Write On!

              Bernie's Adventure
Donna Korsiger, Drayton Valley W. I.
2nd place, Fiction, 2001
Hi. My name is Bernie and I am a Guinea Pig. I live in the pet area of
a hardware store. My best friend is another Guinea Pig named Billie and she
gets to live in my pen with me until I she gets fat and then Brenda, the pet lady,
moves her to her own cage next to mine until she has her babies and then she
gets to live with me again.
This is what happened the day before my story begins. I was feeling
kind of lonely by myself and Billie was having a nap when the trouble started.
Two boys came up to our cages and started teasing us. One got the
idea to open my cage and chase me around trying to catch me. The other boy
reached in Billie's cage and tried to catch her, too. It was very frightening until
Brenda came along and made the boys leave. My heart was beating so fast
with fright that at first I just curled up in a corner and shook.
" Billie," I called softly, " Billie, my door is open. I think I will get out of
here"
Billie mumbled something but did not move from her napping spot.
She just snuggled down more into the shavings that was her bed.
" Billie," I spoke a little louder, " why don't you see if your door is open,
too. We can get out together. Come on, Billie, wake up and come look."
" Bernie, I am so tired and I don't want to go anywhere but right here.
Go if you want to but just leave me alone. I'm not feeling so good after being
chased by those boys. That was enough excitement for me today." Billie spoke
sharply and turned her back on me.
" OK," I said feeling kind of mad at her. " If that's the way you want it,
fine. I'm going anyway." With that I climbed out of my cage and down to the
floor.
I looked down the huge aisle which was illuminated by the night lights
in the store. Cautiously, at first, I started down the aisle trying to take in all the
sights on either side of me Then I started to run and it was so much fun I
called back to Billie.
" Billie, wake up. This is so much fun. This place is so big. Billie, come
with me, come with me."
I raced up one aisle and down another until I played myself out.
Panting, I looked around for a place to rest. Under a shelf I found what I
needed, a stuffed toy. I snuggled down for a short nap before I continued this
wonderful adventure.
I was startled out of my pleasant dream by the familiar sound of
Donna, the cleaning lady, coming down the aisle dragging the garbage bags It
was morning already and I was confused as to where I was, at first. Then I
remembered getting out of my cage and all the fun I had had during the night.