Funday Times

The visitors
A new serial story to celebrate International Literacy Month
Chapter Seven

A loud, strange noise invades the newspaper office. Meanwhile, the team is working on their next
edition. The roaring BUZZ surrounded the newspaper office. Just when the fly and the ladybug were about to dive under a stack of recycled paper, the source of the loud noise appeared.

A pair of bumblebees came buzzing into the Journal office and landed right next to Jake. A timid, male bee stood quietly next to the crowned, female bee. A few hundred of their friends hovered just above the branch. "Can we help you?" Jake asked. "Well, we've been reading the Fly on the Wall Journal and we had an idea," Sarah, the queen bee said.

"It seems that we have some vacancies in our hive, you know… empty rooms. And, we'd like to put an ad in your newspaper to see if any other insects need a place to live." As she finished talking, the male bee quietly flew over with a small cup full of golden, yellow honey.

He sat it down in front of José and Jake. As the smell of the honey wafted across the tree branch, the rest of the newspaper team slowly made their way over to the meeting. They all stared silently at the sweet, glistening nectar.

"We'll pay you with honey," Sarah continued, "a cup for each of you, if you run our ad in your newspaper."

"We're not really set-up for doing ads in our newspaper," Jake said. "But that doesn't mean we can't figure out a way to work with you!" José interrupted. He was not going to let the bees, or their honey, get away.

"How about if we help create the ad ourselves?" Sarah said. "I have a lot of hard-working bees in my hive, and we'd love to help with your newspaper." "But what about the hon…" José started. "Don't worry, we'll still pay you with honey for our own ad," Sarah smiled at José. "But we'll find out what the buzz is around the park, and see if anyone else would like to buy an ad in your newspaper. We'll be back!" Then Queen Sarah, her trusty servant and their entire entourage flew away, leaving the newspaper team alone, with the honey.

In a flash, the cup that just seconds earlier was filled with glistening honey, was completely empty and spinning like a top. "This has to be the best honey I've ever tasted," José's mouth and legs were covered in the sticky goo.

Rocko tried to agree with José, but the honey stuck to the roof of his mouth. With the cup completely drained, all of the insects were enjoying the beginnings of a sugar coma. They were licking the final bits of
stickiness off of their legs, tentacles and bellies.

"You guys are disgusting," Matty growled at the other bugs. "Look at how you attacked that honey,
completely out of control!""Really, Matty?" Cindy laughed as she reached out and caught a giant drip of honey falling from Matty's nose. "It's a good thing you were able to control yourself. " And everyone laughed, including Matty.

"Seriously," Jake said, ending playtime. "We need to get working on our next edition. How's that puzzle coming along, Cindy?"

"We're just about done!" Cindy said, proudly. "Matty is helping Rocko recreate the maze for the newspaper.""Excellent!" Jake told the Spider-Mantis team. "And I finished the story about the exterminators," José said proudly. "It seems that at least for now, they aren't coming into the park. They're just staying in the city."

"Ok, so we have the news story, and the puzzle, and the ad for the bee hive. Is that it for tomorrow's edition?" Rocko asked. "Sounds good to me," Jake agreed.

"I'm so proud of you Rocko. You really are getting the hang of this. We only needed one bandage this edition!" Cindy said, while gently smoothing out the gauze on Rocko's forehead. While putting the finishing touches on their newest newspaper edition, the team was in for another surprise. At first nobody knew what was happening. Was it an earthquake?

The shiny, mysterious, pea-pod-like sack in the corner of the office started swaying. "What is going on?"
Matty shouted. "I d- don't know…" José stuttered. "It looks like something is moving inside that thing!" Rocko squeaked, and all of the insects backed away. Even Ricky and the troops looked worried. "Oh my…" Cindy whispered.

To be continued ...

Written by Cathy Sewell, Illustrated by Blaise Sewell, Donated by The Curriculum Closet (www.curriculumcloset.com)

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
 
Other Funday Articles
Trouble in the palace of Kotte
Saturn through a telescope
My talking doll -- A Poem for the week
The visitors
Kids World

 


 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2009 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution