The Treasure Hunt Map Nobody Wants to Share

Luna floated through the abandoned carnival, her wispy white hair drifting around her head like morning mist. She'd already found three buttons today—a brass one near the carousel, a pearl one by the ticket booth, and a lovely red one that now dangled from the string belt at her waist.

"Luna! LUNA!" Two other ghosts materialized beside her. Frost was a tall, serious ghost who always crossed his arms. Ember was small and fidgety, constantly wringing her hands.

"Look what I found stuck in that old fortune-teller machine!" Ember squeaked, holding up a yellowed map. Strange symbols marked three different paths, and at the center was a drawing of a treasure chest overflowing with—Luna's spectral eyes widened, glowing brighter—buttons! Hundreds of them!

Luna tilted forward eagerly. "We should go left first! That path has a button drawn on it!"

"No," Frost said flatly. "Right is clearly shorter. We go right."

"But up through the forest!" Ember interrupted, pointing with shaking fingers. "That's the safest route!"

Luna dove toward the map. "Left has the most clues!"

"Right is logical," Frost insisted.

"Forest! Forest! Forest!" Ember chanted.

They all grabbed for the map at once. It ripped—three ways. Each ghost clutched a torn piece, glaring at the others. Luna's enthusiasm deflated as Frost and Ember turned and floated in opposite directions, taking their map pieces with them.