The cursor blinked on the white screen. Nicky stared at it, waiting for an idea to appear. It did not come. The room was very quiet.
She typed 'The Magic Lab' then deleted it. Backspace clicked loudly. She dragged science diagrams onto the desktop. They looked dry next to her colorful drafts.
A paperclip rolled off the desk. Clatter. It hit the floor. Nicky jumped. The noise broke the silence. She looked down at the metal spiral.
Nicky tried to glue the rocket ship to the volcano. The glue squelched. It slid off. A messy brown smear formed. She sighed and wiped it with her sleeve.
She drew a grumpy face on the crater. Then she whispered a warning to the plastic trees nearby. The lights flickered once. Shadows danced long and thin.
The plastic trees seemed to lean in. Nicky stood tall. She held her diagram like a treasure map. It was no longer just glue and paper. It was an adventure.
At the fair booth, she pointed at her labels. Judges smiled and nodded. They traced the path of her story with their eyes. Nicky felt ready.
The cursor blinked no more. The page was full. Nicky closed the laptop. The magic was real. She had made it herself.