It began on a Tuesday that felt like a Thursday. Jenny was walking home from school, counting her steps (as she always did: 1,247 from the flagpole to her front gate). But on this day, step number 892 did not land on cracked pavement. It landed on a purple envelope. Sealed with a wax insignia that looked like a question mark eating a doughnut.

Jenny sighed. Then she accepted the quest—not because she believed in destiny, but because she really, truly missed normal breakfast.

And that, oddly enough, was exactly the point. The End. Or possibly the beginning. It depends on when you’re reading this.

Finding Glitch turned out to be simpler than expected. The sprite was hiding inside a grandfather clock that chimed 13 times at noon. Glitch was small, glowing, and apologetic. It hadn’t meant to cause chaos—it had just wanted to see what would happen if Tuesday had a do-over. Then a do-over of the do-over. Then a do-over of the do-over of the do-over.