ADVENTURES OF IZZY THE SNAIL
By Fenella Shorty
Chapter 1
"Uuuuaaauuuu!"
"Uh.What? Oh, no, it can't be time to get up," said Izzy getting further under her quilt.
"Uuuuaaaauuu".
"Ruby! Will you be quiet!"
Ruby, Izzy's pet ladybird, sighed and limped towards the corner of the room, where she had her sleeping blanket. "Uuuaaauuu," she whispered.
"Oh, don't be such a misery-guts, I am getting up!" Izzy finally gave in.
Ruby darted to the door, beaming with joy.
"Mum, I am taking Ruby out for a quick walk," Izzy said to her mother, as she was leaving the house.
Izzy and Ruby were moving around an old tree, when Izzy heard a voice calling her name:"Izzy! Izzy!"
"Apple! Is that you?" Izzy asked.
Apple was a snail friend of Izzy. She was also out early, walking her lady bird pet, called Spot.
"I am glad you are here, Apple!" Izzy said cheerfully.
Ruby and Spot ran off and Izzy and Apple were slithering around the tree. "Ah, there is something I meant to tell you..." Izzy didn't manage to finish her sentence.
"Aauughh, what's happening?" screamed the friends.
"Apple, where are you?" Izzy shouted.
"I am here, Izzy. I am just behind you," Apple shouted back. "Where are we?"
"We seem to have fallen into some kind of underground river," Izzy screamed. "Hello, is anybody here? Ruby! Spot!"
There was no response.
"We must get out of water before we drown!" Izzy said. She grabbed a suitably large gnarled tree branch floating in the water and the snails climbed on it.
"Where is this river heading to?" Apple asked.
"I really don't know," Izzy responded.
"Where were they last seen?" Grasshopper Sergeant Long Jump was scratching his head as he was listening about the disappearance from the parents.
"Ruby and Spot will know," Izzy's mother said.
The Sergeant, following Ruby and Spot, made his way to the tree, where Izzy and Apple disappeared. "I wonder what happened," Sergeant was speaking to himself.
"Good afternoon, Sir," a beetle called Ringo emerged from under a leaf. "I am glad to see you, as I was about to make my way to the Police station to report an incident. I heard someone screaming round here earlier. Someone has fallen into one of the hidden holes in this tree".
"It would have been Izzy and Apple," Sergeant said. "Oh no!..." Sergeant paused for a moment. "Below the tree, there is an underground river that leads to the River Thames...." he said. "The snails are in great danger, we must run to their rescue! Ringo, thanks, you are a star!"
Sergeant Long Jump and the pets went back to the Police Station. He updated the parents: "We must act quickly and mobilise the water rescue team."
Within less than a snail hour the water rescue team consisting of 6 experienced grasshoppers was ready to set off.
"We'll make this hollow tree branch our boat," Sergeant said. "And let's grab these sticks; we'll use them as oars on the way back."
"Look, can you see a tiny spot of light over there?" Izzy said to Apple.
"Oh, yes, it's growing bigger and getting brighter fast," Apple responded.
SPLASH!!! The tree branch with the snails was thrown into a bigger river.
"Ouch, what a painful bump!" Izzy thought aloud. "Apple, are you all right?" she turned round to Apple but Apple was nowhere to be seen.
"Help! I am drowning!" Apple was squeaking from the water.
"Try to grab the branch!"Izzy shouted. "I wish I could help you somehow, but I don't know how!"
"I am trying!" Apple shouted back. "I can't do it!!! The branch is all slippery! I am going to drown! Heeeeelp!
Finally, Apple managed to grab the branch and scrambled up to the top. "It-it-it was so-so s-s-scary," she stammered shivering from cold.
"But you are safe now," Izzy said.
"Hide! Hide!" Izzy was interrupted by a mysterious voice whispering from under the branch. Izzy and Apple immediately ducked into their shells.
Their tree branch was shaken by a thump. Izzy knew it was a bird that landed because she could see the large feet.
"Kh, Kh," the bird cleared his throat. "May I be permitted to introduce myself, ladies? I am Seagull Steven, also known as the best travel guide in the Thames area," he said. "Now, you must be thinking that I eat snails like other birds do, is that so? Well, I am a friendly Seagull. I don't eat snails!" he paused for a moment: "I am a snail friend!" he sniggered quietly. "Well, enough about me! Would you like to go on a little tour above the river? Have you ever flown? Do you know how marvellous that feels?"
"What an unpleasant, boastful creature," Izzy was thinking to herself. "Does he really think we are so daft to believe he won't eat us?"
Steven waited a minute or so and not hearing any responses, he prodded Apple's shell: "Is anybody home?"
Izzy's heart sank: "I do hope Apple doesn't move, she can be so panicky at times."
