With Every Adventure Comes Consequences

Kyla Edelman (5th hour CP)

It was hot, humid, and dry in the middle of Africa. Summer was here and all the young animal friends were getting excited about the upcoming fun. The elephant, rhinoceros, and the cheetah were sitting around making messes while the mothers were working hard to get supper on the table. The fathers were out working on the farm. The elephant, rhinoceros, and the cheetah were really looking forward to exploring the countryside during all of their time off school. There was only one thing that was going to slow their fun down. Their mothers had warned them to make sure they do not go past the line of trees on the north side of their houses. There was an escaped criminal that the ostrich police had yet to catch and put back in the Somalian Jail.
After the fathers came home, families ate supper, and the three friends got an okay from their mothers to go exploring until dark, they decided to meet at the cheetah’s house and were going to cook up a plan. They were very curious about what was behind this line of trees and could hardly wait to find out.
“I think we should start out and get as close to the trees as possible. Mom just said we can’t go past but she didn’t say we couldn’t go right up to it. We should figure out what is beyond and help out the police by catching it,” said the Rhinoceros.
“Great idea! I could even practice my running by chasing it down if I happen to see it,” replied the Cheetah.
“I don’t think this is a good idea at all. Our mothers warned us and if something happened to us and we ended up getting hurt our family would be very disappointed in us,” exclaimed the Elephant.
“Oh don’t be such a baby, why do you always have to be the one to try and spoil our fun. Fine! If you don’t what to have fun then whatever, you can just stay behind but we are going,” muttered the Rhinoceros.
“Yah,” agreed the Cheetah.
“No, I think I will come. In case you guy get into trouble maybe I can help you get out of it. I am coming,” explained the Elephant.
After much more bickering and arguing, the three friends set out toward the trees. They traveled fast because they were in a hurry, to get there and back before dark set in. About one hour later, the three friends arrived to the line of trees. They didn’t see anything so they decided to go just a little bit past, so if they did see something it would be easy for them to jump back on their side. All of the sudden they heard a loud noise.
“What was that,” asked the Rhinoceros.
“I don’t know! Maybe it’s the criminal,” replied the Cheetah
“It doesn’t sound good that’s for sure,” lectured the Elephant.
After a little more debate, the Cheetah decided to walk crouched down slowly toward it. Slowly the Cheetah made his way closer and closer to the noise. He got to it and saw a man already wounded lying on the ground. He took advantage of it! He pounced and about five minutes later he picked up the dead man with him mouth victoriously.
“I told you I could get it,” mocked the Cheetah
“Good Job,” congratulated the Rhinoceros.
“I guess you were right,” admitted the Elephant. “Let’s head back.”
The walk back to their houses seemed a lot shorter than on the way there. They were so happy to have accomplished something that even the police couldn’t and could hardly wait to tell everyone that would listen. When they arrived back at the houses, their mother did not like what they did what so ever. She scolded them very sternly and called the police to let them now that the criminal was caught. One morning, approximately three days later, the three friends woke up with some red bumpy rashes. It itched like crazy but whenever they itched it yellow oozy stuff would come out and it seemed to spread like crazy. They were in great fear of what they had developed and couldn’t figure out what it would be from. The mothers begin worried like normal, took them to the doctor. After some examination the doctor asked if they had been near some trees. They reflected the past couple of days and remembered their victorious trip to the line of trees beyond their houses. When the friends replied that yes they had been near trees the doctor automatically pronounced they had come down with a serious case of poison ivy.
All in all, the Cheetah, Elephant, and the Rhinoceros were sad little friends for the next couple of days. They decided together that they would from now on listen to what their parents had to say even if it meant missing out on some fun they thought they could have.