Бесплатный фрагмент - The Glowing World of Bubu

The Glowing World of Bubu

In the hidden corners of the eucalyptus forest, where the wind lazily rustled the leaves as if flipping through the pages of a giant book, and the air carried the scent of the sea, lived an old, wise, and just a little cunning quokka named Robert.

Robert wasn’t just old — he was very, very old. He remembered the days when the grass seemed greener, the eucalyptus trees taller, and young folk weren’t glued to those… glowing boxes. His fur had turned slightly gray, his whiskers stuck out in all directions, and his eyes gleamed with kindness — with just a hint of mischief. Atop his head sat an old hat, once lost by someone long ago. He believed it gave him a certain distinguished charm.

Every evening, Robert would bring out a basket of cookies, and the local little ones would gather around his house. They would nibble on the treats, holding their breath in anticipation of a new story.

Robert was a master storyteller. He didn’t just build suspense and twist the plot in unexpected ways — he generously sprinkled his tales with little embellishments. Sometimes he exaggerated, sometimes he added amusing details, and now and then, he made things up entirely — just enough to make the little ones giggle and eagerly await the next chapter.

And tonight, once again, the little ones had cozily settled around him, excitement sparkling in their eyes. All except for one…

Tom sat a little to the side, his nose buried in a screen. He was sort of listening, occasionally glancing up — but only from the corner of his eye. Meanwhile, his paws busily tapped at the screen, flipping through pictures and funny videos.

Robert narrowed his eyes, crossed his paws, and let out a thoughtful hum.

— Tom, are you telling me there’s something tastier than a cookie hiding in that screen?

Tom didn’t even look up.

— Huh? No, Grandpa Robert, I was just… talking to my friends.

— Friends? — Robert shot the little quokka a sly glance. — Oh, you must mean Koala Chill, who’s fallen out of a tree three times now trying to take a selfie? Or maybe those wombats who caused a traffic jam on the forest trail while trying to catch Wi-Fi?

The little ones burst into giggles, covering their mouths with their paws. Tom, looking embarrassed, quickly turned off his screen.

Robert smiled, adjusted his hat, and, taking a bite of a cookie, chewed with great satisfaction before beginning his tale:

— In those days, when trees stretched taller than the longest message thread, and friends weren’t called with texts, but with a loud, joyful shout…

Bubu and His Family

A long time ago… or maybe just three cookies ago… I met a wonderful quokka family. They lived on a sunny island where the air was filled with laughter, joy, and the delicious aroma of something tasty. Here, you could always hear cheerful giggles, and if you listened closely — maybe even the contented rumbling of happy bellies.

The head of the family was Papa Bozzy — a good-natured, round quokka with fluffy cheeks and a soft belly, perfect for warm, snuggly hugs. He adored food with such heartfelt devotion that even cookies seemed to smile back at him.

But food wasn’t the only thing that made him happy. Bozzy firmly believed that true coziness wasn’t just about warm lights and fluffy pillows — it was also about technology. He dreamed of creating the perfect smart home, one that would take care of every resident just as lovingly as he did.

And so, one fine day — or, as the rest of the family saw it, not so fine — he got to work.

Motion-sensor lights appeared in the living room. Theoretically, they were supposed to turn on gently when someone walked in. In practice, they flickered on and off at random, leaving the family to eat dinner in an unpredictable cycle of bright illumination and romantic twilight.

The voice-controlled curtains initially opened obediently every morning — but soon decided they knew better when the family should wake up. One night, at precisely three a.m., they suddenly flung open and cheerfully announced, «Good morning!»

But Bozzy’s most ambitious project was the automatic fireplace. He programmed it to turn on whenever the temperature dropped. However, it became so committed to the idea of comfort that it began lighting up even in summer — whenever someone yawned a little too loudly, apparently deciding they desperately needed some extra warmth.

Still, Bozzy never gave up. Sure, his smart home had a mind of its own sometimes — but wasn’t true coziness just a little bit of chaos that made life even more fun?

Mama Lapsy was the most caring quokka in the world.

She cooked so deliciously that even the pickiest quokkas always asked for seconds. But Lapsy also loved sports! Every morning, she called everyone to exercise — threatening to reduce their cookie portions if they refused.

Strangely enough, it was precisely after such threats that everyone started waving their little paws with great enthusiasm — though mostly in the direction of their plates, rather than for warm-ups.

