Vesper’s Doorbell Undercover — By the mushroom steps, Vesper tapped the pumpkin door three times with a daisy stem, trying to make the perfect knock for tonight’s giggle-gathering. Tok, tik, tonk! Read the full story →
By the mushroom steps, Vesper tapped the pumpkin door three times with a daisy stem, trying to make the perfect knock for tonight’s giggle-gathering. Tok, tik, tonk! The round pumpkin house answered with a warm orange hum that smelled like cinnamon seeds and damp grass. Vesper wanted every beetle, moth, and snail cousin to know this was the place where silly belonged, so she practiced a bow, a wink, and a very serious “Boo.”
The vines curled like green question marks above her, and the spotted mushrooms leaned in as if they were listening. Vesper polished the tiny window with her sleeve, straightened the flower by the door, and hid a pinch of sparkle dust behind her ear. When she pulled the door open for one more practice welcome, the doorknob gave a sneezy little jingle. “Excuse me?” Vesper whispered.
Under the doorknob, where nobody ever looked because everyone was busy admiring the pumpkin’s giant grin, hung a bell no bigger than a pea. Inside it sat a ladybug orchestra with acorn-cap drums. They had been playing along with every knock, turning tok-tik-tonk into music. Vesper laughed so hard her wings buzzed. If you ever visit a pumpkin house with an open door, listen for the tiny band under the knob—tok, tik, tonk!
