The Second Wish
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Just before dawn, a comet swept across the sky. Its long, glowing tail reminded Erich of someone who was, at that very moment, curled up asleep on the couch.
The sunbeams once again failed to break through the heavy blanket of clouds above—just as they had every other day—and that, more than anything, annoyed Erich.
He was locked in a desperate battle with his alarm clock, and losing badly. His groggy complaints were drowned out by its relentless ringing. And then, as if to make things worse, Pobbi leapt onto the bed and began padding around on his feet with soft, insistent paws.
“Okay, okay, I get it. You’ve all turned against me and want me to be the smartest kid alive. I’m up, I’m going, I’m learning,” he mumbled, dragging himself out of his pajamas and into school clothes without even looking. Then came the routine he knew better than any poem: washing up, brushing teeth, all the boring daily stuff.
“Wait!” He nearly smacked his forehead. “Today isn’t just a regular day. It’s practically a holiday! Nibi’s walking me to school! That means today won’t be boring at all.”
A brilliant plan immediately formed in his head: skip the main road where the school bus picked him up and walk to town instead. It would take longer, sure—he might even miss the first class—but so what? How often do you get to crunch through autumn leaves with a guest from the sky?
And Nibi? She didn’t seem to notice the gloomy sky, the thick clouds, or the rude, biting wind. Instead, she raced through the leaves, kicking them into heaps and showering herself in her own handmade “rose petals.”
Eventually, Erich couldn’t resist. He hurled himself into the giant pile she’d built, landing right beside her.
They lay there together, staring up at herds of dark clouds galloping across the heavens, rumbling faintly as they went. The fallen leaves gave off a spicy, heady scent that tickled Erich’s nose and made him sneeze several times. But overall, the smell was wonderful, and lying there felt even better—except it was cold. He shivered, pulling his shoulders up, and glanced at carefree Nibi in bewilderment.
She didn’t feel the chill at all. Dressed in a gray vest, dark pants like ordinary jeans, and platform boots, she looked perfectly at ease. Erich thought to himself he’d wear boots like that too—if only he knew where to buy them.
Two little birds hopped past them. They had decided not to migrate south, choosing instead to stay home rather than trade it for the long road of wandering. Erich sighed, thinking of Pobbi, who had to stay behind as always. No one had invented math lessons for dogs yet. But someone really should.
“What are you thinking about?” he finally asked, breaking the long silence. Maybe he shouldn’t have. Maybe it was enough just to lie there in wordless comfort, looking at the familiar world that suddenly seemed so different—mysterious, incomprehensible, and therefore twice as enchanting.
The valley where his house stood no longer seemed like just a place by the forest. It felt like a hidden continent, cut off from the world, where lived not heroes, but—
“Eternal wanderers,” whispered Nibi. “No, I didn’t read your thoughts. I understood you anyway. Only I fly with my body, and you—your dreams chase after me, sometimes even racing ahead.”
“So where are you from, really, Nibi?” the boy tried once more.
“From here. Right here.” She patted the solid ground, then sprang to her feet, bouncing lightly on her platform boots. “Enough lying around. The customs of your world demand knowledge through schools, institutes, things like that. You could live without them, but around here—they’re part of your human community. And without that, you’d struggle.”
“How do you get by without any of it?” Erich blurted, awkward and instantly regretting the question. Nibi’s face darkened for a moment, and she answered reluctantly.
“Lats isn’t my only companion. There’s always another beside me…”
“Me?” the boy asked hopefully.
“Loneliness.” Was it the wind rustling through the yellow leaves, or was it truly Nibi’s voice, suddenly heavy with sadness?22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYlbfhbMJO
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The conversation fizzled out after that, and they walked the rest of the way in silence. Picking up their pace, they nearly ran to their destination. The school sat at the very edge of town, which meant they didn’t have to race through all the little streets to get there.
The building itself didn’t tower over the others or look special. It blended in, like a cousin to all the other squat houses around. There weren’t many people in town, and so there weren’t many kids who needed schooling, either.
Adjusting his backpack, Erich suddenly remembered he’d forgotten to grab the lunch his mom had packed. Too late now. More important was giving Nibi a grand tour inside. He was already rehearsing how he’d point out the lobby, the honor roll board (where he was absolutely sure his picture would be one day!) when he heard a whistle from around the corner.
Four kids were waiting there—and trouble usually followed them. Erich hated admitting it, but he never knew how to answer back when they teased him. Especially since they were older, bigger, and stronger. They were already in the final grade, but still never missed a chance to needle “Big Er.”
That was the nickname they’d slapped on him, mocking his scrawny frame. The worst part? It stuck. In a small town, nicknames spread fast… even his own mom sometimes called him that now! He hated it, but didn’t know how to shake it.
And yet, as always, his legs carried him straight toward the group. Judging by the smirk on Maris’s face—and his sister Mary’s too—they were already cooking up trouble.
Maris opened his famous mouth, the one with a missing tooth. He bragged it had been knocked out in a brawl with nearly the whole neighboring town. Erich, though, was pretty sure it had just rotted away from not brushing. Either way, Maris wore it like a badge of honor, even using the gap to whistle louder.
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and then Add to home screen.