Unseen Passage for Class 8 - Passage 02

Unseen Passage 02 - Class 8

Olivia opened her eyes to the sound of shouting and the rapid pitter-patter of footsteps. A hefty man in a long white apron hurried past her, vigorously waving a wooden spoon in the air.

"What's going on?" Olivia wondered as she sat up on the grass next to a dusty path.

The man abruptly stopped running and turned towards Olivia, still brandishing the spoon. "Did you see that?" he asked, his voice filled with frustration.

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't," Olivia replied.

"Gone. They're all gone," the man sighed heavily. "How will my bakery survive if my gingerbread people keep running away?"

Curious, Olivia spoke up. "Excuse me, did you say your gingerbread people can run?"

The baker nodded, stepping closer to Olivia. "Indeed they can. I've given them legs," he explained, extending his hand to help Olivia up. "I'm Chef Oscar, and I bake the most delightful cookies you can imagine. Once they're cooked, my gingerbread people have a tendency to leap right off the pan with a snap."

Impressed, Olivia expressed her desire to taste one of Chef Oscar's cookies. She also suggested a solution: "What if you locked the bakery doors before removing the pan from the oven?"

Chef Oscar shook his head, reminiscing about a failed attempt. "I've tried that before, my dear. It turned into utter chaos! Gingerbread people were darting around the bakery, colliding with me, the walls, and each other. No, that approach kept them inside the bakery but didn't keep them still."

Undeterred, Olivia offered another idea. "What if you wrapped licorice around their legs before baking them?"

Chef Oscar pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head. "Ah, licorice would melt in the hot oven. Unfortunately, that wouldn't slow them down at all."

As Olivia pondered further, inspiration struck. "I know! In some places, they shape cookies like gingerbread into hearts. What if you used a heart-shaped cookie cutter for your gingerbread people?"

Chef Oscar's eyes lit up with excitement. "Olivia, my dear, that might just be the solution! I hadn't considered that. I'll give it a try."

The conversation continued, and Olivia's imaginative suggestions brought renewed hope to Chef Oscar. However, soon Olivia woke up from her dream, eager to share her imaginative encounter with her mom.