LEO

• Kelsie Coburn, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2014

LEO
Leo, a handsome young boy, was walking down the street like an ordinary kid, but he wasn’t ordinary. He came from a faraway land in Yueta, a small country near China. He loved soccer, playing with his friends and going to the zoo. Immediately, he heard a scream!
“Eww, shew you filthy lizard”
Leo was a Cuba Brown Anole lizard. He had spikes all over him which scared many people but Ben and he thought it was cool. Oh yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention Ben. Ben is Leo’s owner. Ben found him in a street pet shop on his family trip to America and took him home. Now back to the story. Suddenly he heard a terrifying shout,
“Call pest control” screamed the crazy customer. Before Leo could turn around, a big cage was being thrown on top of him. Ben wasn’t there to help him because he was doing his homework.
“Nooooooo” Leo screamed.
Obviously no one could hear him because no one spoke Lizardese.
All Leo could think about was what Ben would be thinking when he hadn’t returned from his walk.
Later that day, Ben finished his homework so he went down the street to find Leo but he wasn’t there. He asked the ugly shop owner if he had seen it. He said Leo took off in a big van.
“What type of van was it?” Ben asked.
He wasn’t sure. Then, he was off like a cheater.
“Mum, someone took Leo away in a big van” said Ben.
“What van was it?” asked mum.
“I’m not sure?” he replied.
It was either a pest control van or an animal control van” she said.
Off they went to the pest control.
When they arrived, Ben asked the ugly man at the desk if he had any lizards. He said no so they hopped back in the car and drove off to the pest control station. As soon as they got there, Ben’s mum was just about to ask the man at the desk when he stopped her.
“Look!” he whispered.
Leo was in a cage but it had a lock on it.
“If you want him back then you have to pay” the man said.
How much mum asked?
“$100” he replied
Fine.
She didn’t mean fine but she said it because she had a genius plan.
“I will just get my boss” said the man at the desk.
Mum rushed to the cage and told Ben the plan.
It took a while for him to understand but he got it.
“Use the spikes Leo” he kept repeating.
Leo flicked out his spikes and squeezed one in the lock and twisted it.
“It isn’t working Ben said.
Then Leo had the best idea he’d ever had! He shot out his tail and dangled it round in the lock until...
“I’m free he said
Off home they ran. Ben promised he would never do his homework again. Oh yeah, by the way that’s the end… bye!