Small Wonders · complete story

The Day Red Went Missing

Tedray · Teamwork & curiosity

Seven-year-old Pip counted the things in his bag. One drawing book. One little box of wedding ribbons. Nine strawberry biscuits. He counted the biscuits again. Eight.

Ivo stood beside him on six small legs. “My snack test was successful,” the robot said.

Eight-year-old Zuri laughed. Outside the ship, seven ribbons of light curled between golden stars. She opened her sketchbook to a clean page. The Rainbow Highway was far too lovely to draw in one color.

Dr Dandy bent to look at her picture. His long, straight dark hair swept back like a lion’s mane. A red spoon poked out of his ivory coat. “Excellent stars,” he said. “I shall draw the ship.”

“That is a spoon,” said Pip.

“So it is. My pencil is having an adventure in another pocket.”

At the front, Mira checked the route. Her long braid rested against her navy flight suit. “Strawberry Station next. Your auntie’s Saturn celebration is later in our trip, Pip. We have time to enjoy our stops.”

Then the red ribbon of light blinked out.

Pip held his biscuit very still. “Did I do that?”

“No,” said Dandy. “Let’s look, let’s listen, then let’s try.”

Noor checked the screen behind their rectangular glasses. The red circle had gone dark, but its outline and the words STRAWBERRY STOP still showed. A station worker answered Mira’s call. The staffed controls were working. Everyone could travel safely.

Strawberry Asteroid appeared ahead. Its garden station looked like an enormous strawberry, with leafy windows and a green roof. Real strawberry plants grew inside. Only the red welcome lanterns were dark.

“A strawberry with strawberries,” said Ivo. “An excellent arrangement.”

In the warm control room, Zuri found a picture of the lantern cables. Little red dots were moving away from the station.

“A broken switch!” she said. “We should mend it.”

Pip pointed to a purple envelope on the screen. “Perhaps someone wants a picture.”

“We need to find the problem,” Zuri said.

“And we can ask who is there,” said Dandy. “Both ideas can help.”

Noor checked the old reply channel. Something had carefully stored the decorative light in a box. Nothing was smashed. A message appeared: SAVING FOR THE CELEBRATION.

“Whose celebration?” whispered Pip.

Another message followed. MUST BE READY WHEN THEY COME BACK.

Zuri’s big theory suddenly felt smaller. “Maybe someone is waiting.”

Together, the children drew an invitation. Pip made a red heart. Zuri added strawberries. Ivo stamped six tiny footprints. Dandy wrote: GUESTS WELCOME. PLEASE RETURN THE STATION LIGHT.

Noor sent the picture and repaired the return path at their console. The children watched from beside Dandy. Red dots hurried home. Outside, the welcome lanterns shone like ripe berries.

The garden workers cheered. Their picnic could have its red sparkle again. Zuri and Pip shared the last biscuit with Dandy.

“Your picture helped,” Zuri told Pip.

“Your cable clue helped,” Pip told Zuri.

A new purple envelope appeared. Its stamp had seven little spokes. No name was written beneath it.

Then Mira called from the ship. “Bubble Station has sent a message.”

On her map, a bright blue bubble turned clear.