The Invisible World

Luca jumps down the front steps, two at a time. Monday morning, time for school.

The air is crisp and smells like autumn.

What wonderful, delightful things will he see today?

Just around the corner, he meets…

A GIANT!

Mr. Goldwin hurries past. A tall office building sits on his shoulders—with windows, antennas, and fast whirly doors. Two phones hang where his ears used to be, ringing and ringing. Above him, high up in the air—a dark, scary cloud.

Luca calls out: ‘It's sunny this morning, Mr. Goldwin! No chance of rain!’

Mr. Goldwin looks up at the blue sky and his frown slips away.

The cloud slowly drifts and the phones grow quiet. Suddenly, they could both hear the birds singing.

Mr. Goldwin waves and continues walking, a bit slower this time.

Luca squints. Is it just him or did the building shrink a few floors?

Swinging around the lamppost, Luca spies someone ahead…

AN ACROBAT!

Ms. Swift walks along a tightrope. Luca watches as a briefcase, a lunch box, a stroller, and a piggy bank spin in a perfect circle above her head.

Oh no… Ms. Swift wobbles.

He holds his breath—will she fall?

‘Let me help you,’ says Luca, reaching up to straighten the crown on her head.

‘Thank you, dear. I almost lost my balance.’ She gently ruffles his hair.

Her crown shines bright, like tinsel stars.

Ms. Swift walks on, chin up and smiling.

Luca lifts his eyebrows. Did the tightrope get wider?

Cars hum past like beads on a string. And right there, at the intersection, waiting to cross, Luca spots…

A WIZARD!

Mr. Leonard has wild, tangled eyebrows.

His deep pockets are always filled with magical stories, one for each year he's lived—hundreds and hundreds of them.

Today he’s wearing his invisibility cloak and he's having trouble crossing the street. Everybody bumps into him!

‘Give me your hand,’ says Luca, and helps him to the other side.

Mr. Leonard pats his shoulder.

‘You're a kind boy.’

Bright colours flood his dusty robes. The invisibility cloak slips away.

The glorious smile on Mr. Leonard's face tells Luca he doesn't mind one bit.

The street is buzzing. Children swarm like a hive of bees.

At the gate, someone greets them with a smile…

A MAGICIAN!

Miss Sophie looks lovely!

When she twirls, her clothes change like magic—flowy dresses, rainbow aprons, sporty stripes.

Around her, letters fly like butterflies and crayons draw in the air. Notebooks flip their pages all on their own.

When Miss Sophie speaks, her voice sounds like honey.

A sharp silver sound cuts through the air. The school bell.

Luca takes a good, long look around. Everybody carries an invisible world!

His heart feels warm.

What wonderful, delightful things will he see—and change—today?