annie and her best friend, a spirited duck named Daffy, spent every afternoon exploring the edge of the wild garden. The grass was tall and the air smelled like adventure, but today, something felt different near the old willow tree.
Behind a curtain of weeping willow branches, they found something impossible. A shimmering, swirling gate of light stood tucked between the roots of an ancient tree, humming a low, musical tune.
Holding hands—and wings—they stepped through the light. On the other side, the garden was gone. They were standing in a world of giant ferns and trees that reached for the clouds, where the air felt warm and prehistoric.
A low hum vibrated through the ground as a magnificent creature stepped out from the foliage. She had large, flat plates like smooth stones along her back. This was Scaleby, and she lowered her head to greet Annie with a gentle blink.
Daffy didn't feel small at all in this giant world. He waddled right up to Scaleby’s pebbled feet and offered a piece of his favorite cracker. Scaleby gave a soft huff of breath that ruffled the duck’s feathers.
Suddenly, the bushes parted with a mighty crash. A towering dinosaur with short arms and a very wide smile appeared. Annie looked up, up, and up at Roarick, who let out a tiny, polite squeak instead of a roar.
Roarick leaned down to sniff Daffy, but his big nose caused a sudden gust of wind. Daffy tumbled backward into a soft patch of moss, laughing as Roarick tilted his head in a silent, toothy apology.
The four new friends began to play. Scaleby used her powerful, heavy tail to gently nudge a large, round seedpod across the clearing toward Annie, who scrambled to catch the giant ball.
"I see the perfect snack!" Annie cried, pointing to a glowing fruit high in the canopy. Roarick lowered his massive head, allowing Annie to climb onto his snout so she could reach the sweet, shimmering prize.
As the sun began to set, Annie and Daffy waved goodbye to their giant friends. They stepped back through the shimmering gate, carrying a single glowing fruit and a secret that would bring them back tomorrow.
