The afternoon heat makes the air shimmer above our garden wall as I sit in my favorite shady spot, back pressed against the cool stones. It's the perfect place to read - just enough breeze to keep the pages from sticking to my fingers, just enough sun filtering through the apple leaves to see the words clearly.

The book in my hands is one of Dad's favorites - full of legends about ancient heroes and their battles against creatures from the Upside Down. Maya, my little sister, loves when I read them to her before bed, though I always have to soften the scarier parts. I trace my fingers over the yellowed pages, thinking about how many times Dad must have read this as a child.

"Wait! Wait! Come back!"

Claire's voice breaks through my quiet reading spot. I lower my book, curious about what's got my best friend so worked up. The summer sun nearly blinds me as I lean forward to peer around the corner of our house.

I fidget with the hem of my dress - a nervous habit Mom's always scolding me for - as I try to spot Claire between the houses. The village of Aldenvik stretches out before me, familiar as my own reflection. Every hill, every ancient oak and silver birch like old friends I've known all my life.

A flash of movement catches my eye near the forest's edge. Claire bursts into view, her braids coming undone as she chases something that glitters in the sunlight. I squint, trying to make out what has her so excited. Then I see it - a dragon-lizard, no bigger than old Mrs. Hedda's cat, its scales catching the light like the crystals in Gondo's workshop.

I've never seen one this close to the village before. They usually only venture out during summer evenings, when the air is thick with fireflies - their favorite hunting time. Sometimes you can spot them at the forest's edge, darting between shadows as they chase their glowing prey, but they rarely come this far into the open, especially in broad daylight.

"Just... just a moment!" Claire calls out between breaths. She stumbles to a stop, doubling over with her hands on her knees. I can't help but smile - she's always diving headfirst into adventures, whether she has the energy for them or not.

The creature seems to be playing with her. It hovers just within reach, then darts away the moment she straightens up. Around and around the old stone well it goes, its dragonfly-like wings creating tiny rainbows in the water spray. I cover my mouth to stifle a giggle - it's like watching a dance where only one partner knows the steps.

"Julie! Julie!" Claire spots me in my hiding place. "Help me catch it!"

The excitement in her voice is infectious. I abandon my book and race to join her, the warm cobblestones smooth under my feet. We chase the little trickster through the villagers' gardens, the air sweet with lilies and roses. It leads us on a merry chase through carefully tended rows of carrots and onions, making us zigzag and stumble after it.

"Sorry, Mrs. Hedda! Sorry, Mr. Lars!" I call out as we crash through their gardens, my face burning with embarrassment. Great, now Mom will hear about this at the market tomorrow. She already thinks I spend too much time running wild with Claire instead of helping with chores.

I pause to catch my breath, leaning against Mrs. Hedda's old apple tree. Her red cat watches us from a high branch, tail swaying gently back and forth. Usually, he comes running for pets and attention, but today he just observes with quiet indifference, his eyes half-closed in the warm afternoon sun.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

We run past house after house - I know every one of them, every creaky board and weathered beam. The stories they could tell about Claire and me, about all our adventures and mishaps. The dragon-lizard suddenly swoops toward the wheat field, sending ripples through the golden stalks like waves on a summer lake.

Claire and I have explored every corner of Aldenvik since we were old enough to walk. We know all the hidden spots, all the passages between houses, even the exact places where the floorboards creak in the old bakery. Today, though, the village feels... peaceful. Ordinary. Perfect in its summer afternoon contentment.

"Julie, Julie! Look up there!" Claire bounces on her toes, pointing frantically at the roof of the candlemaker's shop. "Can you believe how pretty it is? Look at those wings - they're like rainbow glass!"

I try to focus where she's pointing, but something else catches my attention. Whispers, soft and distant, like when you try to hear what your parents are saying from another room. My head feels fuzzy, and for a moment, everything seems to drift away, like I'm underwater.

"Oh my gosh, Julie, its tail! Did you see how it curled up? And those scales - they shine just like Gondo's prettiest gems!" Claire grabs my arm, shaking me in her excitement. "It's looking right at us! Julie, are you even watching?"

I blink hard, trying to clear my head. The whispers fade as quickly as they came, but they leave behind a chill that makes me shiver despite the warm day. It reminds me of something - a memory that slips away like water through my fingers.

"What? I..." I stammer, my tongue feeling thick and clumsy.

"You totally missed it!" Claire's excitement shifts to concern. "It was the most amazing thing ever, and you were standing there like you were sleeping or something. Are you okay?"

"I just... I heard these weird whispers and-"

"Whispers? What whispers? Never mind that - you should have seen it! The way it moved was so graceful, like a dancer or something, and when it spread its wings-" Claire stops suddenly, studying my face with the careful attention of someone who's known me since we were small. "You really don't look so good. Maybe we should get something to eat? I think I smell fresh bread from the square."

I manage a weak smile, grateful she's not pushing about the whispers anymore. "Yeah, that sounds good."

We start walking down the main street, but Claire can't contain her excitement. "Wait till I tell everyone at dinner! A real dragon-lizard, right here in Aldenvik! Even if it was tiny. I wonder if it lives in the forest? Maybe we could find it again tomorrow? Though you'd have to actually look at it this time instead of daydreaming about weird whispers..."

I nod along, only half-listening as we make our way toward the square. The cobblestones are warm under our feet, and the afternoon sun makes everything look golden. We're about to turn onto Baker's Lane to find the source of that bread smell when Claire suddenly grabs my arm.

"Oh! Look!" She points toward the square. "The Millbrook traders are here already! That's a way bigger cart than last year!"

She's right - a massive cart stands in the center of the square, surrounded by what looks like half the village. The smell of fresh bread mixes with dust and horse sweat, and everyone seems to be talking at once. Through the crowd, I spot Gondo's massive frame as he helps unload grain sacks, his muscles rippling in the sunlight.

"I hope they brought more grain than last year," Claire says, practically dragging me forward. "Winter was long and-"

She stops short, and I nearly bump into her. The crowd around the cart parts just enough for us to see the huge pile of grain sacks, and Claire's grip on my arm tightens with excitement. All thoughts of dragon-lizards and mysterious whispers fade away as we watch the bustling trade unfold before us.

But somewhere, just at the edge of hearing, those whispers linger. Waiting. Like shadows gathering at the corners of a bright room, promising secrets I'm not sure I want to learn.