The Mystery On the Living Room Wall

The torrential rainy‑season downpour had been drumming against the windows since early afternoon, and by nighttime, the storm grew even fiercer. Suddenly, a blinding flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a colossal boom of thunder. Instantly, the lights flickered and died. The entire house was plunged into pitch‑black darkness.

Pretty Lyn—looking lovely in her lavender house dress—didn’t panic. Instead, she smiled, her long light brown hair shifting as she grabbed a powerful flashlight from the kitchen drawer. “Don’t worry, everyone! Let’s turn this dark night into a shadow‑puppet theater!” she called out cheerfully.

Lyn guided Linda—who was wearing a cozy gray house dress—along with Star, the female Akita Inu, and Pinkysan, the female calico cat, to sit together on the spacious sofa. The living‑room wall became their blank silver screen.

“Here’s how the game works,” Lyn explained, propping the flashlight on the coffee table so it illuminated the wall. “Linda and I will use our hands to make animal shadows. Whoever guesses the correct animal first gets a point, and the winner gets a special prize!”

The theater officially began.

Linda went first, crossing her wrists and interlocking her thumbs. On the wall, a majestic bird appeared to flap its wings.

“Meow!” Pinkysan chirped immediately, tapping the sofa cushions. Lyn laughed. “Correct, Pinkysan! That’s a bird!”

Next, Lyn bent her fingers and raised her thumbs, creating a shadow with long ears that hopped up and down. Pinkysan let out a sharp purr and pounced playfully toward the wall, instantly recognizing it as a rabbit. The clever calico cat was incredibly attentive, racking up points with ease.

Unfortunately, poor Star was having a difficult time. Because she was so frightened by the flashing lightning outside, she kept her head low and couldn’t focus or answer well.

By the time they ran out of animal ideas, Pinkysan was declared the undisputed champion of the shadow theater. True to her word, Lyn handed Pinkysan her prize: a premium pouch of delicious, savory cat food. But Lyn didn’t want Star to feel left out. Kneeling down, she gently hugged the shivering Akita Inu and gave her a small squeaky ball to play with, which instantly made Star feel comforted and safe.

Suddenly, with a loud beep, the television turned back on and the ceiling lights flooded the room. The power had officially returned! Everyone cheered happily.

Linda stood up from the sofa, smoothing out her gray dress. “Since we survived the storm so beautifully, I will cook a spectacular dinner tonight!” she announced. “We’re having hotpot, which is absolutely perfect for this chilly, rainy season. And don’t worry—I’ll add plenty of extra meat and fish so Star and Pinkysan can enjoy a feast too!”

Soon, the delicious, aromatic steam of the simmering hotpot filled the dining room. The four friends ate happily, enjoying the warmth of the food and each other’s company. With full stomachs and happy hearts, they headed to bed early, knowing that Lyn had to wake up refreshed for her job the very next morning.