Ellie couldn't stop thinking about the weird email. She had gone through the rest of her school day in a daze, barely paying attention during her classes, her mind constantly returning to the mysterious message. Her phone was tucked safely back in her pocket now, but the strange feeling hadn't gone away.
As she walked home that afternoon, she kept looking over her shoulder, half-expecting something magical to pop up behind her. But all she saw was the same old neighborhood — cracked sidewalks, red brick houses, and the occasional cat lounging on a windowsill. Nothing extraordinary.
Still, that email had said her "Magic Spoon" was on the way. Ellie wasn't sure what to make of it, but she had to admit that the possibility of something interesting happening in her life — something that wasn't a failed magic trick with her cereal spoon — was kind of exciting.
When she got home, she was met with the usual chaos. Her younger brother, Max, was in the living room, building a fort out of couch cushions. His face was covered in what looked like blue paint, and Ellie immediately knew what had happened. Max had been trying to "paint" his fort to make it "look more like a spaceship."
"Max! What in the world?" Ellie called as she stepped into the living room.
Max grinned, completely unfazed by the mess. "It's for my space mission! I'm going to be the first kid to land on Mars!"
Ellie rolled her eyes. "You're not even allowed to use real paint, Max. Mom's gonna—"
But she stopped mid-sentence, because there, lying on the kitchen table, was a familiar-looking envelope.
The envelope was cream-colored and sealed with an odd wax emblem — a star inside a crescent moon. Ellie's heart skipped. She had only ever seen a seal like that once before — on the cereal box.
She walked toward the table, her hand trembling slightly. The address on the envelope was typed out in bold, elegant letters: Ellie Baxter.
No return address. No logo. No clue where it had come from.
She stared at it for a long moment. Could it be… could it really be from the same people who had sent her the email? The email that claimed her "Magic Spoon" was on the way? She felt a sudden rush of excitement, mixed with a twinge of nervousness.
Max, oblivious to his sister's excitement, made spaceship sounds in the background. Ellie carefully picked up the envelope, running her fingers over the wax seal before carefully breaking it open.
Inside, there was a single sheet of parchment paper. As soon as she unfolded it, she was hit with the unmistakable scent of something otherworldly — something warm and comforting, like cinnamon and stardust. Ellie couldn't explain why, but the smell felt like it belonged in a storybook.
The letter read:
Dear Ellie Baxter,
Congratulations! You've been chosen to attend the Wobblewick Academy — an institution where average kids like you are given the chance to discover their magical potential.
Don't worry if you haven't noticed anything special about yourself yet. Many kids don't realize their abilities right away. But rest assured, we will help you unlock your hidden talents. Whether you're aware of them or not, you have more power inside you than you know.
Please find enclosed your official acceptance materials and instructions. Wobblewick Academy will prepare you for an extraordinary journey, one that will challenge you, surprise you, and most importantly — help you discover that being average is not as boring as you think.
Your adventure begins soon.
Sincerely,
The Wobblewick Academy Admissions Team
P.S. Your Magic Spoon will arrive shortly. Keep it safe!
Ellie blinked. She read the letter again. And then again. But no matter how many times she read it, the words didn't make any more sense.
Wobblewick Academy? A place for average kids to discover their magical potential?
She looked down at the bottom of the letter and saw a small, shiny emblem tucked into the fold — a silver pin with a crescent moon and a star inside it, just like the one on the seal. It shimmered in her hand like it had been made with magic.
"I don't understand…" Ellie muttered, almost too stunned to speak.
Max's voice interrupted her thoughts. "What is it, Ellie? Another weird thing from your cereal box?" He leaned in to inspect the envelope, but Ellie quickly stuffed it back into her bag, not ready to explain.
"No," she said quietly. "It's something… different."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling her. Ellie stood up, still holding the letter, and walked cautiously to the front door.
When she opened it, she was greeted by a strange sight.
Standing on the doorstep was a delivery person, but not one Ellie recognized. He was wearing a sharp suit, a bowler hat, and... a strange, lopsided grin. He looked like someone out of an old-timey movie, except he was holding a small, plain brown box wrapped in string.
"Ellie Baxter?" he asked, his voice smooth and deep.
"That's me…" Ellie replied, hesitating.
The man handed her the box with a polite nod. "Your package, Miss Baxter. Careful with it. It's a very special delivery."
Before Ellie could respond, the man tipped his hat and turned to walk away — disappearing around the corner of the house as quickly as he had arrived.
Ellie stood there for a moment, box in hand. Something told her this wasn't a normal delivery, and she was starting to feel that spark of excitement again — the one that made her feel like something big was about to happen.