Old Mr. Henderson always said the market was spooky on Tuesdays. He said if you listened *really* close, you could hear the unicorns whisper! Liam loved Tuesdays because that meant going to the Street Market with Grandma. He loved all the colors and smells, especially the fruit stand with rainbow colors everywhere! Grandma always let him pick out a special treat.
"Grandma, do you think we'll hear the unicorns today?" Liam asked, his eyes wide with excitement.
Grandma chuckled, "Well, we have to listen carefully, Liam. Unicorns are very shy, you know."
The market was buzzing with people. Liam held tight to Grandma's hand as they walked past stalls overflowing with colorful fruits and vegetables. Liam crinkled his nose at the smell of fish and then giggled at the bright flowers arranged in beautiful bouquets.
"Look, Grandma, Dino!" Liam pointed to a stall selling toys. A big, green dinosaur grinned at him, and Liam just *had* to have it. Grandma smiled and bought it for him. Liam hugged his new Dino tight.
As they walked deeper into the market, the sounds of the crowd seemed to fade away. Liam held his breath, listening for the unicorn whispers Mr. Henderson had talked about. He thought he heard something… a soft, tinkling sound, like bells chiming in the wind.
"Grandma, do you hear that?" he whispered.
Grandma stopped and listened. "I think so, Liam. Let's follow the sound."
They walked towards the source of the sound, winding between stalls until they reached a quiet corner of the market. And there, in the middle of the deserted aisle, was a magnificent sight: a beautiful white unicorn with a shimmering horn stood peacefully. It dipped its head, eating a dropped apple from a nearby fruit stand.
Liam gasped. The unicorn lifted its head and looked straight at him. Its eyes sparkled like rainbows. Liam felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. The unicorn lowered its head again and nudged a small, colorful ball towards Liam with its nose. Liam recognized it – a soccer ball!
"He wants to play!" Liam squealed, his earlier nervousness forgotten. He loved playing soccer, and this was the most magical game ever! He kicked the ball gently, and the unicorn bounced it back with its horn. They played until Liam was out of breath, giggling the whole time.
"Wow," he said breathlessly. He had never had so much fun!
"It's time to go, Liam," Grandma said softly.
Liam hugged his new Dino friend and waved goodbye to the unicorn. As they walked away, Liam could hear that magical tinkling sound again. He knew, deep down, that the unicorn was still there, hidden in the heart of the spooky market, waiting for the next time he came to play.
