Puzzle Court Pursuit
by
Thomas
A story about Sports
for your 5th Grader.
Zigzag Zander, the quirkiest zombie around, arrived at a mystical basketball court perched right on top of a rumbling geyser. The flooring shook with every hiss of hot vapor, and the air smelled like adventure.
Not far behind, Nessie Sparkles splashed happily in the bubbling waters encircling the court, her shining scales catching the sunlight. She watched colorful clouds of steam dance with each practice shot.
As the ball soared through the hoop, a tall scoreboard lit up with dazzling lights. The steam from the geyser changed from bright green to deep violet, celebrating the first points of the day.
Zander noticed mysterious symbols carved into the boundary lines and paused to inspect them instead of running through drills. Meanwhile, a team of nimble gnomes breezed across the court, ready for the upcoming tournament.
Nessie Sparkles paddled closer to the sidelines after greeting the clever gnomes. She tried to see if they might share any clues, but they just grinned and continued their swift passing routine.
The crowd roared with excitement as bursts of steam leapt skyward. Each time a player made a warm-up shot, the geyser erupted in shimmering rainbows, giving the place a magical feel.
Zander remained fixated on the spirals and runes etched into the court’s surface. He studied them so intently, he hardly noticed how skillfully the gnomes were practicing their dribbling and teamwork.
Nessie Sparkles glided over to Zander, nudging his arm gently. “Don’t forget,” she said, “that basketball is about sharing the ball and helping each other. Solve the puzzle later, or we’ll never catch up to the gnomes.”