The Forgotten Tower
1. On the edge of Willowbrook Marsh, where the reeds
whispered secrets to the wind, stood the abandoned Sentinel
Tower. Its weathered stones bore cracks like wrinkles, and the
iron door groaned as twelve-year-old Leo pried it open. His
great-aunt's note had said: "The tower remembers what others
forget. Find the missing piece." As Leo stepped inside, a chill
crept up his spine, and a single copper coin rolled to his feet—
dated 1923, the year the tower was sealed.
2. The air smelled of earthy moss and forgotten rain. Leo's
lantern flickered as he climbed the spiral steps, each groaning
like an old man's bones. On the third landing, he spotted a tile
mosaic of an owl with one missing eye—exactly the size of his
great-aunt's locket. When he pressed the locket into the gap, a
stone shifted, revealing a lead box with three artifacts: a cracked
spyglass, a diary page reading "When the clock strikes seven,"
and a tarnished key stamped "H.W."—Hazel Whitmore, the
tower's last watcher.
3. The spyglass showed reflections of people who weren't there.
The diary page ended mid-sentence: "They took the children
through the—"
4. At 6:58 PM, Leo placed the key in the tower's clock
mechanism. As the seventh chime rang, the spyglass flared
amber, projecting images onto the wall—children in 1920s
clothes playing hide-and-seek around the tower. Their laughter
echoed as the key turned on its own. A hidden door swung
inward, revealing a room frozen in time: tiny handprints on the
walls, a teacup still warm.
5. Outside, the marsh lights pulsed in sync with the spyglass.
Leo understood—the tower wasn't abandoned. It was waiting.
He left the key in its lock, and as moonlight struck the clock
face, fresh words appeared on Hazel's diary page: "The missing
piece was time itself."
6. The next morning, the town historian found Leo asleep by the
tower. No one believed his story—until they saw the newly
visible date carved above the door: "1923-2023. The children are
home."
Pages 4-6: Vocabulary Guess Questions*
1. "Weathered stones" means the tower was:
a) Newly painted
b) Worn by time
c) Built yesterday
2. When something creeps, it:
a) Moves slowly
b) Explodes
c) Sings loudly
3. "The spyglass flared" means it:
a) Shattered
b) Glowed suddenly
c) Turned black
4. "Tarnished key" means it was:
a) Covered in rust
b) Made of gold
c) Stolen
5. "Marsh lights pulsed" means they:
a) Flickered rhythmically
b) Vanished
c) Stayed still
*Pages 7-10: Comprehension Questions*
*A. Theme Questions*
1. The MAIN lesson is:
a) Towers are dangerous
b) History repeats itself
c) Time can heal old wounds
2. Which shows the theme of family?
a) "Leo pried the door open"
b) "He used his great-aunt's locket"
c) "The marsh lights pulsed"
3. The spyglass symbolizes:
a) Fear of the dark
b) A window to the past
c) Broken promises
*B. Supporting Details*
4. What three items were in the box?
a) Spyglass, diary page, key
b) Coin, lantern, locket
c) Clock, teacup, handprint
5. How did Leo open the hidden door?
a) With the key at 7 PM
b) By breaking the mosaic
c) Using the warm teacup
*C. Text Evidence*
6. Proof: "The key turned on its own." This shows:
a) The tower was magic
b) Leo imagined it
c) Wind moved it
7. Proof: "Handprints on the walls." This suggests:
a) Children were trapped
b) Artists visited
c) Leo made them
8. "The reeds whispered secrets..." means they:
a) Spoke quietly
b) Caught fire
c) Grew quickly
9. "The iron door groaned..." means it:
a) Made a loud, creaking sound
b) Disappeared
c) Became warm
10. "The diary page was cracked..." means it was:
a) Torn and old
b) Written in code
c) Brand new
11. "The clock struck seven..." means it:
a) Rang the hour
b) Stopped working
c) Fell apart
12. "The laughter echoed..." means it:
a) Repeated softly
b) Vanished instantly
c) Changed pitch
13. "The door swung inward..." means it:
a) Moved open smoothly
b) Jammed shut
c) Fell off its hinges
14. "The marsh lights pulsed..." means they:
a) Flickered rhythmically
b) Burned out
c) Stayed perfectly still
15. "The tower was waiting..." suggests it:
a) Had a purpose
b) Was empty
c) Was about to collapse
16. "The children's clothes were frozen in time..." means they:
a) Were preserved from the past
b) Were wet
c) Were fashionable
17. "The handprints were tiny..." means they were:
a) Very small
b) Recently made
c) Painted
18. "The teacup was warm..." implies it:
a) Had been recently used
b) Was magic
c) Was broken
19. "The date was carved..." means it was:
a) Cut into the stone
b) Written in ink
c) Hidden
20. "The tower remembered..." means it:
a) Held memories
b) Was intelligent
c) Was crumbling
