Doctor Pip and the Late Echo

The clinic stood at the edge of Willow Green, right beside the old stone well.

Theo was five, and today was his check-up. He wanted one thing. He wanted to hear the well say "Hello" back before they went in.

Everyone in Willow Green knew the well answered a second late. You called down, and nothing came. Then, one breath later, up floated your own voice. Nobody found that strange. It was just the well.

"Quickly, Theo," said Mum. "Doctor Pip is waiting."

Theo leaned over the edge. "Hello!" he called.

He counted. One. Two. Nothing came back.

"Hello!" he said again, louder. Still nothing. His tummy gave a small wobble. He did not love needles, or cold metal things on his chest.

Then, from far below, a tiny voice said, "Hello!" And a second later, a bigger one said, "Hello!" again.

Theo blinked. "That's two."

"The first one is a frog," said Mum, peeking down. "The second is you."

Theo laughed. He called, "Ribbit!" The frog said "Ribbit!" Then the well said "Ribbit!" a second late, like a slow, sleepy friend.

Inside, Doctor Pip had a round tummy and a soft green coat. Theo sat on the high bed. His legs swung. The cold silver listener touched his chest, and he squeaked.

"Too cold?" asked Doctor Pip. "Tell me what to do."

Theo thought. Then he had an idea. "Breathe on it first," he said. "So it's warm."

Doctor Pip huffed on the silver listener. Haaah. She rubbed it on her sleeve. "Better?"

"Better," said Theo.

"Now say something," said Doctor Pip. "I want to hear your chest talk."

"Ribbit," said Theo.

Doctor Pip listened. Her eyebrows went up. Her smile went wide. "Your heart says ribbit, ribbit, ribbit," she said.

"No," giggled Theo. "It says thump-thump."

"And one second later," whispered Doctor Pip, "thump-thump again."

Theo held very still, and he heard it too.