Princess Zoombella and the Whispering Woods
by
Thomas
A story about Fear
for your 4th Grader.
In the enchanted Whispering Woods, the trees rustled in soft, secret voices, and the air sparkled with dancing lights. Princess Zoombella wandered down the winding paths, her eyes shining with wonder at every swirl of color and shimmer of magic.
Above her head, glowing spots flickered like tiny lanterns, casting gentle beams across the mossy ground. Each light drifted in a playful dance, hinting at a whimsical secret hidden deeper in the forest.
Suddenly, Blinky Sparx, the sparkly Android, rolled out from behind a giant stump, gears whirring excitedly. “I’ve been trying to solve a puzzle all morning,” Blinky announced, holding up a map dotted with question marks.
Princess Zoombella studied the map, feeling excitement flutter in her heart. Wherever the butterflies avoided must be marked with a strange shape, she thought, so she circled a dark corner drawn in the far edge of the paper.
At the base of a twisted trunk lay a curious wooden box, its sides etched with spirals and knots as though it had grown into the forest itself.
Blinky Sparx hovered near the box, tilting its head in concentration. “Do you think the butterflies are staying away because of something scary inside here?” it asked, voice quivering just a little.
Princess Zoombella pressed her hand gently against the trunk. She could hear soft voices echoing in her mind, growing louder as she stood there. A shiver pricked her arms, and she whispered, “I’m a bit scared, but I want to find out why they whisper.”
A scattering of smooth, polished stones lined the path, each reflecting faint whispers from the trees, like gentle echoes from hidden secrets.