Footsteps on the Roof

It's a night in September, and the moon is big and round. Pia is lying in bed in her house at the edge of town. The house has only one floor, so the roof is right above her room.

Tap, tap, tap. Someone is walking on the roof again. The footsteps are small and quick. Pia hears them every night. She pulls her blanket up to her nose.

Tonight, she wants an answer. She goes to her dad's room. "Dad, someone is on the roof again!" she whispers. Her dad opens one eye. "Again?" he says. "Okay. Let's go and look."

Her dad takes a flashlight and a ladder. Outside, the grass is wet under Pia's feet. An old apple tree stands next to the house, and its branches touch the roof. Her dad puts the ladder against the wall and climbs up. Pia climbs behind him, very slowly.

The footsteps stop. Her dad turns on the flashlight and points it at the chimney. Behind the chimney, two bright eyes are looking at them. Then a fat tail with gray and black rings comes out. A raccoon is sitting on the roof, and it's eating one of their apples.