At Sonnenhang Elementary School, everything was actually quite normal. Almost everything.
There was Mrs. Sommer, who always wore two different socks. There was caretaker Bruno, who claimed he could talk to his broom. And there was the famous recess bell.
It was so loud that even the pigeons on the school roof would startle and fly away every time.
But this Monday, something was different.
In the middle of math class – just as Emil was trying to figure out why seven times eight could never be fifty-five – the bell suddenly rang.
RRRIIING!
The whole class jumped up.
“Recess!”, Leo shouted excitedly.
“Sit down!”, Mrs. Sommer shouted at the same time.
Everyone froze.
Because right after the bell, Mrs. Sommer said slowly: “The recess bell couldn’t have rung.”
“Why not?”, Mila asked.
Mrs. Sommer pointed to the clock. “Because it’s only nine twenty-three. Recess is at half past nine.”
The class sat down again, murmuring.
Then it rang again.
RRRIIING!
This time louder. This time longer. This time somehow… giggling.
Emil frowned. “Can a bell giggle?”
“No,” said Mrs. Sommer. Then she thought for a moment. “At least I hope not.”
Caretaker Bruno was called. He came with his toolbox, his cap, and his broom Herbert.
“Where’s the problem?”, he asked.
“The bell rings for no reason,” Mrs. Sommer explained.
Bruno nodded seriously. Then he pressed his ear to the wall. Then to the door. Then to his broom.
“Interesting,” he murmured.
“What’s interesting?”, the class asked at the same time.
Bruno looked around mysteriously. “The big recess bell in the hallway is missing.”
Silence.
“Missing?”, Mila asked. “So… gone gone?”
Bruno nodded. “Gone gone.”
Leo raised his hand. “But if it’s gone… who’s ringing then?”
Just at that moment, the sound rang again. This time directly above their heads.
RRRIIING!
Everyone ducked.
And on the blackboard, as if by ghostly hand, a sentence appeared in white chalk:
I AM STILL HERE.