Chapter One: The Vanishing Sock

 



Chapter One: The Vanishing Sock

Ariel had a game-day routine. And it was a very important routine. First, she ate exactly one and a half waffles (the other half was always stolen by her brother, Noah). Then, she put on her lucky socks—the stripy, stretchy, slightly magical-feeling socks that helped her score goals. Finally, she tied her soccer cleats with a triple knot so they wouldn’t come undone mid-game.

At least… she was supposed to put on her lucky socks.

But today, one was missing.

Ariel sat in the middle of her bedroom, surrounded by a pile of socks. There were soccer socks, fuzzy socks, and a pair of rainbow unicorn socks that smelled suspiciously like the bottom of her cleats. But no lucky sock.

“This is a disaster,” Ariel groaned, flopping backward onto her bed.  

From across the room, Noah snickered. Noah, age 11, Professional Older Brother, was leaning against the doorframe, eating a waffle (probably her other half).

“You know,” he said, stuffing more waffle into his mouth, “you could just wear different socks.”

Ariel shot him a look that could melt a popsicle in Antarctica.

“These aren’t just socks, Noah. They are THE Lucky Socks. Every time I wear them, I play my best. Every time I don’t wear them… Ughh" She trailed off, shuddering at the memory of last season’s accidental own goal.

Noah smirked. “Maybe your sock ran away.”

Ariel sat up, eyes narrowing. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Noah raised an eyebrow. “Maybe it got tired of being sweaty and kicked into mud and—”

“Not. Helping.” Ariel stood up and launched a pillow at his face.

Noah caught it and dramatically fell to the floor like he’d been mortally wounded. “The betrayal!” he moaned. “You are now my enemy, Sockless One!”

Ariel ignored him. She had a sock to find.

The Great Sock Hunt

Ariel searched everywhere.

She looked under her bed (just dust bunnies and one lonely LEGO piece that stabbed her toe).

She checked the laundry hamper (she found a peanut butter sandwich from last week but no sock).

She even peeked into Boo’s secret hiding spot behind the couch. The cat just flicked his tail and stared at her like, You dare accuse me?

Ariel was getting desperate.

“Mom!” she yelled, running downstairs. “Have you seen my sock?”

Beka was making chai and didn’t even look up. “Check the laundry.”

Ariel sighed. Of course she’d have to check the laundry. That meant going into the Terrifying Depths of the Laundry Room.

Also known as: Dad’s Domain.

The Laundry Room of Doom

Ariel stepped into the laundry room and took a deep breath. It smelled like socks, detergent, and dad’s gym shorts.

The dryer rumbled ominously.

Ariel hesitated. The dryer was a monster, a great metal beast that swallowed clothes and sometimes never gave them back. But she had no choice. She had to go in.

She opened the dryer door and peeked inside.

Nothing. Just a bunch of warm, tumbling clothes.

Then, just as she was about to turn away… she saw it.

A tiny glow, deep in the back of the dryer.

Ariel squinted. Was that—?

She reached in, stretching farther and farther—but the sock must’ve been way in the back.

She leaned in a little more… then a little more…

And then—

WHOOSH.

The world tilted. Ariel’s stomach flipped.

One second, she was reaching into the dryer, and the next—

She was falling.

Falling through the dryer.

Falling into another world.

And then—

THUD.

Ariel landed face-first on something soft and fuzzy. She groaned and pushed herself up, blinking at her surroundings.

And that’s when she realized—

She wasn’t in the laundry room anymore.

She was in a city made of socks.

Towering sock-shaped buildings stretched into the sky, some knitted, some covered in polka dots. Bridges woven from shoelaces arched over tiny rivers made of soapy water. A sock-shaped blimp drifted lazily overhead, trailing a banner that read: "Freshly Laundered Festival This Weekend!"

And standing right in front of her… was a sock.

But not just any sock.

A walking, talking sock.

It was knee-high, striped green and gold, and looked a little worn at the edges, as if it had been tumbled through the wash one too many times. Two tiny button eyes were stitched onto the front, and it had a tiny yarn mustache that twitched as it spoke.

"Well now, would ya look at that?" the sock said, crossing its arms. "We don’t get many humans fallin’ outta the sky round here!"

Ariel's jaw dropped.

The sock grinned.

"Welcome to Sockopolis!" it said cheerfully.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chapter Thirteen: Shadows Within

Image
  Chapter Thirteen: Shadows Within The cold air clung to their skin as the group emerged from the Celestial Caves. They didn’t speak much as they stepped into the dead lands beyond. The ground was cracked and dry, stretching into a broken plain of sharp stone and low fog. No stars above, no moon. The only light came from the faint, steady glow of Ariel’s bracelet and Boo’s collar. Just outside the mouth of the cavern, they made camp. A circle of rocks offered little shelter, and the fire they managed to light was pale and flickering—like everything else in the Shadowlands. They huddled close. Even Kip stayed unusually quiet, staring long into the flames. Prince Caelum sat with his back to the fire, watching the horizon where Umbric’s castle loomed like a wound against the dark sky. Its towers twisted upward like claws, and the clouds churned above them in slow, unnatural spirals. "It won’t be long now," he said. "You’ve brought more light than I believed possible—but the...
Read more

Emberwood: Chapter 1

 Chapter 1: The Land of Glittering Meadows In the heart of Emberwood, where the light of a thousand tiny fireflies shimmered like stars in a clear, endless sky, there lay the glittering meadows—a breathtaking expanse blanketed with flowers that gleamed in all shades of gold, silver, and violet. This land was home to a remarkable family, the Luminaris family. Their home, more than just a place to live, was a ranch for unicorns, a rare and beautiful creature with silky coats as white as stardust and spiraling horns that glowed with an enchanting light. The Luminaris family, who had lived there for generations, took care of these magical creatures. They were a family of four: Beka, the loving, wise mother, who could speak in soft tones that even the shyest unicorn would answer to; Nick, a steadfast and warm-hearted father who always wore a smile and was known for his bravery; Noah, a curious 10-year-old with a knack for spotting trouble before it started; and Ariel, his little sister,...
Read more

Chapter One: A Day of Wonder at Evergrove City Zoo

  Chapter One: A Day of Wonder at Evergrove City Zoo Ariel grinned from ear to ear as she walked hand-in-hand with her mother Beka through the towering iron gates of the Evergrove City Zoo. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of tall sycamore trees that lined the entrance, and a gentle breeze carried the distant roars and squawks of animals waking up to greet their visitors. Her father Nick trailed slightly behind, holding her younger brother Noah’s hand. Noah was already chatting excitedly about all the reptiles he hoped to see. Every so often, their mother scolded him good-naturedly for trying to dash off too quickly. It was a typical day out—family fun, mild chaos, and lots of promises about souvenir ice cream at the gift shop. Yet from the moment she stepped inside, Ariel sensed something peculiar. Whenever she neared an enclosure—be it the lions basking in the sun or the flamingos wading in a shallow pond—she felt the animals were looking at her with a curious intensity. Thei...
Read more