Page 47 of Pick Me Up On Tuesdays

Max gasped. "Are you calling my tank tops uncultured?"

"No, Max," Joy said. "We’re calling you uncultured."

Mr. Dax groaned from the front. "Get off the bus before I mark you all absent."

That got us moving.

As we stepped out, the elf glanced at us with the tired expression of a man who had probably dealt with too many clueless high schoolers.

"Welcome," he said in the most bored voice I’d ever heard. "To the Enchanted Park of Aislad. May your journey be… meaningful."

Then he just stepped aside, clearly done with us already.

"Wow," I whispered. "What an inspiring welcome speech. I feel changed."

Joy nudged me. "Bet he moonlights as a motivational speaker."

We walked past the gate, and that’s when the world changed.

The trees weren’t just trees—they shimmered with golden leaves that occasionally floated upward instead of falling down. The air smelled different, like honey and something ancient, something magical. The sky was brighter, like it had been buffed and polished just for us.

And then the creatures started appearing.

A pair of griffins lounged near a pond, one lazily sharpening its claws on a rock while the other fluffed its feathers like it was getting ready for a magazine cover.

A serpent with butterfly wings coiled around a tree branch, its violet eyes glowing as it studied us like we were a mildly interesting documentary.

A fox with nine tails yawned lazily, its tails flickering like candle flames before it disappeared into thin air, because of course it could do that.

"Alright, let's get this right," I announced, pulling out my tablet as Mia set up the camera. "This is an enchanted park, home to some of the rarest magical creatures in existence. Over there, we have—"

Joy elbowed me. "Clark, please don’t start info-dumping before I’ve had my morning coffee."

"You literally never drink coffee."

"Because I refuse to rely on capitalist bean juice to function," she said.

I sighed. "Anyway, as I was saying—"

And that’s when we saw it.

Not just it.

Them.

A group of bunnies.

Levitating.

Majestic.

Fluffy.

My soul left my body.

The floating bunnies drifted through the air like they owned the place, little paws dangling, ears twitching in slow motion. Their fluffy fur sparkled under the enchanted sunlight, and they blinked at us with big, otherworldly eyes.

I swallowed hard.

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