Fiction

Collaborative Writing

Two Elephants

By: Dawn Reed & Ashley Schertzing

The elephant herd trudged under the blazing hot sun, when Momma noticed
the pool. Spraying JJ across the face, he felt instantly cooled. Momma, me first,
Maddy bellowed.
Wait your turn, Madeline!
JJ ALWAYS gets to do EVERYTHING first. Im sick of it!!

Maddy found herself daydreaming, when she spotted eyes, ears, and nostrils
peaking out of the water. She wandered over and found it was a hippo. Hello, what
are you doing?
Im staying cool, under this water, Melvin the hippo said.
Me too. I want to be cool like you. Maddy dipped her toes into the pool.
Ahhhhhhh, she sighed. She stepped further, further, even further into the pool.
Excited by the relaxing water, she flapped her ears. Watch me, I can cool off with
my ears too, Maddy proudly proclaimed.
SPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHH
...the water flew over Melvins face.
Ugh - thats .gah not nice...I can hardly breathe now.
But, this is how I cool myself, Maddy defended herself.
You are disrupting my space. Please leave, said Melvin.
Sadly, Maddy left the pool.

Heading back to the herd, Maddy kept her head down as they all continued
walking. Where have you been? JJ nagged. Maddy quickly flapped her ears with
aggression, then ignored him.
JJ raced to mother, Im hungry, oh and ... by the way, Maddy is ignoring me.
Mother snapped up some leaves and fruits with her trunk and tossed them
over to JJ. Looking on, Maddy watched mother give JJ ALL the attention. Afterall,
she was hungry too. Then she spotted something in the tree.

She wandered over and found it was a giraffe. Hello, what are you doing?
Im eating yummy leaves, Jerry, the giraffe said.
Me too, I want to eat the yummy leaves that are high in the tree, Maddy
echoed. She stretched her trunk to reach the leaves. She reached higher, higher,
even higher. Still she could not reach the leaves. Jerry, I CANT reach, she whined.
I have my own children to teach to reach the top of the trees. I dont have
time to help you.
Sadly, Maddy walked away from the tree.

Heading back to the herd, Maddy kept her head down as they all continued
walking.
You left again!? Where did you go this time? JJ shouted! Maddy stretched her
trunk to smack JJ, but then she ignored him.
JJ raced to mother, Im tired. And Maddy is ignoring me again.
Mother gathered the herd to stop and find a place to rest. Looking on, Maddy
watched mother giving JJ all the attention once again. Afterall, she was tired too.
Then she spotted something over by the bush.

She wandered over and found it was a gorilla. Hello, what are you doing?
Im digging up some roots, Fred, the gorilla said.
Me too. I want to dig too. Maddy stated. She lowered her tusks to touch the
dirt and began digging. She dug harder, harder, even harder. Soon there was torn
up dirt everywhere and a big hole.
What are you doing!? Fred shouted. You wrecked this whole space! Now I
cant even see the roots I was going for!
Sadly, Maddy stepped away from the bush.

Maddy looked up and was surprised to see her brother standing there. Why,
do you keep wondering off? Dont you know, I want to play with you? JJ flapped his
ears at her. Happy, Maddy followed her brother back to the herd.

Heading back to the herd, Maddy and JJ heard their mom trumpet and they
saw her ears flap with joy. They raced up to her and all three hugged with their
trunks.

Enjoying the day with her brother, Maddy learned that your family is where
you belong.