At the edge of Lumina Village, other children lit up their secret gifts. Sparkles danced. Glowing hands flashed. Shimmering wings took flight.
Kai opened his mouth and tried. Only silence came out. He curled his shoulders down and turned away.
He wandered toward the whispering garden. Ears pressed close to the soil, he waited.
A flower hummed a low blue note. A butterfly tapped a silver rhythm on his shoe. Kai whispered back. The butterfly fluttered up and landed on his fingertip.
A great gust crashed through Lumina Village. Shutters rattled. The old bell tower groaned.
Kai squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his palms flat against the trembling wall. The wall hummed a deep shaky rumble. It was singing — it was scared.
He ran door to door, tapping each wall. A little girl hugged a wailing pipe under her sink. A boy cupped his ears against a groaning tree branch.
Kai climbed the tower steps. Both hands on the brass, he sang back the steady, strong lullaby from the garden.
The bell stopped shaking. The wind died to a soft breeze. Everything was calm.
Kai looked at his open, calloused palms. He didn't shrink his shoulders this time.
The children gathered around him. Their eyes were wide.
He smiled, small and sure. Lumina Village glowed around him.