The Great Bake Escape

1

Chapter 1:  Atlock's Baked Goods

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Yelena opened her eyes. It was already morning. After last night's party, she never wanted to get out of bed ever again.

The party was to celebrate the town, Charity Falls' 50th anniversary. Being the only bakery in town, Yelena's family had been up from dawn to dusk, baking, decorating, serving, and repeating. She hadn't taken a break since yesterday morning.

"Yelena! Rise and shine, it's time to get up!" called her mother, one of the owners of their bakery-Atlock's Baked Goods. "Okay, okay. I'm getting up," Yelena grumbled. She pushed herself up and forced herself to get out of bed. As it was summer, she dressed lightly. A leopard-print T-shirt, overall shorts, and red high-top sneakers with knee-high socks that were white and striped with her favorite color-light blue.

After getting dressed, Yelena put her dirty blonde hair in a high ponytail and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Mom was peering into the oven. Dad was bending over an electric mixer, while Grandfather Atlock was pouring a bowl of cereal for Yelena's younger sister, Molly.

"Morning," said Dad. "Hi," responded Yelena. She, too, poured herself a bowl of cereal. After gulping it down with some milk, she put her dishes in the sink and tied on her apron.

At that moment, her older brother, Diego, walked into the kitchen. Late as usual. "Diego, put on your apron, and get out the mixing bowls," snapped Mom. "But I haven't even eaten breakfast yet," Diego complained. "Well, too bad! It's your fault for sleeping in late."

Yelena helped her brother set out the bowls. He was sixteen, and had just gotten his driver's license. She was twelve, while Molly was only eight, turning nine in August.

"What are we baking today?" Yelena asked. "Sleep Easy Sticky Buns for the town choir," said Grandfather Atlock. "After all, tomorrow is the day of their performance. And let me tell you this-they're so tired after yesterday."

Aren't we all, thought Yelena, but she didn't say it. Instead, she just nodded and pulled out the recipe card for Sleep Easy Sticky Buns.

After they made the batter, Grandfather Atlock turned and went downstairs to their secret pantry. A few moments later, he came back carrying an orange mason jar topped with a cork stopper and twine. The label read DREAMBUG BREATH.

"This magical ingredient is what makes the Sleep Easy Sticky Buns work," said Grandfather Atlock. He held the mason jar over the batter, then quickly and swiftly, opened the lid.

The dreambug looked like an overgrown, green firefly, but much more cuter. Mom picked up a wooden whistle and blew sharply into it three times. Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! The dreambug fluttered its iridescent wings and flew to the batter. It bent down and breathed into the batter. Mom blew twice more into the whistle, and the little bug flew back into the jar. Meanwhile, the batter had turned lighter, sparklier, and smelled faintly of sugar cookies.

"Perfect!" said Grandfather Atlock. He carried the jar back to the pantry.

"Alrighty now, let's start making these buns!" cried Mom. The family formed an assembly line. Dad scooped out the batter in chunks. The kids shaped them into buns. Mom placed the buns on a tray. Finally, Grandfather Atlock slid the trays of Sleep Easy Sticky Buns into the oven.

"All done," he said. Yelena sighed with relief. As she turned to go back to her room, Mom called her. "Not so fast! You're going to deliver these buns!"

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585 words