Daily Flash Fiction Challenge

Mara and Evan, siblings separated by just a year, ventured into the attic on a rainy afternoon. Dust particles floated around them like a miniature galaxy, and each step they took on the creaking wooden floor sounded like a soft drumroll. The attic was filled with forgotten treasures—old trunks, tattered books, vinyl records, and, for some reason, an antique telescope.

"I saw it first!" Mara declared, rushing to the telescope. She peered into the eyepiece and her eyes widened in awe. "You won't believe what I'm seeing, Evan!"

Eager to not be outdone, Evan gently pushed her aside and looked through the telescope. However, all he saw was the grayness of the rainy day outside. "I don't see anything," he grumbled.

"Exactly, you have to tune it," Mara smirked. She adjusted the dials and the viewfinder cleared. What Evan saw next took his breath away. An entire world unfolded before his eyes, not of this Earth but something celestial—crystal mountains, waterfalls suspended in mid-air, and skies of indigo and gold.

"Is this real?" Evan asked, wonder filling his voice.

Mara grinned, "It's as real as we want it to be."

Years later, after facing the trials of adulthood, broken dreams, and the weight of responsibilities, Mara found herself yearning for something more. It was then that Evan handed her a package. Inside was the antique telescope from their childhood.

"I saw it first, but you saw it best," Evan said, a nostalgic smile lighting his face. "Never lose that vision, Mara."

Mara felt tears spring to her eyes. The telescope was not just an object; it was a reminder that magic and wonder were never really lost, only waiting to be rediscovered.