In a small house at the end of the street lived a boy named Philip. But today, he didn't feel like playing or laughing. He felt so... blah. His head was heavy, his nose was stuffy, and something was unpleasantly tickling his throat. He sat at the table and looked out the window, where the other children were chasing a ball. “Philip, I made you a snack,” said his mom's voice as she placed a plate in front of him. On it lay a cheerful orange, a small bowl of green spinach, and a crunchy carrot, washed and shiny as a gemstone. Philip sighed. But when he bit into the first juicy slice of orange, he had no idea he had just launched a secret mission in a strange little town he carried inside him. The town of Body.
In the control center, deep inside the town of Body, an alarm rang out. A red light flashed, and a message appeared on the large screen: “ALERT! Tickling Germs are attacking the Nasal Cave! Immediate immune support required!” A hero in a bright orange cape leaped from the commander's chair. It was Captain C, the best fighter against the common cold. His shield looked like a slice of orange and always smelled of freshness. “Team, attention!” commanded Captain C. “We have a mission! Philip needs us!” His two best friends immediately stood by his side. The first was Iron Man, a strongman in dark green armor made of spinach leaves. Every step he took was full of strength and energy. The second was Beta-Carotene, a sharp scout in an orange suit, whose glasses could see the smallest detail from miles away. “Captain, reporting for duty!” saluted Iron Man. “My energy reserves are ready for transport.” “My super-eyes are ready to scout!” added Beta-Carotene, polishing his special lenses. “Excellent,” Captain C nodded. “My first target is the Nasal Cave. Those Tickling Germs are causing trouble there. I must reinforce the defensive walls so Philip can breathe more easily. Beta-Carotene, you scout the Eye Towers in the meantime. Iron Man, you wait for the signal. Philip is feeling tired; you will be needed soon.”
Captain C boarded his swift capsule and let himself be carried by the current of the Blood Rivers. Along the way, he waved to the little red blood cells, which were diligently delivering oxygen. In a moment, he arrived at the Nasal Cave. And what a mess it was in there! Tiny, gray, and constantly sneezing germs were jumping on the walls, and their tickling made Philip want to sneeze all the time. “Achoo! And achoo again!” they giggled. Captain C was not afraid. He drew his vitamin shield and aimed it at the cave walls. Millions of tiny, shining sparks began to flow from the shield. These sparks were like little builders. They immediately began to repair and strengthen the cave walls, creating an invisible but strong protective barrier. Suddenly, the Tickling Germs had nowhere to hold on. Their tickling weakened, and with one huge sneeze that came like a great wave, they were washed away. “Mission partially accomplished,” Captain C reported into his communicator. “The Nasal Cave is secure. Philip will feel better soon.”
Meanwhile, Philip decided to try eating the green spinach, too. He wasn't sure about it, but his mom said it would give him strength. As soon as he swallowed the first spoonful, a new signal sounded in the control center of the town of Body. “ENERGY PROTOCOL ACTIVATED! Muscle City reports low energy levels!” Iron Man didn't wait a moment. “This is my time to shine!” he exclaimed. He loaded a backpack full of small, green energy packets onto his back and set off toward Muscle City. Muscle City was huge and full of movement. It looked like an endless gym where muscle fibers were constantly working—lifting, stretching, and contracting. But now they were slow and tired. They looked like deflated balloons. “Energy incoming!” shouted Iron Man and began to toss out his green packets. Every muscle fiber that caught a packet immediately tensed and grew stronger. Listlessness and fatigue vanished like mist in the sun. All at once, the entire Muscle City began moving with full force again. Outside, Philip suddenly felt strength returning to his arms and legs. He stood up and realized he wasn't so weak anymore. He even felt like putting on his sneakers.
“Just the carrot left,” Philip thought and took a hearty bite. Crunch! This was the signal for the third hero. In the Eye Towers, two tall structures from which the world was viewed, Beta-Carotene had his hands full. The image the towers were projecting was a bit blurry. The grass outside wasn't so green, and his friends' ball seemed somewhat indistinct. “Aha, here’s the problem!” Beta-Carotene realized. “The lenses are a bit dusty.” With the carrot extract he had in a small bottle, he began to polish the huge lenses of the Eye Towers. With every wipe of his cloth, the image became clearer and sharper. The colors brightened and the details stood out. Suddenly, Philip could see every blade of grass, every ladybug on the fence, and he saw the ball so clearly it was as if he were holding it in his hand. “The Eye Towers report one hundred percent visibility!” he announced proudly into his communicator.
Philip smiled. He shouted to his friends at the top of his lungs: “Wait for me!” He ran out into the yard. His nose was clear, he felt strength in his legs, and with his eyes, he could see exactly where the ball was flying. He caught a pass and happily scored a goal. Meanwhile, in the town of Body, all three heroes met in the control center. On the screen, they watched as Philip laughed and ran around. “Great work, team!” Captain C praised them. “We did it together. I strengthened the defenses, Iron Man supplied the fuel, and Beta-Carotene sharpened the vision.” “Every piece was important,” added Iron Man, flexing his muscles. “Exactly,” Beta-Carotene nodded. “And most importantly, Philip gave us a chance to help him by eating his healthy snack.”
At the end of the story, the heroes pinned on their medals—one orange, one spinach, and one carrot. They knew that the town of Body was safe as long as it had such a great commander as Philip. And Philip? He learned that real superheroes are hidden in fruits and vegetables. What do you think, kids, what superheroes did you send on a mission today? With your parents’ help, try to remember and draw what food gave you strength and health today.