Isaiah was a Time Traveler. He was small, brave, and curious. He wore a little belt with a shiny clock on it. Tick-tock.
One day, Isaiah stood near a big Volcano. The ground was warm. The air smelled like smoke. “Hello, Volcano,” Isaiah said.
A Clown jumped out from behind a rock. Boing! The Clown had a red nose and a tiny hat. “I lost my honk-horn!” the Clown cried. “No honk! Only sad.”
A Swan glided on a dark lake by the Volcano. The Swan was gentle and calm. “I saw something shiny,” the Swan said softly. “But it slipped into a crack.”
A Mouse peeked from a pocket in Isaiah’s coat. The Mouse was quick and clever. “Cracks can hide treasures,” squeaked the Mouse.
Isaiah nodded. “We will find the lost horn.”
They walked. Step-step. The Volcano rumbled. Grum-grum.
Suddenly, a Stone Golem rose up. It was huge. It had rocky arms and a rocky face. “No one passes,” the Golem said. Boom.
The Clown tried to smile. “Please?” The Golem did not smile.
Isaiah whispered, “I am scared… but I can be brave.” He touched his clock belt. Tick-tock.
The Mouse pointed. “See the Golem’s feet? They are stuck in hot mud.”
The Swan flapped once. “Let’s be kind. The heat hurts.”
Isaiah had an idea. “I can do a tiny time step,” he said. “Just a small one.”
He turned the clock belt a little. Tick… tock…
Whoosh! The wind changed. The hot mud cooled a bit. Not cold. Just safe.
The Stone Golem blinked. “Ahhh,” it said. “Better.”
Isaiah spoke gently. “We are looking for a lost honk-horn. Can we pass?”
The Golem looked down. “I did not mean to be mean,” it rumbled. “I guard the cracks. Small things fall in. I try to help, but my hands are too big.”
The Clown sniffed. “My horn is small.”
The Mouse squeaked, “I am small too!”
The Golem slowly sat down. “Then you may look. Be careful.”
They went to a crack in the warm rock. The crack glowed orange, like sleepy fire.
The Swan said, “I will shine my white wings near it.” Flap-flap. The light made the crack easier to see.
The Mouse slid in. Slip-slip. “I see it!” the Mouse squeaked. “It is wedged.”
Isaiah held his breath. The Volcano went grum-grum again.
“Quick!” said Isaiah.
The Mouse pushed. The Clown reached with two fingers. Isaiah did a tiny time step again—tick-tock—to make the rumble slow down, just for a moment.
Pop! Out came the honk-horn.
“HONK!” The Clown tried it right away. “Honk-honk-honk!”
The Stone Golem made a sound like gravel laughing. “That is funny.”
The Volcano calmed. The air felt softer.
The Golem opened a stone pocket in its chest. Inside was a little box. “For helpers,” it said.
Isaiah opened the box. There were four shiny time-coins, smooth and warm, with tiny stars on them.
“One for you,” Isaiah said to the Clown. “One for Swan. One for Mouse. One for me.”
The Clown danced. The Swan dipped its head. The Mouse hugged a coin with both paws.
Isaiah smiled. “I learned something,” he said. “A small time step and a kind voice can fix big problems.”
“Honk!” said the Clown.
“Soft flap,” said the Swan.
“Squeak!” said the Mouse.
And Isaiah the Time Traveler walked away from the Volcano, with friends, and shiny time-coins in his pocket. Tick-tock, safe and happy.