Ebony’s Jungle Dream

• Yenuli Dissanayake, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2019

“Bedtime already!?” shouted Ebony. “Yes, but if you don’t want to, then you will miss out on fun dreams!” said Ebony’s mum. So Ebony went to sleep, trying to predict what she will dream of. Then it all began. It was a hot, dry day and 4 crows called Bob, Sloth, Ginger and Tom flew to a cool spot near a camp site to drink some cool water from a tiny pots. The crows then heard footsteps coming towards them. It was the big people! Quickly they flew into a nearby gum-tree with dark green leaves.

But then a brown bear emerged from behind the bush, scaring the campers away and eating all the honey-sandwiches! “Look, the campers left the fire on!”screamed Ginger. But then a girl called Ebony (who was left behind) roared at the bear and the bear ran away. By that time the fire had spread from the campfire to the edge of Fluffy Grass Woods. “The fire has spread!”yelled Tom who just went to check.

“I know what to do!”said Ginger. “Let’s tell the pelicans to drop water on the fire!”screamed Ginger. “I can use my bucket”said Ebony, holding a green bucket in her hand. “Lets get to work,”said Bob. “Ebony how do you understand us though?”asked Sloth, “I go to animal classes”. Then, the birds got to work. “Bob go South, Ginger go West, Sloth go North and I will go East, ok!?” “Yes”everyone agreed. They went their own ways to find pelicans. All the pelicans agreed to help.

Ebony was rushing left and right, getting water and putting it on the fire. She had done ½ of the work and now the pelicans were doing the other half! Each of the crows found 12 pelicans, so now 48 pelicans were helping them. Each pelican swooped down to the river and flew over the fire, then dropped a beak full of water down onto the fire. Finally the fire stopped and everyone cheered. But then Sloth’s leg caught on fire because little sparks were still jumping around and a big spark burned Sloth’s leg. “ Help, it hurts!”screamed Sloth.

“Beep, beep!”beeped a car, it was Ebony’s dad! 1 of the pelicans washed Sloth’s leg with water. “Splash!” “ Ebony are you ok?” “I am, but my friend isn’t, look!”said Ebony showing Sloth’s leg to her dad. “Let’s take the birds with us, so we can help Sloth!”shouted Ebony “Yes please”said Bob. So all of them squished into the car and drove home safely, but worried!
Ding, ding, ding!”called the alarm clock. It was morning, and Ebony turned the alarm off. “Honey, it’s time to wake up, you’ve got school remember!” “Yes,”said Ebony “What an amazing dream I had, I really want to know what happened to Sloth, I wish that dream will continue tonight!” “It will, it will,”said her mum, walking into the room. “It will if you come down to….breakfast!”she said, then tickled Ebony all the way to the table!