The Pyramid Card Castle

Ten-year-old Leo whispered to his best friend Sam, 'Are you ready to be a spy today?' Sam grinned and adjusted his pretend magnifying glass. 'Always ready, Agent Leo!'

They were on a secret mission in Leo's bedroom. Their target? The legendary Pyramid of Cards—a towering castle Leo had built from his grandfather's old baseball cards. It stood three feet tall on the desk, with windows drawn in marker and a little flag made from a toothpick.

'My little brother thinks he's a zombie,' Leo giggled. 'He's probably coming to stomp our pyramid!'

Sure enough, tiny footsteps approached. Three-year-old Toby waddled in, arms stretched out, moaning, 'Brrraaaains!' But instead of stomping, he reached for a baseball card that had fallen near the pyramid.

'Wait!' Sam cried. 'Maybe the zombie wants to play baseball!'

Leo's eyes lit up. 'Spy mission: Befriend the zombie!'

They showed Toby how to hold the baseball card properly. His small hands curled around it, and he laughed—a happy sound, not a zombie moan at all. Together, the three of them went outside and played a gentle game of catch. Toby couldn't throw far, but he could run after the ball and giggle wildly every time.

'The pyramid's safe,' Leo said later, watching his brother sleep. 'And we discovered something important.' Sam nodded. 'Sometimes things that seem scary are just lonely. They need friends.'