Tuesday began quietly, the kind of morning when the school hallways still smelled of winter jackets and wet mittens. On the blackboard, the new message read: “Mission #05 – Order brings peace.” Beneath it, a simple note: Clean your desk, then help someone else with theirs.
Most students shrugged at first — it didn’t sound very exciting. But when they opened their desks, it was a different story. Old papers, snack wrappers, forgotten pencils, and a few mystery items tumbled out. Emma laughed as she discovered a half-eaten granola bar from October. Jonas found a missing homework sheet and shouted, “Found it — three weeks late!”
After their own desks were spotless, the second part of the task began. Ida, who was always organized, helped Sindre sort his chaotic pile of notebooks. Lukas and Nora teamed up, making a game out of who could finish first. Soon, the classroom buzzed with energy — not competitive, but cooperative.
When Ms. Larsen inspected the rows, she nodded approvingly. “A clean space helps you think clearly,” she said. “And when you help someone else, you clear more than just a desk — you clear someone’s day.”
Before leaving, Jonas slipped a neatly folded note into his drawer: ‘Keep it this way.’ It was the first time anyone had seen his desk so tidy — and maybe, for once, it would stay that way.
