Friends of Feathers

Chapter Two

Friends of Feathers

As Shubi and the children were getting to know one another, Shubi asked about their parents.

The children were excited to tell Shubi that their dad was an engineer named Jeff, and their mom’s name was Gayle, but her students at school called her Mrs. Broom.

Shubi giggled. “Why do they call her Mrs. Broom? Does she like to sweep a lot?” Shubi asked.

Jude laughed and said, “Broom is our last name, but she does sweep a lot!”

Shubi started to chuckle as he realized that if they adopted him, his name would be Shubi Broom—he thought that was the cutest name he had ever heard!

This name made Shubi feel like being even sillier. “It’s perfect,” he thought. Meanwhile, Cody and Tanner saw them in the distance, and both became very nervous.

Tanner hid behind a tree where he thought no one could possibly see him. Cody put on his helmet to help protect him from the rocks that he thought would be thrown at him.

Almost every child that Tanner and Cody had ever met chased them and threw rocks at them. They were worried that these children would do the same.

Cody was very angry with Shubi for bringing the children back with him. “This is just the meanest thing he’s ever done to me!” Cody thought to himself as he hid behind a rock.

“I’m ready,” whispered Cody to Tanner. “They’re almost here. If we stay perfectly still and very quiet, maybe they won’t notice us and will keep walking.”

“Do not sneeze. Do not cough. Do not hum. Do not whistle. Do not make any noise at all,” Cody ordered. “Do not dance. Do not bounce. Do not move!”

“Can I breathe?” Tanner asked.

“No,” Cody answered, “That will make too much noise. We must be perfectly still and make no noise at all so they do not know we are here. You are a noisy breather.”

As Shubi and the children got closer and closer, Cody and Tanner became more afraid.