In class one C, Antek hears a mysterious ticking under his bench, and soon the whole classroom starts listening too.
In the bright, cheerful classroom of class one C, the children were just opening their notebooks.
Antek slid into his favourite bench by the window and rested his feet on the cool floor.
Then he heard it.
Tick-tock-tock.
He froze.
The sound came from right under his shoes.
Antek leaned forward and peered beneath the bench, but there was nothing there except the dusty floor and one lost pencil cap.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered to Jagoda beside him.
Jagoda’s eyes went round. "Yes. What was it? A mouse?"
Before Antek could answer, the sound returned, louder this time.
Tick-tick-tick.
A few children turned in their seats. Someone stopped tapping a pencil. Even the buzzing classroom seemed to hold its breath.
Mrs Eve walked over slowly. "What have you got under that bench, children?"
Antek and Jagoda looked again.
Silence.
No ticking. No tapping. Nothing.
The class began whispering faster and faster. Was it a clock? A toy? A secret hiding place?
Then, just as Mrs Eve was about to step away, the ticking started again.
Not under Antek’s bench this time.
It was coming from the bench behind him.