Small Wonders · complete story

The Map With An Empty House

Tedray · Teamwork & curiosity

Sunflower Station’s picture glowed on Noor’s screen.

Beside it, the current map displayed one small word.

EMPTY.

Dandy folded his arms. “Then we can begin by correcting that.”

He pulled a pencil from his pocket. It wore a ribbon around its middle.

Pip smiled. “Your ribbon has found employment.”

Dandy opened the map request form.

Noor watched him choose a new label.

OCCUPIED.

Mira put a hand beside the screen.

“Do we know who is there?”

“Someone is sending messages,” Dandy said.

“Do we know what help they want?”

Dandy paused.

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s find out,” Mira said.

Zuri looked at the station picture. An open door was easy to draw. Understanding whoever waited behind it might take longer.

Noor replaced EMPTY with STATUS BEING CHECKED.

“That tells us what we actually know,” they said.

Mira contacted the route survey desk. The old station branch needed a staffed visit and a current docking check. A trained worker began reviewing the records with her.

Nobody pressed a shortcut button and rushed away.

Pip opened his sketchbook.

“What should we ask when we get there?”

“What is your favorite color?” Zuri suggested.

“Have you had lunch?”

“Could we ask about the clock?”

“Could we bring biscuits?”

Ivo approved this final question with all six legs.

Dandy sat beside them.

“Those are good questions. Let’s leave room for answers we haven’t thought of.”

The children made a welcome picture. It showed their group beside a sunflower. Pip drew Ivo with six carefully counted feet.

Zuri added a blank speech bubble.

“For the person we meet,” she said.

While Mira arranged the survey, Noor checked supply records. A little leaf symbol appeared beside an old delivery route.

“Garden parcels,” they said. “They may tell us something.”

The route led to a nearby greenhouse office. Its keeper, Mrs Moss, welcomed them beside a row of blue pots.

Dandy explained their question.

“Sunflower Station?” Mrs Moss said. “I still send its small soil order.”

Zuri almost dropped her pencil.

“But the map says it’s empty.”

Mrs Moss frowned.

“The deliveries go to its staffed freight route, then into its receiving bay. The parcel reports say they are collected.”

“When did that last happen?” Noor asked.

“Last month. The standing order asked for stackable planters.”

Pip pictured a little garden under the sunflower roof.

“Someone is growing something.”

“Or preparing to,” said Mira.

Mrs Moss checked the old notes. One request had a drawing of a welcome bench between two flowerpots.

It matched their postcard.

“I remember that picture,” she said. “Whoever lives there wanted flowers by the entrance.”

Noor copied the relevant delivery details with her permission. Mira sent them to the survey desk.

The mystery now had a roof, a door and a garden order.

Dandy looked at the children’s welcome picture.

“I was ready to change one word,” he said.

Zuri nodded. “Now we have more questions.”

“And a visit to arrange,” Mira added.

Ivo lifted the picnic basket.

“And biscuits,” he said. “A well-prepared survey should remember biscuits.”