Third Week

All text and images copyright Michael Smith - Doodle Bag Productions

09.02.10

Sara stared at the little girl in front of her and down at the yellow book she had been reading about the family that lived in the little house.  “Are you sure your name is Maura?”

            “Yep.” Said the girl with a confident nod of her head, “and that is my Maw, and Paw, and my sister Kerry. We live in that medium house in the field.” She pointed to the house in the distance that Sara had seen earlier. “What’s your name and where did you come from?”

“Well...my name is Sara, and I am from...”Sara thought for a moment. “I came from far away.” She said finally.  “I have some of my stuff,” and the beanbag shook on the ground behind her.”but I really need that page that just flew away. It will help me to get back home.”

“I can help you find your page!” Maura offered brightly, “Maw, Paw! I am going to go with Sara to look for her page!”

“Sure thing Half Gallon!” Maura’s Paw called back.

“We need to get a horse and a wagon! C’mon!” The two girls went over to the barn and started collecting the tack and saddle for the horses.  They had just pulled down the second blanket when Sara noticed a red shadow at the door of the barn.  That silly beanbag had made its way to the barn and was peeking in on them.

“Is that yours?” Maura pointed at the beanbag that had rolled into the barn.

“Yesss.” Sara sighed. “That thing is why I am here.”  She told Maura all about reading in class and then falling through the bag.

“Well, we really need to find that page for you!” The girls got the saddle on one horse and had started the second when the beanbag started hopping up and down around Sara excitedly.  “It looks like it wants to help!” Exclaimed Maura, but Sara, who had experienced the silly beanbag once already wasn’t sure she trusted it quite yet.

“I don’t know....” But Maura was already getting the little wagon out and hooking it up to the beanbag.

“You can put all of your books in the wagon and I will ride alongside of you two into town.” The girls had decided to look in town for the page first, since that was the direction the wind was blowing.  Hurrying to finish they buckled the last strap down and Sara jumped onto the wagon while Maura scrambled up onto a little pony. “Come on!” They walked the pony out of the barn and the beanbag followed with the brown wagon with Sara and her books.  Everything was going just fine until they got to the edge of the property.  Sara looked at the wooden fence go by when she felt a sudden jerk on the reins.

“Whoa!” She cried and she was pulled suddenly from wagon and all of her books too! And she flew into the air, pulled by the reins still gripped tightly in her hands!