Elena and Marco were siblings who loved to stargaze. They had a telescope that their grandfather had given them, and they used it to look at the night sky from their backyard. They learned the names and shapes of different constellations, planets, and stars. They dreamed of traveling to faraway places where they could see more stars than they could ever imagine.
One night, their grandfather told them a story about a place called Machu Picchu. He said that it was an ancient city that was built by the Inca people in Peru, high up in the mountains. He said that it was a sacred place where the Inca worshipped the sun, the moon, and the stars. He said that it was also a hidden place that was forgotten by most people for centuries, until it was rediscovered by an explorer in 1911.
Elena and Marco were fascinated by this story. They wanted to see Machu Picchu for themselves. They asked their grandfather if he could take them there someday.
Their grandfather smiled and said:
“Maybe someday we will go there together. But for now, I have something else for you.”
He gave them each a pendant with a star-shaped charm on it.
He said:
“These are special pendants that I got from Machu Picchu when I visited there many years ago. They are made of gold and silver, and they have magical powers.”
“What kind of powers?” Elena asked.
“They can help you travel to Machu Picchu in your dreams,” their grandfather said.
“Really?” Marco asked.
“Yes, really,” their grandfather said.
He explained that if they wore the pendants around their necks when they went to sleep,
they would have vivid dreams of being in Machu Picchu,
and seeing its wonders with their own eyes.
He also warned them not to lose or break the pendants,
or else they would lose their connection to Machu Picchu forever.
Elena and Marco thanked their grandfather for his gift,
and put on their pendants right away.
They were eager to try them out,
and see if they really worked.
They went to bed early that night,
and closed their eyes,
hoping to dream of Machu Picchu.
As soon as they fell asleep,
they felt a strange sensation,
as if they were flying through space and time.
They opened their eyes again,
and found themselves in a different place than before.
They were standing on a stone terrace overlooking a valley surrounded by green mountains.
In front of them was a city made of stone buildings with terraced roofs,
connected by stairs and pathways.
It looked like an ancient fortress or palace,
but also like a garden or temple.
It was beautiful and majestic,
and unlike anything they had ever seen before.
They realized that they were in Machu Picchu,
just like their grandfather had told them.
They felt excited and curious,
and wanted to explore more of this amazing place.
They walked around the city,
admiring its architecture and design.
They saw temples dedicated to different gods,
such as Inti (the sun), Mama Killa (the moon), Illapa (the thunder), Pachamama (the earth),
and others.
They saw fountains,
gardens,
storerooms,
workshops,
observatories,
and houses.
They saw llamas grazing on grass,
birds singing in trees,
flowers blooming in colors,
and butterflies fluttering in air.
They saw people dressed in colorful clothes,
wearing jewelry made of gold and silver,
carrying baskets filled with fruits and vegetables,
playing musical instruments made of wood and bone,
dancing and singing with joy.
They saw children running around,
playing games with stones and sticks,
laughing and smiling with innocence.
They saw elders sitting on benches,
telling stories with wisdom,
teaching lessons with kindness.
They saw priests performing rituals with fire
and water,
praying to the sky and the earth,
offering gifts with gratitude.
Elena and Marco felt like they had entered a different world,
a world that was full of life and harmony,
a world that was connected to nature and the cosmos,
a world that was lost but not forgotten.
They wanted to learn more about this world,
and its people,
and their culture.
They approached some of the people,
and tried to talk to them.
They realized that they could understand and speak their language,
which was called Quechua.
It was another gift from their pendants,
which allowed them to communicate with anyone in Machu Picchu.
The people were friendly and welcoming,
and invited Elena and Marco to join them in their activities.
Elena and Marco accepted their invitations,
and had fun with them.
They learned how to weave cloth from wool,
how to make pottery from clay,
how to carve stone from rock,
how to grow crops from seeds,
how to cook food from fire.
They learned how to play music from flutes, drums, and rattles;
how to dance with steps, spins, and jumps;
how to sing with melodies, rhythms, and rhymes.
They learned how to play games with balls, hoops, and dice;
how to tell stories with words, gestures, and pictures;
how to solve puzzles with numbers, shapes, and patterns.
They learned how to respect their elders,
how to care for their children,
how to love their families,
how to honor their gods.
They learned how
to live in Machu Picchu,
and be part of its community.
They felt happy
and fulfilled,
and wanted to stay in Machu Picchu forever.
But then they heard a voice calling their names.
It was their grandfather’s voice,
coming from their pendants.
He said:
“Elena, Marco,
it’s time to wake up.
Your dream is over.”
Elena and Marco felt sad and confused.
They did not want to leave Machu Picchu,
or their new friends.
They asked their grandfather:
“Why do we have to go?
Can’t we stay here longer?”
Their grandfather said:
“No, you can’t.
This is not your real home.
This is only a dream.
You have to return to your own world,
where you belong.”
Elena and Marco said:
“But we love it here.
We learned so much from these people.
We feel like we are part of them.”
Their grandfather said:
“I know you do,
and I’m proud of you for that.
But you have to remember that this is not your true history,
or your true culture.
You are visitors here,
not residents.
You have to respect this place,
and its secrets,
and not interfere with its destiny.”
Elena and Marco said:
“What do you mean by that?
What is its destiny?”
Their grandfather said:
“You will find out soon enough.
But for now, you have to trust me,
and follow me back to reality.”
He told them to hold on to their pendants tightly,
and close their eyes again.
He said:
“Goodbye, Machu Picchu.
Thank you for your hospitality and generosity.
We will never forget you.”
He whispered a word in Quechua that sounded like “Inti”.
Then he said:
“Now, wake up!”
Elena and Marco felt another strange sensation,
as if they were flying back through space and time.
They opened their eyes again,
and found themselves in their own bedroom,
in their own house,
in their own world.
They looked at each other,
and realized that they had just woken up from their dream.
They felt a mix of emotions:
joy,
sadness,
wonder,
curiosity.
They wanted to talk about their dream,
and share their experiences.
But before they could say anything,
they heard a knock on their door.
It was their grandfather.
He came in with a smile on his face,
and said:
“Good morning, Elena and Marco.
Did you sleep well?
Did you have any interesting dreams?”
Elena and Marco looked at him with surprise and awe.
They wondered how he knew about their dream,
or if he had been there with them.
They wondered what else he knew about Machu Picchu,
or what else he had seen or done there.
They wondered what he meant by its destiny,
or what would happen to it in the future.
They decided to ask him all these questions later,
when they had more time and privacy.
For now, they just nodded and smiled back at him,
and said:
“Yes, we did sleep well.
Yes, we did have an interesting dream.”
Their grandfather winked at them,
and said:
“I’m glad to hear that.
Now, get ready for breakfast.
We have a big day ahead of us.”
He left them alone in their room,
but not before giving them a hug and a kiss on their cheeks.
He said:
“I love you both very much.”
Elena and Marco got out of bed,
and got ready for breakfast.
They put on their clothes,
and their pendants.
They did not want to take them off,
or lose them.
They felt a special bond with them,
and with Machu Picchu.
They wondered if they would ever dream of it again,
or see it in real life.
They hoped they would,
someday.
But for now,
they were happy to have had this amazing adventure,
and to have learned so much from it.
They were grateful to their grandfather,
for his gift and his story.
They were proud of themselves,
for their curiosity and their courage.
They were excited for their future,
and what it would bring.
They were ready for a new day,
and a new dream.
The end.