Time was running again.
The boy kept running.
Straight towards the door.
“Now!”, shouted Leo.
But Emil stopped.
“No.”
Everyone turned to him.
“What do you mean no?!”, shouted Leo.
“We’re not supposed to stop him,” said Emil calmly.
“We’re supposed to understand him.”
“This is no time for understanding!”, shouted Leo.
“Yes, it is,” said Emil.
And then he ran off.
But not to stop the boy.
Instead, to catch up with him.
“Wait!”, shouted Emil.
The boy turned around, startled.
He stumbled.
And stopped.
“What do you want?”, he asked.
Emil stopped in front of him.
“Why did you take that?”
The boy looked at the metal piece in his hand.
“To make the break last longer.”
“Why?”
The boy hesitated.
Then he said quietly:
“Because I don’t want to go back to class.”
Silence.
“Why not?”, asked Emil carefully.
The boy swallowed.
“Because I’m always the slowest.”
“Everyone else is faster.”
“Better.”
“And I…”
He looked at the ground.
“I never make it.”
The others came closer.
Slowly.
Mila smiled cautiously.
“That’s not true.”
The boy looked up.
“Yes, it is.”
Emil shook his head.
“You have done something no one else can.”
The boy frowned.
“What?”
Emil pointed to the metal piece.
“You stopped time.”
Silence.
“That’s pretty impressive.”
The boy blinked.
“Really?”
“Yes,” said Leo.
“But maybe… you don’t have to stop time to keep up.”
The little bell floated closer.
Ding…
Gently.
“Time wants to help you,” said Emil.
“But it needs the piece back.”
The boy looked at the metal piece.
Then at the bell.
Then at the others.
Slowly…
…he stretched out his hand.
And gave it back.
Ding!
The world began to shine.
Brighter.
Stronger.
And suddenly…
…everything began to disappear.