The Special Olympics (4)
“THIRD PRIZE GOES TO THE WONDERFUL JIMMY JACKDAW.
WELL DONE JIMMY.”
Jimmy stepped up on the platform to receive his prize and shake the hand of the mayor. There were loud cheers from the crowd.
“SECOND PRIZE GOES TO HENRIETTA HEDGEHOG”
Henrietta fell against a nearby tree, “second, second?” she gasped, “How is that possible?” Now it was she that was sulking.
“AND FIRST PRIZE GOES TO THE WONDERFUL LILY LIZARD.”
They took their positions on the platform and accepted their prizes. The jackdaw anthem was played first, then the hedgehog anthem and finally the lizard anthem.
After the festivities, Henrietta went home. All previous thoughts about the race had left her mind. Her main worry was Billy. He wasn´t at home either. She rang Lily Lizard and Jimmy Jackdaw. She told them what had happened and they organised a search for him.
Two days went by and Henrietta was frantic with worry. Lily and Jimmy stayed over to comfort her. “He´s a big boy now, he´s well able to look after himself, anyway it´s not healthy for a snake to live with a hedgehog,” said Jimmy in an effort to calm her down.
“He´s not a snake he´s a boa constrictor,” sobbed Henrietta.
“All the more reason to let him leave the nest if you ask me,” replied Jimmy.
“You´re not helping the situation,” injected Lily abruptly. “Let´s search all the places we didn´t check yesterday.” she added.
“Good idea,” sniffled Henrietta.
So off they trudged, heavy hearted. They looked in all the village museums, shops, parks, forests, garages, factories, the baker´s, the chemist´s and finally they took a break
“Maybe he has run away with the circus,”said Lily suddenly. “ Never mind that, maybe he is in another place suitable for animals like him, a kind of fancy hotel,”
“But we checked all the hotels,” wailed Henrietta.
“No, maybe he is in the zoo Henrietta,” said Lily.
“Of course, that is exactly where I told him to go,” said Henrietta with a great sigh of relief.
So off they ran towards the zoo. Henrietta and Lily got up on Jimmy´s back so they could fly straight in and avoid the staring groups of children. The zoo was an impressive place. It was full of exotic and dangerous animals that would be totally out of place in the local forest. I suppose it was a good thing that the animals couldn´t escape. If they did the woodland creatures would end up as refugees or light snacks.
Sure enough as they approached the reptile house Henrietta could hear Billy singing and messing. When they got to where he was caged she got a little surprise. There he was with his real parents, telling them happily about his adventures with Henrietta and the others. He looked so happy with them Henrietta thought it best to leave.