The Mystery in the Outskirts of Jefferson

Hiya! It's Emily here, and Molly and I just got back from a nice, long visit with her family in Jefferson, Illinoise. We had an AWESOME time riding bicycles, annoying Ricky and teaching Brad songs. We also helped Mrs. Gilford with the Victory Garden, which I LOVE! Anyway, yesterday, our last day there, Molly's family decided to go swimming and have a picnic in and by the lake that's near Jefferson. After we swam, Mrs. McIntire sent Molly and me to go find a good place for a picnic. We went on Molly's bike, and, well, . . .

"This looks like a good spot!" I said enthusiastically. "Yeah,"Molly agreed. "There couldn't be a more perfect spot for a picnic! Why don't you grab the blanket?"

"Of course!" I said, spreading the blanket on the grass. Molly gently set her bicycle on the ground and grabbed the beach ball we had brought.

"Do you wanna play, Bennet?" she said to her dog in a high voice.

Apparently he did because he took the ball from Molly and began to run away with it!

"Emily!" Molly cried. "Help me get Bennet back. Please? Pretty Please with sugar on top?"

"Oh, fine. Help me up."

"Bennet! Bennet!" Molly and I cried as we ran around, looking desperately for her dog.

We found him at the edge of the woods. "Oh, Bennet, don't ever scare me like that again!" Molly said, crying a little bit. "Come on, Molly," I said gently, "Let's go back and finish setting up the picnic blanket and then go get your family." "Okay," she said reluctantly.

We found our little site without a problem, but something was off about it. Molly knew what it was immediately. "My bike is gone!" she screamed. "Someone stole it! First I almost lose my dog, now my bike's gone, and oh! This is the worst visit home ever!"

"Woah, Molly, calm down," I said, sitting her down on the towel gently. "We'll find your bike, don't worry."  "How?" Molly wailed. "Well, it looks like there's some patted down grass over there. We can go investigate that. It'll be like we're the Hardy Boys only, as you like to say, better because we're girls." Molly looked hopeful. "Okay," she said. "Bennet, you stay here and guard the ball and towel, and don't you DARE run off again!" I instructed the naughty dog.

The trail of patted down grass seemed to last forever. We walked for what seemed like miles.

Then, we found a clue. "Look!" Molly said excitedly. "It's bike tracks!"

"So it is!" I agreed, getting excited myself. "Where do they lead?" Molly asked. 

"Look, more patted down grass over there! Let's try to follow it. I have a feeling we've almost found your bike, Molly!"

I ran after the trail of patted down grass and found Molly's bike in an old shed! "Molly!" I screamed, "Molly, I found it!"

"Emily! Wait for me!" Molly cried. I climbed into the shed, and heard a BANG and then I was in complete darkness. The door to the shed had swung shut!!!

"Emily!" I heard Molly cry. "Molly!" I called back, "Molly, go get help! And hurry, there's not much air in here!" "I will, I promise!" Then I heard running footsteps and I was alone.

Not for long, though, because the wind blew the door open again. "Huh," I said to myself, "It must've been the wind that closed the door in the first place." Then I realized something else and rushed to find Molly to tell her.

As I neared our site, I saw Molly lying on the towel, crying.

"Oh, Bennet," she sobbed, "First I almost lost you and now I lost Emily and I can't even go for help because I don't have my bicycle and it's too far to walk what am I going to DO?"

"Uh, Molly, don't you think that's a bit dramatic? I mean, honestly, even Chrissa wouldn't have gone that far."

"Oh. Hello Emily. How did you get here?"

"The wind blew the shed door open. And guess what? I think it was the wind that blew the door closed in the first place! And I think it was the wind and gravity that made your bicycle disappear in the first place. I hadn't noticed before, but when I was walking the bike back here I realized there was a little slope. I think your bike rolled away!" "Emily, you're a genius!" Molly cried. "So should we go get your family so we can have our picnic?" "You know what," Molly asked, "I think the best place for our picnic would be my backyard."

We packed up all the stuff and I climbed onto the back of the bike. Bennet started whining, clearing wanting to get on too. Molly laughed. "Bennet, after all the trouble you caused today, making us leave and then think that someone stole my bike, you can walk!"

Thanks for reading!

~Emily~

Bloopers:

Poor Molly, she fell off her precious bicycle :(

I guess Molly REALLY likes my leg.

And Molly falls down. Again.

Molly fell down so much she began to remind me of those faiting sheep . . .

Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN! (Even Bennet!)

Thanks for looking!

~Katie~