The Adventures of Willy the Worm and Friends

Chapter 1- The Grotto (Only time will tell if there is another chapter... )

The beginning of our adventure started during fall break. Mom and Dad were in Hawaii. My dad is a scientist and he was there to give a presentation; mom was there to soak up the sun. Sun that my brother and I hadn't seen in days. We were staying at Grandma's house in Wisconsin for three weeks. We missed our parents … and the sun. The first week it had rained every day nonstop. Each morning Grandma and Grandpa went to the barns to feed the sheep and milk the goats, but we stayed inside. My brother and I read books and painted pictures and worked on indoor art projects. After a week inside, Jeremiah, my brother, and I were starting to get on each other's nerves. Both of us were getting sick of eating Grandpa's oatmeal.

On Saturday morning, exactly one week of staying at our grandparent's house, I was painting a picture to go into my book of rainbows, and Jeremiah was making me really angry. He was also painting, but sitting next to me. He was painting my hair with his paintbrush!

“Stop touching me!” I screamed.

“I'm not touching you!” he laughed. “My paintbrush is touching your hair. Did you know hair is not living? So technically, I am not touching you.”

When Grandma walked inside there was colored water all over the table and my hair was shades of blues and greens. She just laughed at us and told us that it was time for us to go outside. “The rain is gone for awhile, kids! Enjoy the weather!”

Yes! Suddenly our attitudes were gone and we were running outside! The sun was shining! We headed straight for the grotto a place full of flowers and trees and funny looking rocks. It was our favorite place because there was always something new to find in the grotto, a kind of magical place. As soon as we stepped inside, I was the princess and Jeremiah was the prince or the knight or the warrior. Basically, he needed to run around with a sword.

When we entered the grotto, the stream was gushing from the week of rain. Some flowers were still left from the summer and the leaves from fall were starting to change colors. The trees and leaves and grass sparkled like diamonds. The sun filtered through the leaves and ahead of us we could see a rainbow! It was just like a real palace!

I don't think that Jeremiah and I were talking but suddenly I heard someone say, “excuse me!” I looked at Jeremiah. He looked at me.

“I didn't do anything,” he said.

“Me either,” I said. I was confused.

“Down here!” yelled something. We looked down but we couldn't see anything. Again Jeremiah and I looked at each other still confused.

“Hey, excuse me!” it said again. “Your feet are coming dreadfully close to my head!”

Jeremiah and I looked down at our feet. We could see the mud and leaves and rocks of the grotto... but with a closer look there was a small pink worm. Was it talking?

“Let me introduce myself. I am Willy the worm.” He was talking!

“We know Willy the worm!” Jeremiah shouted. “Remember, Esther? Dad tells us stories about Willy the Worm all the time!”

“Yes, that's right,” said the worm. “Your dad and I were great friends. I feel proud that he should remember the stories of our youth. But I haven't come for your father. I need the help of both of you.”

“What?” asked Jeremiah.

“Well, you see that the worms in this grotto have been around for years and no one really knows or cares that we're around. We hear things that you wouldn't believe. What I need to tell you is that the rat king and his surrounding kingdom have decided to move into your grandparents house. They are going to take over.”

“Rats? EWWW!” I screamed.

“They can't do that!” yelled Jeremiah.

“Well, actually they can, and they have a plan. The worms are going to try to help you because we know your family, but there's only so much we can do. Now, I need to take you somewhere, but I need you to get over your squeamish ideas right now. The snakes are actually really helpful animals and quite nice, but if you can't handle me, then you definitely won't be able to handle the sssssssssssing of a snake.”

“Snakes! And rats? And talking worms! I can't do this, Jeremiah!” My attitude had quickly changed from excitement of the sun to a feeling of dread at talking rats and snakes. “Why can't we just go and tell grandma and grandpa?”

“Because your grandma and grandpa cannot do anything to prevent the rats,” said Willy. “Your courage and bravery is needed to talk to animals. You are going to need to convince the rats to stop. It's the only way to stop the rats.”

“This is a real adventure, Esther. Let's just meet these rats. It couldn't hurt.”

“I don't want to go...”

Jeremiah raised his branch and said, “I have my sword, and I'll hold your hand. It will be a real adventure. Besides, if we go back inside, what are we going to do? Paint some more? I am tired of being inside.”

I regretfully agreed with him. “Alright, but those rats need to keep their distance. I don't want them coming anywhere near me.”

Jeremiah raised his sword in the air and said to the worm, “Off! Let's go kill us some rats!”

Jeremiah and I had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into that day, but I think I heard Willy laughing in front of us. It was the beginning of an adventure. A real adventure.