Mia was feeling down after a hard day at school. Mia’s Mom took notice and offered her a sandwich hoping it would make her feel better. “I just want to go to my room.” Mia said.
Mia walked up the stairs but instead of going to her room, she opened the door to a place she had never been before — the Attic.
Mia explored the attic. It was full of old and dusty furniture.
Buried under a pile of books Mia found a perfectly clean and beautiful paintbrush. She hid it under her arm and brought it back to her room.
That night, alone in her room, Mia started to paint. Then something incredible happened. The butterflies that she was painting burst from the canvas into life.
Mia fell to the floor in disbelief as she watched the butterflies flap around her room.
Mia rushed back to the canvas and painted a squirrel, which promptly jumped out of the canvas onto her bed. Mia laughed and cried with joy having realized she had found a magical paintbrush.
The next day Mia was glowing with joy. “Mia, is everything okay? You seem… different.” Mia’s mother asked. Mia couldn’t contain herself. “Mom, I have something to show you. I have a magic paintbrush.”
Mia began to paint their old pet turtle for her mother. As if she’d seen a ghost, Mia’s mother stood in shock as Herbert crawled off the page into Mia’s hand. “Whatever I paint comes to life!” Mia explained excitedly.
As soon as Mia’s father came home, Mia’s mother told him about what she had seen. Her father laughed and said “Yeah right, then paint me a million dollars.”
Mia did just that. With the stroke of a brush, a million dollars fell from her canvas.
Her father grabbed the money and rushed into the kitchen. “Deborah, get in here.”
Mia sat on the couch painting flowers and rainbows as she heard her parents argue passionately about the paintbrush. “We could solve all of our problems. We have to keep it a secret.” “Don’t be selfish! We could solve everyone’s problems!”
Finally Mia’s parents emerged from the kitchen to a living room full of flowers and butterflies. “Mia, dear, can I see your paintbrush for a second.”
Using the magic paintbrush, Mia’s Mom and Dad tried painting more money on the canvas but it didn’t work – the money was stuck on the page. The brush only worked for Mia.
Soon enough, everyone in the town was lining up to have Mia paint them whatever they needed. Mia felt a sense of joy as she was able to help so many people in need. The town was revitalized again.
After weeks of painting, Mia noticed that the same people came back over and over again. They never had enough. Mia tried to tell them she needed a break, but when she did they became upset with Mia. “You don’t care about us!” “How can you be so selfish?!”
A month went by and Mia got more and more tired of painting. “I can’t do it anymore!” She cried out to her parents. “Mia, you have a special gift that you need to share.” Her father replied.
The next morning before her parents awoke, Mia slipped out the door with a pack full of clothes and her paintbrush. She was not planning on coming back.
She cried all day as she walked the streets to the edge of her town. There on the side of the road sat a small boy painting the big tree in front of his house. Mia smiled for the first time in a month as she watched the boy immersed in the process of painting.
She went and sat next to him. “Hello, I’m Mia.” “Hi, I’m Kevin.” “Can I paint with you, Kevin?” “Sure.” Mia grabbed her magic paintbrush from her pack, but became overwhelmed with emotions and started to cry.
“Is everything okay?” Kevin asked. “Yes. Do you happen to have a paintbrush I can borrow?” Mia asked. “What’s wrong with yours?” “Oh nothing, I just didn’t have time to wash it.”
“Here you go.” Kevin handed her a paintbrush of his own. The two painted together for hours until Mia’s parents arrived.
“Mia, we were worried sick! Are you okay? Let’s go! Where is your paintbrush?” Mia’s Mother exclaimed. “Right here.” Mia showed her mother Kevin’s paintbrush, leaving the magic paintbrush with Kevin as she waved him goodbye.
