiding him from one sleepy town to another.
Each night, Snuzzle tiptoed into bedrooms, floated through windows, and even slid down chimneys when needed. He would place a hug gently on a child’s pillow or tuck it into their dreams with a whisper: “You are loved. You are safe. Sleep tight.”
But one chilly winter night, something strange happened.
Snuzzle was halfway through his deliveries when he opened his satchel and froze.
“One hug is missing!” he gasped. “Oh no, oh no, oh no!”
He counted again. “One, two, three… twenty-eight. There should be twenty-nine!”
Snuzzle’s heart fluttered like a moth. He had never lost a hug before.
“I must find it,” he said bravely. “No child should go to sleep without their bedtime hug.”
He checked the last home he visited. He peered under a bed, behind a nightstand, and even inside a sock drawer. No hug.
“Maybe it bounced away on the breeze?” he wondered, sniffing the air. Snuzzle’s nose could smell lost hugs the way dogs smell treats.
Suddenly, he caught a faint scent—like warm cookies and soft blankets. The hug was nearby!
He zipped through clouds and floated over rooftops, following the smell to a quiet street lined with glowing lampposts. That’s when he spotted something peculiar near a park bench: a tiny, shimmering light hopping like a grasshopper.
Snuzzle dove closer. “There you are!”
The hug shimmered nervously. “I’m sorry, Snuzzle! I didn’t mean to run away.”
Snuzzle tilted his head. “Why did you leave the satchel?”
The hug sighed. “You were going to send me to a girl named Lila. But I heard people say she doesn’t deserve hugs. That she’s mean. I got scared.”
Snuzzle sat down beside the hug. “Oh, little one. Hugs aren’t just for perfect people. They’re for everyone—especially those who feel unloved.”
The hug’s glow dimmed. “But what if she throws me away?”
“She won’t,” said Snuzzle gently. “Lila’s had a hard time lately. Her parents are busy, her cat ran away, and she doesn’t know how to ask for help. Sometimes, when people hurt inside, it comes out as grumpiness on the outside.”
The hug blinked. “Really?”
Snuzzle nodded. “Your job isn’t to fix everything. It’s to remind her she matters.”
The hug hesitated… then slowly floated back toward the satchel. “Okay. I’ll try.”
Snuzzle smiled, scooped the hug up, and zipped across the town toward Lila’s house. He slipped through her window, which was slightly open, and tiptoed into her room.
Lila lay curled in bed, her face turned toward the wall. Even in sleep, she looked sad.
Snuzzle reached into his satchel and gave the hug a gentle nudge. “Go on,” he whispered.
The hug hovered over Lila and settled gently onto her chest. A warm glow filled the room, and Lila’s frown slowly softened into the tiniest smile.
“See?” Snuzzle whispered. “You belong right there.”
The hug glowed brighter than ever.
The next morning, Lila woke up and felt something she hadn’t felt in weeks—a little lighter. A little warmer.
She couldn’t explain why, but that day at school, she let someone borrow her colored pencils. She even said “thank you” to the bus driver on the way home.
And that night, Snuzzle flew across the stars again with a full satchel of hugs, ready to share comfort where it was needed most.
But he smiled extra wide… because even when things go missing, a little love always finds its way.
The End!
⭐ Follow-Up Questions:
- Why did the magical hug run away from Snuzzle’s satchel?
- What did Snuzzle teach the hug about people who seem mean or grumpy?
- How did Lila act differently the day after receiving the hug?
