#THREE | Great Expectations

The studio was in total chaos! Buttons were scattered everywhere after the big sale, and Mrs. Aldin looked ready to pop a stitch.

“Slinks! WAKE UP!” she groaned, staring at the tiny button, who was sprawled out and snoring in the middle of the floor.

But Slinks didn’t budge. The other buttons snickered, trying to stifle their giggles.

“Oh, this kid…” muttered Mr. Aldin, scratching his button-head. “All he ever does is sleep! Is he broken? Cursed? Maybe he’s…haunted?” His eyes went wide, and the little buttons gasped.

“Haunted?!” squeaked Pixi, one of the tiny sparkly buttons, her face scrunching up in worry.

Mr. Aldin nodded solemnly. “We might need…the Wizard.”

The little buttons’ eyes went huge. The Wizard was a strange old button who claimed he’d seen it all: giant spiders, ghosts of old buttons, even terrifying monsters called babies! “They’re small,” whispered Mr. Aldin, “but their slobber can ruin a button for good!” Everyone shuddered at the thought.

Suddenly, Lady Poppy—a fancy pink-striped button with a touch of attitude—rolled over. “The Wizard? Ha! That dusty old guy couldn’t even clean the blue stain on my perfect stripes!” She huffed, waving the blue spot like it was the worst thing ever.

Just then, a swirl of purple cloth appeared, and there he was—the Wizard, wearing a wonky hat and carrying a gem-tipped needle. “Someone call for me?” he asked with a grin.

“Your hat’s silly,” Dizzy the button giggled.

“Thank you,” replied the Wizard, tipping it proudly.

“It wasn’t a compliment,” Lady Poppy muttered.

They pointed to Slinks, still in dreamland. The Wizard leaned close, poking Slinks gently. “Nope, not cursed, not haunted…just really, really sleepy!” He chuckled.

“That’s it?” Mrs. Aldin raised an eyebrow.

“Absolutely,” the Wizard replied with a shrug. “Some buttons just love to sleep. Maybe his dreams are more exciting than real life!”

Lady Poppy rolled her eyes. “We called you for that?”

But Mrs. Aldin just chuckled, draping a scrap of fabric over Slinks. “Let him dream away. Who knows what wild adventures he’s off having?”

And so Slinks kept dreaming, and the little buttons giggled, wondering what a sleepy button could possibly dream about...