Robot 7’s Quiet Delivery — Under the porch boards, Kiko’s sneakers made a soft clunk-clunk inside the robot legs. He had saved room in his pumpkin pail for one caramel bolt from Mrs. Read the full story →
Under the porch boards, Kiko’s sneakers made a soft clunk-clunk inside the robot legs. He had saved room in his pumpkin pail for one caramel bolt from Mrs. Vale’s candy bowl, the kind that smelled like butter and cinnamon. But the bowl on the rail was empty, and the sidewalk beyond the jack-o’-lanterns was quiet.
Kiko stepped off the welcome mat and heard a tiny sniffle near the hedge. Three little trick-or-treaters stood with flat paper bags, staring at the empty bowl. His pail felt heavy in his hand. One by one, he tucked in taffy ghosts, licorice springs, and his last caramel bolt. “For later engines,” he whispered, and set the pail where the bowl had been.
When he turned back, the wreath on the door rustled though there was no wind. Behind the ribbon, someone had hidden a small silver candy shaped like a gear, wrapped in blue foil. Kiko smiled so wide his robot face seemed to shine. If you check the wreath, the pumpkins, and the raised robot hand, can you guess which generous engine just came home changed?
