The Orange Pyramid's Secret

Lily and Marco were best friends who loved exploring. Every summer day, they visited the neighborhood swimming pool. But this Tuesday was different.

"Look!" Lily shouted, pointing toward the deep end. "Something's glowing down there!"

Marco squinted through his goggles. "It looks like an orange pyramid!"

They held their breath and dove deep. There, resting on the pool's bottom, sat a perfect pyramid the color of a ripe orange. It pulsed with warm light.

When Marco touched it, the water began to swirl around them. Suddenly, they weren't in a pool anymore—they were floating in a magical underwater kingdom!

"Welcome!" said a tiny mermaid with shimmering blue hair. "I've been waiting for someone brave enough to find the orange pyramid. My name is Coral."

Coral explained that an ogre named Grumble had stolen all the color from her kingdom. Only the orange pyramid—hidden in a pool in the human world—could bring it back.

"How can we help?" Lily asked.

"Together, we must carry the pyramid to Grumble's cave and restore what was taken," Coral said.

Hand in hand, they swam through coral forests and past schools of fish. When they reached Grumble's cave, the grumpy ogre was sitting alone in the dark.

"Why did you take all the colors?" Marco asked bravely.

"I was lonely," Grumble sniffled. "Everything here was so beautiful, and my cave was so plain."

Lily had an idea. "Instead of taking colors, what if you made your own? The orange pyramid can help!"

They placed the pyramid in the center of the cave. Instantly, brilliant colors burst forth—rainbow seaweed, golden sand, sparkling gems.

"Now everyone's colors are even brighter than before," Coral said, "because they're shared with a friend."

Grumble smiled, his gray face turning a happy pink. "Will you visit me? I get lonely sometimes."

"Every summer," Lily promised. "Right after swim practice."

With a splash, Lily and Marco found themselves back in their neighborhood pool, clutching each other's hands.

"Was that real?" Marco whispered.

Lily held up something in her palm—a tiny orange pyramid pendant on a silver chain.

"I think it's just beginning."