Leo’s summer had hit a dead end. The pool was too cold, his bike had a flat tire, and every game on his phone felt like a math worksheet in disguise. He flopped onto the couch, scrolling through the app store, bored out of his mind.
Want to build your own army of misfit toys? Search “Backyard Monsters” on the Google Play Store. Just make sure your sofa is secured.
Leo wasn’t in his living room anymore. He was standing in a lush, oversized backyard where dandelions were the size of lampposts and a forgotten garden hose coiled like a sleeping dragon.
“Name’s Grumble,” the monster said. “The ants have unionized. They’re stealing all the sugar cubes from our supply depot. You’ve got exactly three minutes to build a catapult out of popsicle sticks and a slingshot. Download brains much?”
The progress bar filled. 10%... 40%... 85%...