Ala’s blanket begins to glow and move, and something small and mysterious stirs beneath it.
Ala sat by her window and watched the grey clouds slide across the sky. The room felt still and sleepy.
“I’m bored,” she whispered.
Then she remembered the blanket her grandmother had given her. It was bright with stripes of red, yellow, and blue, and it smelled faintly of vanilla. Ala carried it to the floor and spread it out like a carpet.
“Magic carpet,” she said, and smiled.
The blanket gave a tiny rustle.
Ala froze.
It twitched again, as if something underneath had just rolled over. Then the whole blanket shimmered. Soft colours blinked along the edge, one after another, like little sparks waking up.
A tiny paw slipped out from under the fabric.
Ala blinked hard. The paw wiggled once, and the blanket lifted a little higher, as if whatever was hidden beneath it was getting ready to show its face. Ala slowly reached out her hand, and the blanket moved toward her.