The excitement on her face softened into something quieter.
Curiosity.
I loved that expression on her.
It always meant her brain was already trying to understand something before touching it.
I pushed the boxes toward them slowly.
“Four days to six.
Eli immediately grabbed his first while Ava opened hers carefully, like she was handling ancient artifacts that belonged in a museum.
Inside were two customized adventure journals.
Not ordinary journals.
No.
These ones were beautifully leather bound with their names engraved across the front in tiny silver lettering.
Ava’s was a soft dusty lavender with silver edges that shimmered under the dining room lights whenever she tilted it slightly.
Countdown
Eli’s was deep navy with tiny constellation embossments pressed into the cover.
side, every few pages contained prompts.
Invent something impossible today.
Describe the weirdest thing you noticed this week.
Write one thing you would fix about the world.
Interview someone older than you.
Document a mystery.
Create a map of somewhere important to you.
I wanted them to learn observation.
Reflection.
Creativity.
Also selfishly?
I wanted pieces of their minds preserved somewhere forever.
Eli pointed dramatically at the journals like he had just uncovered political corruption.
“She did it again.”
Aya gasped softly this time.
“Oh wow.”
Then both of them rushed toward the table properly.
I folded my arms proudly.



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