The Last Hiding Spot

The Last Hiding Spot

It was a warm summer evening in the quiet town of Elmwood, and the golden light of the setting sun bathed the neighborhood in a soft glow. A group of children gathered in the old park at the edge of town, giggling with anticipation. It was time for their favorite game—hide and seek.

Lena, the youngest and quietest of the group, had never won a single round. She was always found too quickly—behind the swings, under the slide, even once trying to blend in with a bush that rustled every time she breathed. But tonight, she was determined. She had a plan.

“I’ll count to 30,” called out Marco, the seeker, turning his back to the group and pressing his face against the oak tree. “One… two… three…”

The children scattered, laughter echoing through the trees. Lena ran—not to the playground or the bushes, but toward the old stone well hidden by thick ivy at the far edge of the park. Most kids avoided it, believing the stories about how it was haunted or how it led to underground tunnels. But Lena wasn’t afraid. She’d explored it before—just enough to know it was the perfect hiding place.

She ducked behind the well and pulled a curtain of ivy over her. It was cool and quiet there. She held her breath, heart pounding.

“Twenty-eight… twenty-nine… thirty! Ready or not, here I come!”

Lena listened as Marco found the others one by one—Sam behind the trash bin, Priya in the hollow tree, and even Max, who’d climbed halfway up the monkey bars.

But he never found Lena.

Minutes passed. Then an hour. The sky turned purple, then deep blue. The game had ended, and the kids were called home, voices echoing in the distance.Still, Lena didn’t move. She had fallen asleep, curled up behind the ivy, dreaming of adventure.

When she woke, stars twinkled overhead. She smiled to herself.

For once, she had won.