One-sitting stories
Tai's Never-Ending Hide-and-Seek
Every time Coco finds Tai, their hiding area grows. Two discoveries, but not one finished round! When Tai tries seeking, a different kind of fun begins.
Original fiction · Ages 7–10 · Read together with a guardian
Scene 01
I Know Where to Hide!
Tai the tiger was always thinking of games for Heart Garden. A big flowerpot? Look behind it. A low bench? Look beside it. When those round ears pricked up, a new idea was on its way.
Today, Coco had finished caring for the flowers, and they decided to play hide-and-seek. A round stone stood at each side of the lawn's entrance. At the far end was a wooden bench, with a broad tree trunk farther behind it.
“Let's start around the flowerpot!” Tai said. They agreed not to enter the flowerbeds or go outside the gate. Coco counted to ten beside a stone while Tai tucked the teal scarf close and went behind the pot.
Scene 02
Found, but Not Finished?
Coco spotted a white tail tip beside the flowerpot. “Found you, Tai!” Out popped Tai. “Already? I only just hid!”
Coco thought it was time to hide. But Tai pointed at the bench. “Wait! Let's include behind the bench. That will make it more fun!” Before Coco could answer, Tai had hidden again.
Coco stopped looking for a hiding place and headed toward the bench. Tai liked the second spot, with the tail carefully gathered to one side. This time, the fun would surely last much longer.
Scene 03
Two Finds, One Seeker
Coco came around the side of the bench. The white tip of the striped tail showed just a little. Again. “Found you!” Tai looked back at the tail. “Are you on Coco's side?”
Then Tai noticed the tree trunk. That looked wide enough to hide a whole tail too. “Let's go as far as that! Find me one more time.” Once again, Tai moved away before Coco could answer.
Coco looked at the pot, then the bench. “One find at the flowerpot. One at the bench. I've found you twice, but I'm still the seeker?” There were more hiding places now, yet not one round had ended.
Scene 04
A Very Good Hiding Place
Coco spoke loudly enough for Tai to hear. “Let's take a break. It's tiring when the place to search keeps changing. I wanted a turn at hiding too.” Then Coco sat on the bench, still in plain sight.
Behind the trunk, Tai tucked the tail in close. Surely nothing showed this time. One, two… Tai waited, but no one called, “Found you!”
Tai peeked around the trunk. Coco was still resting. This was the best hiding place yet, but it wasn't getting more fun. Tai remembered Coco searching around the flowerpot, and the sound of them laughing together.
Scene 05
The Seeker's Side
Tai came out to the front of the bench. “I thought a really good hiding place would make the fun last. But just waiting is boring.” Coco made a little room on the seat.
Tai fiddled with the scarf's end. “I'm good at choosing hiding places. But what if I couldn't find you when I was the seeker? That's why I kept adding places.” Coco said, “I didn't know how far I was supposed to search.”
They looked over the lawn for a moment. “Shall we choose the places together, and let me try seeking?” Tai asked. Coco stood up. “Yes. This time, I'd like to hide.”
Scene 06
An Area We Both Know
They crouched near the round stones at the entrance. “Between these two stones, as far as the flat grass in front of the bench,” Coco said, pointing. Tai checked the big flowerpot inside that area. “There's room to hide behind this.”
“Count to ten, then look. When someone is found, swap turns,” Tai said. “What if we want to add a place?” asked Coco. “We finish the round first. Then we decide together before the next one.”
They could also ask for a break and stop. Both checked that behind the bench and the tree trunk were outside this round's area. Tai stood beside a stone and covered both eyes with front paws. “One, two…”
Scene 07
The Flowerpot Didn't Answer
“Ten!” Tai checked the big flowerpot first. Something green was showing. Coco's hood! “Found you!” But up close, it was only a leaf hanging over the side.
Tai laughed. “I nearly made a leaf the seeker.” A little giggle came from the grass. Coco was on the other side of the pot! Tai went around, looked straight at Coco, and said clearly, “Found you, Coco!”
“Yes, you did. Now I'm the seeker!” Coco came out. Tai discovered that noticing good hiding places helped with seeking too. Even if the first guess was wrong, there was another place to look.
Scene 08
An Ending, and Another Beginning
As Coco counted to ten, Tai hid behind the big flowerpot. Soon, Coco came closer. “White tail tip! Found you!” Tai laughed at the tail and stepped out. This time, there was no dash to another hiding place.
“You did. My turn!” Tai went to the stone. “Shall we include beside the bench this time?” Coco checked the lawn. “I'd like one more round in the same area. We can look around together afterward.” Tai nodded.
Tai covered both eyes with front paws. “One, two, three…” This time, Coco was choosing a hiding place. Tai's tail tip swayed gently. One round had ended, and another was beginning.
At the end of the story