It’s been a while, right? Here’s a short story so y’all can practice reading, maybe learn a couple of new words, or just chill and enjoy it. Back in Motion It had been a while, and Ethan could feel it—that restless feeling that shows up when life gets a little too predictable. He stood on an old train platform, holding a beat-up map he couldn’t even remember getting. A few people laughed when they saw it and joked that chasing some made-up place would turn him into a laughing stok, but when the train finally rolled in, hissing and shaking like it had a personality, Ethan jumped on without overthinking it. On the train, he met Clara and Lucas, total strangers who somehow felt familiar. As the ride went on, the scenery stopped making sense—forests flew by, mountains got steeper, and the tracks crossed bridges that definitely weren’t on Google Maps. They were dropped off in a quiet valley glowing under the moon, where phones lost signal and compasses went crazy. Instead of turning back, they shrugged, laughed it off, and followed the map, choosing curiosity over comfort. By morning, they reached the top and realized the whole trip wasn’t about finding treasure at all. The view was massive, peaceful, and oddly motivating, like a reset button for the soul. The map fell apart in Ethan’s hands, and no one even cared. They sat there, tired and smiling, knowing that being a laughing stok would’ve been way better than staying stuck and never taking the chance. It really had been a while—and it felt good to be back in motion.

I worked out ?? today. I’m rusty since I haven’t done it in a while, but my daughter did great—tell me about it.