When Your Dog Can Rewind Time (And You Use It To Lock Shapeshifting Squid People In Their Own Trap)
Dec 04, 2025"Hi I'm Strange. Oops. I meant to say Hi I'm Faith."
That's not a typo. That's not a mistake in storytelling.
That's social anxiety documented in real-time.
Faith thinks she sounds stupid. She doesn't want to tell people her actual name. So she says "I'm strange" instead, and then immediately corrects herself, revealing the self-consciousness underneath.
"Oops."
That single word contains: embarrassment, self-awareness, the desire to start over correctly, the fear of being judged.
Most children would revise this out. Delete the "mistake." Start clean: "Hi, I'm Faith."
But this author keeps it. Because Faith's anxiety about how she introduces herself is part of who Faith is.
And when danger appears, when shapeshifting squid people lock Faith and Ivy in a room, that social anxiety doesn't prevent heroism. It just lives alongside it.
Two weeks ago, this author sat down with the question: "What story do YOU want to tell?"
The answer? A time-manipulation story about Faith (who thinks she sounds "strange" when introducing herself), visiting the aquarium with her dog Ivy (who has rewind powers while Faith has fast forward), finding it funny when Ivy barks at fish, noticing workers are missing, suddenly seeing workers appear around the corner who haven't blinked once, workers asking "Can we show you something?", Faith saying "Sure" with hesitancy, being shown a large empty fish tank, watching workers change into squids then back to people, getting locked in the room, processing "It was the craziest thing I could imagine," creating a plan with Ivy to use rewind powers, definitely succeeding, rewinding back to Ivy barking at fish, seeing the people, watching them turn into squids, hearing "we've got something to show you," and this time knowing exactly what to do—locking the door on them and running out with Ivy.
This is Transformation 4 (Overcoming Challenges) meeting
Transformation 3 (Immersive Storytelling), and it demonstrates what our research revealed: when children write time-loop narratives, they understand that failure provides information, that powers have strategic applications, and that the best revenge is using your enemy's plan against them.
The Transformation
Here's what the facilitator noticed:
Within the first paragraph, this author had established:
- Protagonist's social anxiety ("Hi I'm strange. Oops.")
- Protagonist's name (Faith)
- Self-awareness about anxiety (corrects herself)
- Companion (dog named Ivy)
- Setting (aquarium)
- Emotional tone (Faith finds it funny when Ivy barks at fish)
- First sign of wrongness (workers missing)
That's complete character setup with psychological authenticity embedded naturally.
But watch what happens when the threat escalates:
The uncanny valley warning:
"Suddenly they appear around the corner. They haven't blinked once."
Not "suddenly workers appeared." But "suddenly they appear", slightly off pronoun choice that creates distance, as if Faith's instincts are already warning her something's wrong.
"They haven't blinked once."
That's uncanny valley detection. Faith can't articulate what's wrong yet, but she's noticing: no blinking. Humans blink. Things that look human but don't blink are wrong.
This is threat assessment through subtle wrongness, not obvious danger.
The hesitant agreement:
"They ask: 'Can we show you something?' Faith says 'Sure' with hesitancy."
Faith's social anxiety makes her agree even when her instincts say no.
"Sure" (wants to be polite, doesn't want confrontation)
"With hesitancy" (knows something's wrong, agrees anyway)
That's psychologically authentic. Social anxiety often means agreeing to things you're uncomfortable with because saying no feels harder than potential danger.
Faith says yes. Gets trapped. Her anxiety contributed to the trap.
But that same anxiety, that self-awareness, that attention to wrongness, is what helps her survive.
The shapeshifter reveal:
"They show Faith and Ivy a large empty fish tank. Then the workers change into squids, then back into people, and lock Faith and Ivy in the room with the tank."
Perfect escalation pacing:
- Empty tank (mystery)
- Transformation to squids (revelation)
- Transformation back to people (they can control it)
- Lock the door (trap activated)
Each beat escalates while Faith processes:
"It was the craziest thing I could imagine."
Not "she was terrified." Not "she panicked."
But "craziest thing I could imagine."
Faith's brain is trying to make sense of shapeshifting squid people at an aquarium. Her frame of reference can't accommodate what she just saw.
That's authentic shock response: cognitive dissonance, not immediate fear.
The time-loop solution:
"Faith and Ivy think of a plan: use Ivy's rewind powers to get themselves out of this mess. It definitely works."
That "definitely works" is brilliant confidence.
Faith isn't hoping. She's not trying. She knows it will work.
Because when you can rewind time, failure becomes information, not endpoint.
The do-over with knowledge:
"They rewind back to Ivy barking at fish, see the people, see them turn into squids, hear them say 'we've got something to show you.'"
Faith and Ivy experience the exact same sequence again.
But this time they have information:
- Workers are shapeshifters
- "Show you something" = trap
- Empty tank = where they'll be locked
- Workers will lock door
The role reversal:
"And this time they know exactly what to do. As soon as the workers walk in, Faith locks the door and runs out with Ivy."
Perfect revenge through role reversal.
Workers tried to trap Faith and Ivy in room.
Faith traps workers in room instead.
Same plan. Same door. Different people locked inside.
That's using your enemy's strategy against them.