Apple sat silently in her shell.
"All right, I am off then," Steven said. "Goodbye and I do hope you enjoy our area, it's simply wonderful round here!"
Just after he finished the sentence, Apple started crawling inside her shell, moving towards the entrance.
"Don't move!!!! He is still here!" whispered the same mysterious voice that alerted them previously.
"Ah!" Apple shrieked.
Seagull Steven stood right next to Apple's shell, ready to pick her out.
"Great, he is not going to leave us alone now....." Izzy thought.
"It's been 10 snail minutes and he is still here! It feels more like 1000 snail minutes!!" Izzy was thinking.
"Ahhhhh!" Apple shouted, as the branch was shaken off badly with Seagull taking off.
"You can come out now, he has gone!" the mysterious voice called again.
"Who is sssssspeaking?" Apple whispered.
"It's me, my name is Nancy. I am a river snail. Here I am!" Nancy emerged from the bottom of the branch where she was hiding. She was wearing a brightly coloured swimming suit and big water goggles.
"Thank you for saving us from the Seagull!" Izzy said. "It's nice to meet a friendly face!"
"Oh, don't mention it! I love rescuing! And where are you from and what brings you to these parts?" she asked.
"We're from the garden called "The Jungle"," Izzy responded and went on to explain their misadventure.
"I see... Well, if that's of any help, you can come and stay with me and my parents, as long as you like," Nancy offered. "If only I managed to take you home before the Seagull landed on the branch though," she sighed. "The river has taken us far away; it will take us ages to get home."
"But how will we get there?" Apple asked.
"Ah, I know, let's fetch a couple of sticks from the water, we'll use them as oars," Nancy said.
"Here we are, at last, the mighty river Thames!" one of the grasshoppers from the rescue team said.
"Hello! Has anyone seen two garden snails here?" they started shouting hoping to attract attention of possible witnesses.
A fish popped her head out of the river. "Hello! I saw two garden snails on a tree branch earlier," she said.
"We have come from "The Jungle" garden to rescue them! Do you by any chance know where they went?" Sergeant Long Jump asked.
"No, that I don't remember!" the fish said.
"Thank you anyway. Looks like we've come to the right place. Let's moor out boat near this island, I have a suspicion we might find them here," Sergeant said.
Just as they disembarked, they heard voices coming from the middle of the island.
Two large seagulls, sitting on a tree, were engaged in an animated conversation. "So, I sat on this tree branch floating in the water and asked: "Would you like me to show you around the area, ladies?" one seagull said to the other.
"No, you didn't, did you? Ha-ha!" laughed the second bird in a flattering manner.
"Oh yes, I said: "I am a friendly Seagull", and they believed me!" said the first bird. "As soon as they emerged from their shells, I snapped both of them in one go! Stupid garden snails! Very tasty though".
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" the two seagulls were chuckling.
The rescue team stood there, in disbelief and utterly speechless.
"Let's get back on the boat," Sergeant said. "It's time to go home."
The three snails were chatting, as they continued their journey.
"Let's play a game to make the time pass quicker," Nancy suggested. "Let's imagine that we are three brave captains and we are looking for a treasure island!"
"Can there be three captains on one boat?" Apple asked.
"Yes, of course, our boat can have as many captains as we want!" Nancy said.
"I just thought of a song we can sing," Izzy was speaking as she was thinking about the song. "How about:
We're three captains on a boat
We'll find the treasures, kid you not!
We're the bravest of the lot!
We're the Treasure Finders!"
"Let's sing together now!" Izzy said and the snails started chanting the song.
"I think we are not too far away now," Nancy said.
"Ah, voila and here you are," a fish popped her head from the water.
"Hello Mrs Marguerite," Nancy said.
"Nancy! What are you doing here? I didn't see you earlier. And you two, are you by any chance the snails from the "Jungle" garden?" she addressed Izzy and Apple.
"Yes, we are! How did you know that?" Izzy asked, puzzled.
"I met a rescue team from the "Jungle" earlier. I saw them over there, not that long ago," Marguerite said. "Look out for a hollow tree branch, it's their boat."
"Thanks! Let's get there as quickly as we can," Izzy said and the snails starting paddling faster.
"Look! There's the boat! Oh, no, it's moving away too fast for us to catch up!" Nancy said. "We need to get their attention somehow, let's scream for help."
"Help! Help!" the three snails started shouting as loud as they could.
The rescue boat was disappearing fast and with every snail minute it got smaller and smaller.
"What's the point in shouting? They are gone! We'll never ever-ever-ever get home!"Apple lowered her feelers, and was about to start crying.
"I swear I heard someone screaming for help," one of the grasshoppers told the team.
"Stop the boat," Sergeant said.
They could hear nothing but silence.
"Are you sure it wasn't just the noise from the wind?" Sergeant asked.
"I think I'm pretty sure," the grasshopper hesitated. "Well, I don't know."
Apple was whimpering.
"We mustn't give up, chin up, Apple!" Izzy said.
"Let's try one more time." Izzy and Nancy screamed: "Heelp!"
Back on the rescue boat, the grasshoppers stood silently hoping to hear any noise.
"False alarm, let's continue the journey," Sergeant Long Jump said.
The boat pulled away.
" Heeelllp! Heeelllp!" this time everyone on the boat could hear a faint sound. "You are right!" Sergeant said. "I think the sound is coming from over there," he pointed towards the island.
"I think they heard us!!" Izzy exclaimed.
Apple dried her eyes against her shell.
"Help!!! Help!" this time the three of them shouted.
"I can see three snails on a tree branch, Sergeant," said one grasshopper.
"What a bizarre coincidence! They must be snails from another garden that got into trouble, just like Izzy and Apple. We must help them! Let's get there as fast as we can!" Sergeant said.
The rescue boat was approaching the tree branch. "Sergeant, look, there is a bird heading towards the snails," one grasshopper screamed. "Oh, no, I think it's the same seagull that ate Izzy and Apple!"
"We must alert them of danger!" Sergeant screamed. "Hide! Hide!" the team started shouting to the snails.
"I can't hear what the grasshoppers are shouting. I think they are saying "help"? Izzy said.
"No, they are saying "Hide!"" Nancy said. "Yes, they ARE saying "Hide!""
Before the snails managed to hide, the branch was shaken so badly that they were thrown into the water.
"Seagull Steven has come back!" Nancy shouted.
"Nancy, can you see Apple?" Izzy shouted back. "Oh, no, he is going to scoop her from the water! Apple! Apple!"
"So, we meet again," Seagull was opening and closing his sharp beak like a pair of knives, as he was slowly moving his head towards Apple. Apple was gasping for air. "Looks like I will have a three course dinner today," he whispered "You'll be my starter... Yum!"
"Not so fast!" Seagull was interrupted by Sergeant speaking from the boat. The rescue boat was now standing between the bird and Apple. Seagull was taken aback by how quickly it appeared.
"Grab this stick, love, there, well done!" one of grasshoppers was helping Apple to get on board.
"Apple! Is that you?" the grasshopper asked looking completely astonished.
"Yes, it's me!" she said. "But Izzy and our friend Nancy are in the water, we must save them!"
"I am already here!" Nancy was being helped by another grasshopper to get on the boat.
"What do you think you are doing? This is my river, and therefore I can do whatever I like here!" Seagull was saying to Sergeant.
"Sergeant, you wouldn't believe it but the snails are Izzy and Apple! We got Apple and their friend Nancy on board, but we can't find Izzy!" said one grasshopper to Sergeant.
"I can see her!" Nancy screamed. "She is just over there!" she pointed in the direction of Izzy.
Seagull Steven started flapping his wings, preparing to take off. "I'll get her this time!" he whispered.
The rescue boat quickly moved towards Izzy.
One grasshopper threw out a stick that she could grab hold of and Izzy was being pulled on to the boat.
"Watch out for the bird!" Sergeant screamed.
WWUUSSH! The Seagull missed Izzy by a snail second.
"Izzy, we've made it to the boat!" Apple rushed to Izzy. "We are safe! We are going home!"
The atmosphere on the boat was extraordinary. "This is the most incredible rescue operation I remember in my entire career," one old grasshopper was getting all tearful speaking with his team mate.
"We overheard Seagull saying that he ate both of you, that's why we were heading home!" Sergeant explained to the snails.
"He certainly nearly ate us," Izzy said with a twinkle in her eye.
"It's time to go now," Sergeant said. "Nancy, we'll drop you off first though."
Izzy and Apple were sad to leave Nancy behind.
"Thank you for everything you've done for us, Nancy. We hope we meet again one day," Izzy and Apple said. "We will miss you very much!"
"I will miss you too," Nancy said. "Goodbye, my dear brave Captain friends," she said smiling.
"Uuuuaauuuuff!!" Ruby was the first to notice the rescue team with the snails. She and Spot were bouncing like a pair of tennis balls. The entire village gathered to greet the adventurers.
That evening, Izzy was getting ready for bed much later than usual. She was tired by very happy.
"Mum, will you tell me a bed time story please," she asked.
Mother tucked Izzy and Ruby into bed. "Once upon a time there was a little snail," she started. Izzy closed her eyes and held Ruby close. Before mother finished first few sentences, Izzy was already fast asleep, dreaming about her adventures.
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