The Bakery's Secret
The sweet, buttery scent of stroopwafels filled the air as Sanne Vos carefully lifted a tray from the oven. It was still early — the quiet hush of the small Dutch town outside her bakery hadn't yet been disturbed by the morning rush.
"Perfect," she whispered, placing the tray onto the counter. Her grandmother's recipes never failed her.
The bell above the door jingled softly as the first customer of the day entered, but Sanne barely noticed. She was too focused on a strange hum she'd been hearing all week — faint, low, and coming from the storeroom.
At first, she thought it was the old refrigerator acting up. But tonight, as she closed up, the sound grew louder. A soft glow spilled from beneath the storeroom door.
Heart pounding, Sanne grabbed her rolling pin — just in case — and pushed the door open.
Inside, flour dust floated lazily in the light… and in the middle of the room, a shimmering oval of golden light hovered above the floor, rippling like water.
"What on earth…" she whispered, stepping closer. The glow was warm, comforting, and yet… pulling her in.
Then, before she could react, the floor shifted beneath her feet.
Sanne stumbled forward, straight through the oval — and the world disappeared.