The Festival Surprise in Hormitropolis

In , everyone was getting ready for the Community Festival.

The central square was full of movement.

Leaves in bright colours hung between the lamps.

Glowing flowers were placed near the stage.

Tables were ready for fruit, seeds and sweet drinks.

It was one of the happiest days of the season.

But this year there was also a surprise.

Ohm, Ori, Ciar and Cari were preparing a special performance for the festival.

They wanted it to be a secret until the big evening.

Mayor Antonia smiled when she saw them practicing.

“Remember,” she said, “a good surprise needs good teamwork.”

Ohm was helping to organise the order of the performance.

Ori checked the decorations and the stage.

Ciar practiced the music and the rhythm.

Cari helped everyone remember their steps and movements.

Every afternoon, they met in the square.

They practiced again and again.

Sometimes they laughed.

Sometimes they made mistakes.

But every day they improved.

“We are getting better,” said Cari.

“Yes,” said Ori. “Now the surprise will be really special.”

The day before the festival, the sky changed.

A strong wind rushed through .

It shook the leaves in the trees.

It pushed dust across the paths.

And in the square, it lifted the decorations into the air.

Some ribbons flew away.

Several glowing flowers fell from the stage.

A cloth banner twisted around a lamp post.

“Oh no,” said Ciar.

“The square was ready,” said Cari.

Ori looked around quickly.

“We still have time,” she said.

Ohm nodded.

“Then let’s not waste it.”

The four friends started to work at once.

Ohm picked up the fallen poles and stood them upright again.

Ori collected the ribbons and tied them more tightly than before.

Ciar climbed carefully to free the banner from the lamp post.

Cari gathered the glowing flowers and placed them back around the stage.

Other ants came to help when they saw what had happened.

Some carried leaves.

Some brought string.

Some held the stage cloth in place while the others fixed it.

The square was noisy with work, but not with panic.

Everyone knew what needed to be done.

And everyone did a part of it.

As the sun began to go down, the decorations were back in place.

The flowers glowed softly again.

The stage looked neat and ready.

Ciar looked around with a grin.

“Now it looks even better than before.”

Cari smiled.

“Because more hands helped.”

That evening, the four friends practiced one last time.

They moved across the stage carefully.

They listened to the rhythm.

They watched one another closely.

No one wanted to spoil the surprise.

The next day, the whole colony gathered in the square.

The lamps were glowing.

The tables were full.

The decorations moved softly in the evening air.

Mayor Antonia welcomed everyone to the Community Festival.

Then she stepped aside and smiled.

“And now,” she said, “it is time for the surprise.”

Ohm, Ori, Ciar and Cari stepped onto the stage.

The music began.

The four friends performed together with smooth steps, careful timing and bright smiles.

The crowd watched in complete silence at first.

Then the square filled with cheers.

Everyone clapped.

Everyone smiled.

Even the smallest ants were jumping with excitement.

When the performance ended, Mayor Antonia returned to the stage.

“That,” she said, “was a beautiful surprise.”

Ohm looked at his friends.

Ori was smiling.

Ciar bowed with a playful flourish.

Cari laughed happily.

“We did it,” she said.

“Yes,” said Ohm. “And we did it together.”

Above them, the festival lights shone over .

And in the middle of the square, the surprise performance became the part of the festival that everyone remembered most.