Books, Brains & Blades

One day, I went for a walk in the forest. While I was looking around, I saw a strange creature I had never seen before. My curiosity grew, and I decided to follow it. Suddenly, I stumbled on a rock and fell. The creature heard the noise and dashed away. I didn’t want to give up, so I kept following the trail of its footprints.

After a while, I reached a clearing and froze in amazement. There were not just one, but dozens of creatures exactly like the first one. Whenever one took a step, all the others did the same thing, like mirrors copying each other. When they noticed me, every single head turned at once, and then they scurried off together.

I walked quietly so I wouldn’t frighten them again. Their prints led me to a wide river. But then the tracks stopped. I wondered, Did they cross the water? Could they swim? I bent down and peeked into the river. To my surprise, the creatures were gliding through the water, each one moving differently, freely, as though the water had given them new life.

“It really is magic!” I shouted with joy. Seeing those creatures made me believe magic might be real. Even today, I still wonder about them. Maybe one day, I will return and see them again.

Max’s Note

In my upcoming book, you’ll also see the earlier versions of this story — rough drafts that show how it grew into what you’ve just read here.

What do you think? Did you ever have a day that felt a little bit magical? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.