— One, two, three — whoever gets to breakfast first! — she would laugh, and the family would instantly spring to life.

Bozzy and Lapsy had three wonderful children — and thanks to them, the island was never quiet.

The eldest sister, Knoppi, was the family’s musical and cinematic soul. She adored movies and could spend hours retelling touching plots, adding her own creative twists along the way.

Once, after watching an especially dramatic film, she became so inspired that she solemnly presented a koala with an improvised Oscar. The koala was overjoyed… but soon forgot where he had put his award. Possibly because it was just an ordinary pebble. Still, from that day on, he proudly told everyone that he had a real trophy for Best Supporting Actor.

Knoppi also organized family concerts, using anything that remotely resembled a guitar. For example, Mom’s whisk — held upside down — became her favorite instrument. After all, it even had strings!

And, of course, her concerts weren’t free. Knoppi set up a whole ticketing system. Entry could be paid with cookies, buttons, or a promise to wash her dishes for three days straight. As for Papa Bozzy — her most loyal audience member — he was given a season pass… but only after he bought Knoppi a real microphone. Well, technically, it was just a ladle — but it looked very professional.

The middle sister, Chipsi, was a fixing expert… though in a very unique way. The moment something broke, she would appear, armed with a piece of paper, covered in chaotic diagrams, arrows, and mysterious notes.

Of course, after her repairs, things often started behaving unexpectedly.

One day, Chipsi decided to fix the refrigerator because, in her opinion, the door didn’t close smoothly enough. After her adjustments, it definitely closed better… but now it slammed shut with such enthusiasm that retrieving food became an extreme sport.

— It’s not just a fridge, it’s a reflex trainer! — Chipsi declared proudly, watching as her family mastered the art of lightning-fast food retrieval.

Another technological mystery was the family’s old radio. After one of Chipsi’s upgrades, the only way to change the station was by tapping it. A gentle tap switched it to the news. A harder knock played strange, melancholic music. And if you smacked it with real force, the radio would somehow pick up a distant station, where a garbled voice broadcasted eerie signals… possibly from outer space.

— It’s an advanced control system! — Chipsi proclaimed.

— Then why does it say «If it sparks — run»? — Knoppi asked suspiciously.

— Well… It’s just sensitive! — Chipsi shrugged.

For some reason, after that, no one dared change the station unless it was absolutely necessary.

But Chipsi was certain of one thing: boring things don’t last long. And that meant her repairs weren’t just fixes — they were art!

And finally, little brother Bubu… A fluffy bundle of happiness — cheerful, good-natured, and always in a great mood. Plump and soft, like a cozy plush ball, he loved not only eating delicious food but also laughing, playing pranks, and having fun with his family.

If a cookie suddenly went missing or the juiciest eucalyptus leaf mysteriously disappeared, everyone knew exactly who the greatest taste tester was.

— Bubu, are you sneaking food from Mom’s stash again?! — Knoppi would exclaim.

— I’m not sneaking! I’m quality-checking! What if something isn’t fresh? — Bubu defended himself, hugging his round belly.

He always had a million ideas for turning an ordinary day into an adventure. One moment, he’d organize a contest to see who could crunch a carrot the fastest — and, of course, win himself. The next, he’d come up with a way to build a pillow fort and then snuggle inside with a whole handful of cookies.

His infectious laughter and pure love for life made him the true heart of the family. Wherever Bubu was, there was fun, warmth, and — without a doubt — something delicious!

This lively family lived in a cozy little house by a grand eucalyptus tree, where the air smelled of herbal tea, cookies, and adventure. Every morning, Papa Bozzy would tell stories from his youth, Mama Lapsy would chase everyone outside for morning exercise, Knoppi would put on concerts, Chipsi would be busy working on another brilliant idea, and Bubu… well, Bubu could always be found wherever the fullest plate was.

And so life went on, until one day, on his birthday, Bubu received a phone as a gift.

At first, it was just a fun little gadget — something to take silly photos, listen to music, and chat with friends.

But soon… the screen began pulling him in more and more…

The Glowing World

At first, no one really noticed that Bubu was spending more and more time staring at his screen. A quick laugh before bed — what’s the harm in that? Checking something during breakfast — happens to everyone. But little by little, the phone began taking up more and more of his attention.