Granny Jadzia's Secret Drawer

Sonia loved holidays at her grandmother Jadzia's, although her younger brother Kuba claimed it was the sleepiest place on earth. Grandma lived in a small house at the end of the village, surrounded by apple trees and fragrant lilac bushes. Every morning, the sun streamed in through the kitchen curtain, and the sound of the clock chiming mingled with the sounds of breakfast. One afternoon, when Grandma was taking a nap in the armchair, Sonia decided to explore the kitchen with Kuba. Over the years, they had searched there for treasures: colourful sweets, notebooks from the old days or even old coins. This time their attention was caught by a huge old sideboard. It had stood in the corner of the kitchen forever, and some of its drawers were so heavy that the children couldn't manage them. - You pull on one side and I'll pull on the other! - cried Sonia and grabbed the brass handle of the lowest drawer. Kuba pushed on the other side, gasped and.... the drawer suddenly opened with a loud clatter, as if it had been waiting just for them for years. Inside were neither spoons nor old napkins. On the bottom lay a tiny blue book without a title, a crumpled sheet of paper with some strange symbols on it, a broken pocket watch and a a jar in which, completely impossibly, golden sparks were floating. - Can you see this? - whispered Kuba with his eyes wide open. Sonia took the tiny book in her hand. As soon as her fingers touched the cover, the light in the kitchen went out for a moment and the clock on the wall began to chime - even though it was just 2:17 p.m. The sparkling jar suddenly flicked harder. - What is that drawer? Maybe it's... - began Sonia, but then a quiet knocking came from the sideboard, as if someone was knocking on it from inside. The booklet began to open on its own, and unfamiliar letters appeared on its pages, slowly forming words.... The children did not take their eyes off the drawer for a moment, not knowing what would happen next.