Why This Matters
When we evaluated 318 children using Classic Grounded Theory methodology, we found that children writing time-loop stories understand sophisticated narrative concepts:
- Failure as information (first attempt provides data for second)
- Strategic power use (rewind = do-over with knowledge)
- Role reversal (victim becomes trapper)
- Adaptation through learning (same situation, different response)
- Confidence from knowledge ("definitely works" because she knows outcome)
Traditional writing prompts would never produce this complexity:
- "Write about a time you overcame a challenge"
- "Create a story where a hero defeats a villain"
- "Describe an adventure with your pet"
These prompts produce linear narratives: problem appears, hero tries, hero succeeds.
But when we ask "What story do YOU want to tell?" children show us they understand:
- Time as malleable resource
- Failure as necessary step toward success
- Information gathering through experience
- Strategic adaptation based on knowledge
- Poetic justice through role reversal
Faith failed the first time. Got locked in. Then rewound and won.
Tom Hirst, Head of English at Dixons Manningham Primary, told BBC News: "Even the kids who don't like writing didn't want to stop."
This story reveals WHY children engage with time-loop narratives:
Time-loop stories let children explore:
- What if you could try again with knowledge?
- What if failure wasn't permanent?
- What if you could see the trap coming?
- What if you could reverse who gets caught?
These aren't abstract philosophical questions. These are things children wish for constantly:
- Do-overs on tests
- Second chances at conversations
- Knowing what would happen before choosing
- Being able to learn from mistakes without consequences
Faith's time-loop story is wish fulfilment grounded in strategic thinking.
And that detail about social anxiety?
"Hi I'm strange. Oops. I meant to say hi I'm Faith."
It never goes away. Faith's anxiety is present at the beginning.
But when shapeshifting squid people lock her in a room, Faith:
- Assesses the situation ("craziest thing I could imagine")
- Creates a plan (use Ivy's rewind powers)
- Executes confidently ("definitely works")
- Reverses the trap (locks door on them instead)
- Escapes successfully
Social anxiety didn't prevent heroism.
Faith doubts how she sounds introducing herself. But she doesn't doubt how to escape shapeshifting squid people.
That's a child understanding that anxiety in one area doesn't mean incompetence in all areas.
The Story They Created
This author's story contains evidence of deep engagement with time-loop mechanics:
Psychological authenticity: "Hi I'm strange. Oops."—social anxiety documented in real-time
Character voice: Self-correction, embarrassment, self-awareness all in opening line
Emotional baseline: "Finds it funny when Ivy barks at fish"—establishing normal before weird
Uncanny valley: "They haven't blinked once"—threat through subtle wrongness
Social anxiety trap: Says "Sure" with hesitancy—politeness overrides instinct
Escalation pacing: Empty tank → transform to squids → transform back → lock door
Authentic shock: "Craziest thing I could imagine"—cognitive dissonance, not fear
Strategic planning: "Use Ivy's rewind powers"—power has specific application
Confident execution: "It definitely works"—knowledge creates certainty
Information advantage: Second loop, they see same events but know meanings
Role reversal: Workers tried to trap them, Faith traps workers instead
Escape coordination: "Runs out with Ivy"—partnership maintained under pressure
Every element serves the time-loop structure while maintaining character authenticity.
Want to read Faith and Ivy's complete story about shapeshifting squid people, time-loop escapes, and perfect role reversal?
Read "Fast Forward and Ivy" here →
Or listen to Kate read it on the Stories Without Borders podcast:
Listen to the episode →
Two Ways Forward
Option 1: Help Your Child Write Time-Loop Stories
Download the free Golden Question Guide and discover how "What story do YOU want to tell?" helps children create stories where failure provides information and do-overs come with knowledge—just like Faith and Ivy.
👉 Download Golden Question Guide (Free)
Option 2: See How Schools Engage Complex Storytellers
Curious how 9 schools achieved 100% engagement with children writing time-loop narratives, role reversals, and strategic adaptations—including those who previously refused to write?
Download the 2-page Bradford Proof case study.
📊 Download Bradford Proof (Free)
Need Help Implementing This?
Whether you're a parent wanting to bring this to your child's school, or a teacher ready to see what children write when given freedom to explore time manipulation, let's talk.
Because here's what 465 children have taught us:
When children write time-loop stories with complete creative freedom, they don't just create "magic time travel."
They create:
- Strategic power use (rewind = information advantage)
- Failure as necessary step (first attempt provides data)
- Confident second attempts ("definitely works")
- Role reversal (trappers get trapped)
- Poetic justice (same plan, different victims)
And they do it while maintaining authentic character voice:
"Hi I'm strange. Oops. I meant to say hi I'm Faith."
Social anxiety at the start. Strategic heroism at the end.
Because children understand:
Anxiety in one area doesn't mean incompetence in all areas.
Failure isn't permanent when you can rewind.
And the best revenge is locking shapeshifting squid people in their own trap.
Share this story:
Know a teacher who wants to see narrative sophistication? A parent whose child writes time-travel stories? A school leader looking for proof that children understand complex story mechanics?
Share Faith and Ivy's story.
Because when we trust children to write time-loop narratives, they show us they understand:
Failure provides information. Do-overs come with knowledge. Role reversal is poetic justice.
And shapeshifting squid people should never give you "just one more thing to show you."
