Til the Little Snail and the Sleepy Swamp

One early morning, Til woke up to a strange mist drifting through the garden like a long white sheet. Lia the dragonfly sat on a slender stem, looking quite worried.

“Til, do you feel it?”

“Um… the dampness?” Til asked innocently.

“No!” Lia darted in a quick circle around him. “Something’s wrong with the air. Last night a fog rolled in from the Sleepy Swamp.”

Til pulled back into his shell. Everyone had heard of the Sleepy Swamp—but only in whispers. They said that when its mist appeared, everything nearby would fall asleep: flowers, blades of grass, even stones. And sometimes, if the swamp decided, it could carry someone’s dream away with it…

“We have to check it out,” said Lia. “Before the fog gets thicker.”

Til didn’t really want to go… but Lia was already in the air, her wings trembling with excitement. Til sighed and followed. The adventure had begun.