T is for Travel

  We are about to take a family trip from our home at the beach to Grandma and Granddaddy's house in the mountains.  Travel seemed like an appropriate theme for today's story.


Trees. Everywhere he looked all Sam could see were more and more trees. 
"Daddy,  how will I know when we are close to Grandma and Granddaddy's house if all I can see are trees?"
"You will know we are close when we start going through the mountains." 
"But if I can't see the mountains how will I know we are going through them?"
"You will know." Daddy laughed.
"Close your eyes, Sam." He said.
"Me too, me too!" Ellie said. 
"You too, Ellie."  Daddy said. 
"All right, can you feel the car moving?"
"Yes!"  Sam and Ellie shouted.
"Shh, not so loud."  Momma said.  "You don't want to wake up Jack.  He will be cranky if he doesn't get some rest."
"Okay."  Sam said.  He would be quite.  It made his ears hurt when Jack was fussy in the car.
"What will it feel like when we are in the mountains?  Sam asked.
"When we get to the mountains the road will twist and turn.  You will feel the car go up and down." Daddy said.
"Like the roller coaster at the fair?"
"A little bit like that, but it won't feel as fast."
"I want to be there now."  Ellie said.
"Me too.  My legs have too many wiggles in them."  Sam said.  "They won't be able to hold still much longer."
"Its going to be awhile."  Momma said.  "Why don't you read a story to Ellie?"
Sam didn't just read one story to Ellie.  He read three.  When he was done he closed his eyes.  He could still feel the car going.  It was going straight, just like it had been earlier.
 Something tugged on his hair.
"Ellie, stop that."
"I'm bored." Ellie said.
She reached over and tickled his knee.
Sam almost yelled.  He looked over at Jack.  He was still asleep. 
"Ellie, why don't we play a game?" Sam said.
"Ok.  I love games.  Does it have a princess in it?"
"Yes.  You are the princess."
"Yay!"
"I am a knight." Sam said.
"What is a knight?"
"They protect princesses with their super sharp swords."
"How can we play if we are stuck in the car?"  Ellie asked.
"We are traveling across enemy land.  If we don't make it to our castle by tonight, the evil King Melvin will move in and rule our kingdom."
"So we are traveling?  How is that fun?"
"Because, Ellie, we are traveling by dragon."
"Dragon?  Is it a purple dragon?"
"Yes.  Purple with green stripes.  Hold on tight.  You don't want to fall.  It is miles and miles down to the ground.
"I see fluffy clouds!"  Ellie said.
Just then the dragon started to shake.
"Oh, no!  Ellie, quick!  Find something for the dragon to eat.  He's hungry.  If he gets too hungry he will try to catch some birds for a snack."
"Ick.  I don't want him eating cute, little birds."
Ellie tossed something towards the dragon's mouth.
"Good throw, Ellie.  He caught it.  What did you feed him?"
"I gave him a chocolate cupcake with purple frosting."
"I think he liked it.  He's purring."
Ellie giggled.  "It tickles when he purrs." She said.
    Sam opened his eyes.  He looked at Ellie.  She was asleep.
"I wonder how long I was sleeping?" Sam thought. 
The dragon began to lean to one side and then the other.  It almost felt like they were climbing higher into the sky.
Sam sat up and looked around him. 
The land was steep and pointy.
 "Mountains!"  Sam thought.
They were finally in the mountains.  Sam wiggled his toes. 
Soon they would be at Grandma and Granddaddy's.  Soon he would be able to run and run until all his wiggles were out.
"Good dragon.  You did it." 
Sam pat the dragon's scaly back. Dragon was definitely the best way to travel.