Til the Little Snail and the City Noise

One cool morning at dawn, Til and his friend, a little dragonfly named Lia, were resting at the edge of the garden. The breeze was extra lively and carried a strange smell — not of grass, not of earth, but something sharp and unusual, as if the whole world had woken up too quickly.

“What’s that smell?” Til asked, poking his head out of his shell.

“It smells like the city,” Lia replied. “It’s not far from here. But snails don’t usually go there… it’s much too noisy.”

Til thought for a moment. Noisy, yes — but it must also be exciting! And besides, he had never been to the city before.

“Lia, what if we just take a peek? Just a little one?”

The dragonfly rolled her eyes.
“I knew you’d say that. Fine… but only a little.”