Ana Cheche pressed her palm against the cool glass of the computer screen. Pixels swirled into a floating island above the monitor. A tiny paper boat drifted out, splashing onto her desk with a wet plip. She grabbed it, realizing the classroom had turned into an ocean.
She folded the paper boat and set it on the linoleum floor, but it immediately sank through a crack in the tiles. The room hummed with the sound of typing, ignoring the water spreading under her sneakers. She looked around, seeing only empty chairs where her friends should be playing.
Ana Cheche climbed onto her chair and whispered to the humming server rack, hoping it remembers how to talk. The fan blades spun faster, blowing a gust of warm air that carried the scent of ozone and old dust. Suddenly, three glowing orbs detached from the keyboard and floated toward her like friendly fireflies.
The orbs zipped past Ana Cheche’s ears, weaving a bright ribbon of light that connects the desks into a bridge across the room. She steps onto the shimmering path, feeling the static tickle her ankles as she walks toward the center of the room. Her friends’ laughter echoes from behind the whiteboard, calling her name.
Ana Cheche reached the whiteboard and found her friends sitting there, drawing castles in mid-air with their fingers. They handed her a marker, which glowed like a star in her grip, ready for the next adventure. The classroom lights dimmed, leaving only the magic they were creating together.