The light grew brighter and brighter.
The world began to blur.
The schoolyard dissolved. The boy slowly disappeared.
But before he was completely gone, he smiled.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Then he was gone.
Ding!
A clear, strong tone filled everything.
And suddenly…
…the children were standing in the classroom again.
Mrs. Sommer stood at the front.
The blackboard was clean.
And Emil was sitting at his desk again.
“Seven times eight?” asked Mrs. Sommer.
Emil blinked.
“Uh… fifty-six?”
Mrs. Sommer smiled. “Correct.”
Leo leaned toward him. “Did that really just happen?”
“I think so,” whispered Emil.
Mila grinned. “Me too.”
At the back of the room stood caretaker Bruno.
He winked at them.
And held up his broom Herbert.
“Everything back in rhythm,” he murmured.
At that moment, the break bell rang.
RRRIIING!
This time exactly at the right moment.
The whole class jumped up.
“Break!” shouted Leo.
Mrs. Sommer nodded. “Yes, now really break.”
The children ran outside.
The sun was shining. Everything was normal.
Or almost normal.
Because when Emil passed the wall, he saw something.
Very small.
Almost invisible.
A sentence.
Thank you for listening to me.
Emil smiled.
“Everyone sometimes needs a little more time,” he said softly.
And somewhere, very quietly, it answered:
Ding.