Ryan loved to study. Not just the “read a chapter before the test” kind of studying—no, Ryan once studied for 48 hours straight. No snacks, no games, not even sleep. Just books. His classmates called him a nerd. He didn’t mind. He wore the title like a crown.
He didn’t just read facts. He collected them.
“If you jump too high, you’ll land in a black hole,” he once told the whole class.
The teacher nodded seriously. “Fascinating. We should be careful during PE.”
No one really knew if Ryan was joking—or if he even knew how to joke.
One sunny afternoon, Ryan was sitting cross-legged on his bedroom floor, reading a thick math book. For fun. Numbers, equations, and the occasional pie chart were his idea of a good time.
Suddenly, the book said, “Hi.”
Ryan flipped the page. “Bye.”
Then froze. Wait.
The book just spoke.
He stared at it. “Did… did you just talk?”
“Of course I did. Page 42 gets very lonely,” the book replied cheerfully.
Ryan blinked. “Okay. Alright. Cool. Totally normal.”
He adjusted his glasses and asked, “Do you know that if you eat a carrot, you become a rabbit?”
“I did know that,” said the book. “I once saw someone turn into a sandwich after reading too much biology.”
Ryan nodded solemnly. “Science is powerful.”
Then, without warning, the book closed itself, stood up on two tiny corners… and walked away.
Ryan stared.
Then leapt to his feet. “HEY! Come back! I didn’t finish Chapter Seven!”
He chased the walking book out of his room, down the hallway, turning corners like a detective in a mystery movie. But instead of catching it, he ran straight into his mom.
“Ryan!” she gasped, catching him. “What are you doing?!”
“The book! It’s running away!” Ryan panted.
His mom looked around. “Ryan, are you feeling alright?”
He pointed. “It’s right there! Waving!”
She looked. The hallway was empty, except for a laundry basket.
Ryan paused. “Oh no,” he muttered. “Am I daydreaming again?”
That night, Ryan sat at his desk, staring at his bookshelf.
“Books don’t walk,” he whispered. “Books don’t talk. Maybe I imagined it. Maybe I’ve been reading too much…”
He picked up a science book, just to calm his nerves.
And it said, “About time. I was beginning to think you’d never open me.”
Ryan dropped it. “Oh boy,” he said. “Not again.”
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