Madeline

In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. They went to bed in two straight lines, and they brushed their teeth in two straight lines. The smallest one was Madeline. It was a cozy house, filled with soft giggles and warm lights, but sometimes the creaks in the floors and the swish of the leaves outside gave it a slightly eerie feel. Still, Madeline was fearless. She loved to explore and have adventures, even in the middle of the night. One evening, as the girls were getting ready for bed, Miss Clavel, their caring and watchful teacher, noticed something unusual. Madeline was clutching her stomach and had a brave, but pained look on her face. “Oh dear, what could be wrong?” Miss Clavel wondered aloud. “I think I hear something,” Madeline whispered, her eyes wide with excitement rather than fear. “Something strange and maybe—magical.” Miss Clavel rushed to get Madeline dressed quickly. “We must go see the doctor!” she declared, grabbing her hat and coat. After a quick ride through the moonlit, eerie streets of Paris, they arrived at the hospital. Madeline could barely sit still, buzzing with curiosity. The doctor examined her and found out her appendix was about to burst. With quick precision, he operated and removed it. More than the surgery, Madeline enjoyed recounting her tale of the magical noises, convincing herself that the odd gurgling was an enchanted creature trying to speak to her. In her imagination, she had escaped not just an illness but an adventure of epic proportions. The next week, while her friends visited, they marveled at the small scar and the large, mystical story Madeline told them. “Did you hear the noise again?” asked one wide-eyed girl. “Of course I did,” Madeline replied with a grin. “It was the Guardian of the Shadows, making sure I’d have a story to tell.” Miss Clavel, ever practical yet understanding of a child's imagination, chuckled softly. “Madeline, you are so very brave.” From that night on, every little creak and rustle in their cozy, slightly eerie house turned into something magical for the girls, a testament to Madeline’s indomitable spirit and adventurous heart. And life in the old vine-covered house was never dull again.