Mira blinked sleepily at the mess, rubbing her eyes as she wondered how her beloved elephant ended up so far from his usual spot. Her robot toy’s antenna was bent at a funny angle, and the sock puppet seemed to be smirking at her from beneath the bed. Every morning, something was different, and Mira couldn’t shake the feeling that her toys were up to something while she slept.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Mira decided to stay awake and pretend to sleep, peeking through half-closed eyelids. Shadows danced on the walls as the clock ticked ever closer to the mysterious hour. The air seemed to hum with anticipation, each toy perfectly still—as if waiting for a secret signal.
Eli the Elephant (stuffed, blue, with a perpetually flopping trunk) shuffled forward, stretching and limbering up, his trunk swaying comically. Robo-Yawn 3000 (the robot toy, silver and boxy, with LED eyes that flicker) whirred with excitement, practicing his best mechanical yawn. Commentator Socksy (the wise-cracking sock puppet) cleared his throat and announced, "Welcome, ladies, gents, and plushies to the annual Yawning Olympics! Who will claim the prized pillow tonight?"
Eli attempted a Synchronized Yawn with Robo-Yawn 3000, but his trunk flopped in the wrong direction, sending him tumbling into a pile of books. Robo-Yawn 3000, unable to yawn at all, produced a series of beeps and wobbled his jaw in determined silence. Commentator Socksy declared, "A daring move from Eli, but alas, the trunk gets him every time! And Robo-Yawn—still no yawn, but he’s got heart, folks!" The toys groaned and cheered, one plush bear even protesting, "I saw him fake it! That was a fake yawn!"
Mira felt a tickle in her throat and, before she could stop herself, let out the biggest yawn of the night—so wide it made every toy freeze mid-yawn. Commentator Socksy gasped, "And in a shocking twist, the human has entered the arena! That’s the most contagious yawn we’ve ever seen!" The toys looked at each other in awe, their competition forgotten.
Eli placed a tiny crown made of ribbon on Mira’s head, while Robo-Yawn 3000 saluted with a squeaky arm. Commentator Socksy announced, "The pillow is yours forever, O Queen of Yawns! Sleep well, for you’ve earned it." As Mira snuggled into her pillow, the toys returned to their places, each letting out one last sleepy yawn—except for Robo-Yawn 3000, who beeped contentedly. Soon, the whole room was quiet, and Mira drifted off to sleep, a smile on her face and her toys curled up nearby, dreaming of next year’s games.
