In this area, the lights never come on, there are no visitors, and it's always dead silent. The houses stand empty without residents, and no one wants to buy a home here.
Twelve-year-old Luke Campbell suffers from loneliness - he has no friends, an...
That day, one thought kept spinning in Luke's head – he needed to give Aliya a gift. She definitely deserved it.
But what do you give to girls? Only God knows what they really want.
Right after school, the boy hurried to the gift shop "Wonder & Whimsy." It was his first time there in his entire life, as he had never had to give anyone presents or attend grand celebrations before.
He was immediately enveloped by a magical atmosphere of charm. Although the store was small, it was cozy and filled with a delightful assortment of treasures. Soft, ambient music played in the background. The bright walls were lined with shelves brimming with colorful trinkets, each one carefully arranged to catch the eye. A delicate scent of vanilla and lavender wafted through the air. It felt like a truly enchanting experience!
The variety of items in the shop was astonishing. There were shelves filled with intricately designed jewelry, shimmering under the warm lights. Handcrafted candles in every imaginable scent stood proudly next to beautifully painted ceramics. A corner was dedicated to plush toys, each one more adorable than the last, their soft textures inviting to the touch. Decorative notebooks, quirky mugs, and elegant scarves were scattered throughout the store. Each gift was waiting to bring joy to someone special.
Everything in the shop was displayed with meticulous care, creating a pleasant visual feast. The vibrant colors of the merchandise contrasted beautifully with the rustic wooden shelves and tables, making each item stand out. Fairy lights twinkled from above, casting a magical glow over the entire space. Luke couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder as he wandered through the aisles, taking in all the beauty and charm that surrounded him.
But what to choose among all this beauty? Never before had a choice been so difficult.
Suddenly, he saw it. Luke's eyes were immediately drawn to the stuffed penguin perched on a shelf among all other toys. It was irresistibly cute, with its round, chubby body covered in soft, velvety fabric. Its little flippers were spread wide as if ready to give a warm hug, and its tiny feet dangled adorably over the edge of the shelf. The penguin's face was the highlight, with large, expressive eyes. The beak was small and perfectly stitched.
The penguin wore a tiny, knitted hat in bright red, with a matching scarf wrapped snugly around its neck. This detail gave it a cozy, festive look, perfect for brightening up anyone's day. The hat had a fluffy white pom-pom on top, and the scarf had delicate fringe at the ends, both crafted with remarkable attention to detail. The colors of the hat and scarf contrasted beautifully with the penguin's black and white body.
Exactly! That's just what he needs! Luke smiled as he imagined Aliya's reaction to the adorable gift. The penguin seemed like it was made especially for her.
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He made his choice. Now it's high time to visit Dark Lanterns Lane.
***
"He looks just like you!" Aliya joked.
"Wow, I've never been told I look like a penguin before!" Luke supported the banter.
"Of course you do! Like two peas in a pod!"
"Hmm... We need to come up with a name for him."
"Have you ever heard what penguins are called?"
"No, never, but that won't stop us from coming up with something of our own."
In the end, the kids named him Flurry. After long and spirited debates, they finally reached a consensus.
"Why don't you tell your parents about how bad it is for you at school?" She brought up the topic unexpectedly, and it wasn't something Luke wanted to discuss right now.
"I don't want them to worry about me. They already have so many troubles at work and in general." The boy sighed, remembering the recent mishap with his broken smartphone. "My dad works at a bank, and my mom always dreamed of becoming a singer, but it didn't work out for her. She worked as a teacher at a children's club for a while, but the salary was so low that she quit and started working at a hotel reception."
"Perhaps the biggest blow in life is to work hard towards your dream and then fail at the last hurdle."
"I agree with you. In general, my parents have already faced many disappointments in life, so I don't want to burden them with my personal problems."
"Cruelty is not your personal problem! It's a disease of the whole society." The topic seemed to strike a chord with the girl. "If it isn't eradicated completely, it will always find a way to spread. You simply must beg your parents for help!"
Luke suddenly felt exhausted. He needed to quickly change the course of the conversation; otherwise, this stubborn girl wouldn't stop insisting on her point.
"Aliya, what are you hiding from?" This question had been on his mind since they first met, but he hadn't dared to ask until today.
"What makes you think I'm hiding from something?"
"You never leave the confines of Dark Lanterns Lane. I'm not implying anything, but it's strange. You live in the most deserted part of our town. It seems like you're on guard."
"I'm fine here, Luke." She burst into laughter and looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "You don't leave a place where you feel happy. You leave school as quickly as possible after classes because you feel bad there. They kill you mentally every day. And that's exactly why you come here – to come alive again and again."
The boy only now realized how many rooms there were - at least a dozen. Aliya's house was the same place where one could hide from all the problems of the outside world and feel completely safe. It also truly came alive after something inside you died following another life upheaval. That untidy little house, which from the outside looked like an abandoned shack, concealed a true paradise within its rooms.
"But you're completely alone here except for the few hours a day when I come to visit you. You could go to a children's shelter where they would take care of you, and you'd be surrounded by kids your age. Or I have an even better idea!" Luke paused for a moment. "My parents could adopt you, and we would become brother and sister!"
He expected Aliya's reaction to be the best possible, but it didn't happen. Her face expressed more sadness than joy. It was easily readable in her eyes - the girl was very expressive.
"Unfortunately, that's impossible." She mysteriously fluttered her long eyelashes. "And don't ask me anything else."
"You have your secrets."
"Everyone does."
"And you can't reveal even one of them to me?"
It seems the girl didn't like giving direct answers.
"Luke, it's getting dark – you should return home."
She was too mysterious to figure out her right away.
