The Apple That Ticked — A bright apple bumped in Darla’s hand as she hurried to give it to her teacher before the first bell. Read the full story →
A bright apple bumped in Darla’s hand as she hurried to give it to her teacher before the first bell. At the Royal School gate, the apple went tick-tick, softer than a beetle’s feet on paper.
Darla stepped out from the busy path and followed the sound under the big arch. A tiny brass snail sat behind a crown carved in the stone. “Turn the stem,” it whispered. Darla did, and the apple opened with a crisp sweet smell. Inside was a note: RING THE LITTLE CLOCK FIRST.
She missed the first line of her song, but the small clock chimed, and a hidden door in the school wall clicked open for everyone. Next time you see Darla’s apple, can you guess where the tick-tick is hiding?
