The door creaked open. Warm air, carrying the scent of hay and wildflowers, spilled out. Then came the soft whimper again, closer this time, fragile but alive. Emma leaned in while Leo counted down softly, “Three, two, one.” Together they pushed the door open just enough to see inside.
What they saw made them freeze. Hundreds of bees drifted lazily through the air, golden and calm. They were not attacking, only moving with careful purpose, like sentinels guarding something precious. Emma and Leo stepped back, giving them space.
The barn floor was scattered with straw and broken crates. In the far corner, a small shape trembled, a scrap of life hidden among the dust. Emma’s flashlight caught two glinting eyes and a tiny pink nose. The creature tried to stand, wobbled, and fell again.