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Painting By Sara Parrillihttp://saraparrilli.blogspot.com/
                                Mike and Bill in the Wild Forest


Mike and Bill were completely lost in the middle of the forest, in the countryside. Bill was eleven years old, three years older than Mike. The big trees around them formed huge shades under the dying sun. An owl was staring at the two children as they walked astray. The patient owl seemed to be waiting for the darkness to embrace the skies.


“I want to go home,” said Mike to Bill almost crying. “I am tired of walking, and my feet are hurting me so much.”

“Don’t worry! I know where we are going,” replied Bill. “We will be home soon.”

Since it was vacation time, and that day was Sunday, the two children had decided to go on a picnic in the morning, and their mother had allowed them to have their picnic in the backyard. She prepared two delicious sandwiches, a cake, and some orange juice. Before going to milk the cows, she had warned Mike and Bill not to go far away because once she was back they would go downtown to meet Oscar, their father. Oscar was going to buy them some toys. They had always wanted a bicycle and their father was going to get them one each, for having passed the level in school.

Oh no! I knew we were lost”, cried out Mike. “Look! That’s the same owl that we saw some minutes ago. We have not gone anywhere! You are a liar!”

Immediately after Mike said that he had seen the owl again, they heard the noise of a twig cracking. Bill looked up to the trees, but the owl was gone. The shades of the trees have fainted bit by bit, and the sun has died in the west. The howling of a coyote further deep into the forest and the singing of the crickets are making Mike shudder.

Mike felt disappointed at his older brother, who did not know how to get out of the forest. The night has come and Mike was afraid of the lurking animals.

“What are we going to do?” asked Mike desperately. It is dark and there are many mean animals out there.”

“It is ok; I have some matches here with me. We can use them to set up a fire,” Bill replied.

Mike and Bill began to pick up some dry leaves and splinters. Once they have gathered enough of them, Bill lit up a match and set up a fire. Little by little, the flames began to become stronger.

When they were warm and a little bit relieved, it started raining. The fire was quickly extinguished by the rain. The children were getting wet.

“Here, hold this.” Bill Ordered Mike. It was Bill’s backpack.

“Where are you going? Don’t go anywhere,” cried Mike.

Don’t be such a baby, man! I am not going anywhere. Don’t move, there are people coming, they might kill us.”

Bill was worried about a light that was approaching quickly and he took out the knife they used to slice the cake during the picnic and was ready to defend himself and his brother. Suddenly they began to hear unrecognizable voices in the distance.

They saw several lights coming. It was their parents and some neighbors that had been looking for them for hours.

“Mike! Bill, Mike, Bill,” their parents and neighbors insistently called out.

“Mom, daddy, we are here,” exclaimed both children scared.

“Where had you been? Why didn’t you obey us?” said the mother worriedly but angrily.

Mike, Bill, their parents, and the four neighbors that had come to look for the kids took the way back home. When they were about to arrive at their houses, all of them saw that the little bridge that they had to cross to get back to town had been taken off by the force of the river.

“The river is swollen and destroyed the bridge” affirmed a neighbor.

“Let’s call out for help” said Bill. “There is a house on the other side, they will hear us if we shout”

They began to ask for help. Some minutes later, they could see how the residents of the house on the other side of the river approached. They immediately brought some ropes and long logs so that Mike, Bill, and their parents and the rest could make it to the other bank of the river, very close to the neighborhood where they lived. They were safe and thanked the good people who rescued them.

When Mike and Bill arrived home, their parents did not scold them, but talked to them in a nice way. Their parents did not buy them the bicycles they wanted so that the children would not disobey anymore. Bill and Mike learned that they have to respect what their parents say. Their parents learned that they didn’t have to leave their children alone at any time. Now, they are preparing another picnic, this time Mike and Bill will not go alone, their parents are going with them.