THE SPOOKY BIRTHDAY

THE SPOOKY BIRTHDAY

It was a sunny afternoon and the gang was hanging out inside their favorite pizza shop. Sharing an extra cheese pie

“Okay, what do you guys, want to do after we’re done eating?” Cookie asked them

“Hey, why don’t we ride our bikes over to the new fair grounds and check the place out.” Tommy Cub suggested

“Umm, I don’t think that’s such a great idea. Besides I’m sure that it’s all gated off until the grand opening next weekend.” Sammy Turtle answered him back

“Oh, don’t be such a big limo Sammy, we’ll just take a quick ride over and if it’s closed. We’ll just turn around and come right back before it gets dark.” Tommy scowled him

“Well its better than sitting around here all day trying to figure out what to do.” Daisy Penguin added “I just hope it’s not as lame as it was last year. Remember that rocket blaster ride, the most fun you’ll ever have out in space?” Which only turned out to be a stupid train that just went around in a lame circle really fast.”

Less than an hour later they pulled their bikes by the entrance to the Rocky Shores Park. Then walked over to the gated area where the fair was going to be held. Vicky Dragonfly giggled the fence but it was locked

“Well I guess, we’ll just have to wait until next weekend. When it opens” She shrugged

“Oh great, so what should we do now?” Tommy groaned as they started to walk back

“Hey!” Why don’t we go back to our houses and start getting ready for my online sleep over?” Their friend Tammy Tweet cried out

“Huh?” Isn’t it a bit early to have a sleep over? It’s still light out.” Sammy frowned

“I know, but not for much longer. I’m sure that by the time we ride back it will start getting dark” Since my birthday falls on the same day the fair opens. I just figured why not have my slumber party tonight” And celebrate my birthday at the fair. It’d be like having double the fun!” Tammy started to explain

“Sounds, great Tammy, but exactly what’s an online slumber party?” Daisy asked her

“It’s just like having a real one but only we’ll all be online. We all be connected to our skype accounts so we can see each other”  Just like if we were all hanging out in the same room together, except we’ll be on our computers” Tammy answered

“Plus Tommy and Sammy won’t have to worry about what time they’ve to leave. You guys, can stay up with us all night.” She added smiling

“Cool!” I never been invited to a girls sleep over before I always wondered what the big deal about those were.” Tommy laughed. Tammy also laughed before patting Tommy on his back

“You’ll soon find out Tommy, just one piece of advice. Get ready to be afraid!”

A little after eight Tammy looked around her bedroom to make sure that she had all. That she needed for tonight

She pulled up her hair into a ponytail then turned on her computer and logged onto her skype account. And waited for the rest of the gang to log on

She didn’t have to wait very long a few minutes later her computer screen was filled with five incoming boxes

“Hey guys!” Tammy greeted them happily

“Whoa, eww!” What happened to your face?” Sammy cried out

“Yah, Tammy!” Are you serving chips with your face?” Tommy added jokily

“Ha-ha very funny, you guys!” I’m just trying out this new beauty treatment that I found online. It’s a mixture of honey and sugar it’s supposed to clean out your pours and make your face feel fresher.” Tammy shrugged

“Oh cool!” Send us a copy!” Both Cookie and Daisy yelled

“Boring, don’t tell me that we’re going to just sit around and talk about beauty stuff all night.” Tommy frowned

“Tommy, didn’t you want to experience what happens at a girl’s slumber party?” Well now you know and with your hair. It wouldn’t hurt to get some beauty tips.” Daisy began

“Hey, what’s wrong with my hair?” Tommy interrupted frowning

“Nothing if you’re going for the I just stuck my finger inside the light socket look!” Daisy laughed

“Hare, hare, you’re just jealous that yours doesn’t look as good as mines.” Tommy smirked. Daisy was about to answer him back. But the sound of Sammy’s chocking interrupted

“Are you okay Sammy?” Vicky asked him

“Yah, my drink just went down the wrong way.” Sammy answered

“Oh wow! Daisy, whatever you do don’t move your head.” Tommy told her

“What!” Why?” Daisy cried out frowning

“Cause I think I just saw a big spider land on top of it.” He smiled

“What!” Daisy yelled before she jumped out of her chair

“Oh wait, sorry, it was just a piece of fuz on my scene!” Tommy laughed

“Tommy, you’re such a big jerk! You nearly scared the day light out of me!” Daisy scowled him

“Okay, okay, you two let’s play nice.” Vicky teased them both

“Okay, so what are we going to do next?” Sammy asked

“I know why, don’t we turn off our lights and see who can tell the best scary story.” Cookie suggested

“Owww! I got a good one!” And she lived right here in this very house!” Tammy cried. Her name was Mary Horsemen,” She began

“Who was Mary Horsemen?” They all wanted to know

“Mary Horsemen, lived and died here in Rocky Shores, about a hundred years ago. Every year her family would throw the best holiday party in the whole neighborhood” They were usually the talk of the town Mary, would decorate their Christmas tree with all kind of mints.”

“That whenever you walked into the room it’d have a candy sweet smell to it. That night during the party Mary, received a phone call then disappeared into thin air.”

“Huh?” What do you mean disappeared?” Daisy frowned

“The story goes like I said that during the party Mary received a phone call. Who or what it was about remains a mystery” But whoever it was must have upset her cause she left the party in such a hurry that she forgot her coat.” Tammy began to explain

“What happened to her? Did they ever find her?” Vicky asked

“Well noticing that she went missing from the party and never returned. They sent out a search party looking for her” They found her hours later inside her pool house frozen to death.”

“Supposal Mary, went in there to keep warm but when she closed the door. All the snow that was on the roof of the door fell caving the door shut, so she couldn’t get out.” Tammy answered her

“That story was more sad then scary.” Cookie told her

“Yah, there wasn’t anything scary about it.” Tommy added frowning. Tammy smiled before she continued

“But the story isn’t over yet, some still say that her spirit never left that it just wonders abound.  Just waiting to seek her revenge on those she believes caused her death.”

“Oh yah, right! And how is she going to do that if she’s already dead?” Tommy frowned. Tammy’s smile grew wider

“Simple, some say that if you dare to chant her name on a dark winter night. Like tonight that she’ll make her presence known.”

Tammy then instructed the gang to close their eyes and chant out loud Mary’s name ten times

“Now!” Quick, open your eyes!” Tammy cried out

“Whoa Tammy, look out there’s something right behind you!” Daisy yelled

“Nice try, Daisy, I’d expect that from Tommy, but sorry I’m not falling for it.” Tammy smiled

“No, I saw it too. It looked like a black shadow cross your room as soon as we opened our eyes.” Cookie added

“Oh wow!” Maybe it really worked! We really made connected with Mary, maybe we should do it again just to make sure.” Tammy answered

“Umm, maybe, we should just leave it alone.” Vicky softly mumbled. Tammy was about to answer her back when a faint sound of haunting music floated through the air

“Where’s that coming from?” Cookie asked frowning. And before any of them could answer her, Tammy interrupted by asking

“What happened to Daisy’s screen box?” She kina of just vanished or something.”

The gang looked at their computer screen closer and noticed that Daisy’s slot-frame was nothing more than a red blur

“Maybe, she had to go to the little girl’s room!” Tommy joked

“Yah, maybe or maybe she’s having computer trouble. That’s why her screen just turned all weird like that.” Sammy added

“Let’s give her a few minutes. I’m sure she’ll be back on.” Cookie also added smiling. After kidding and joking with each other for a few minutes

“I’m getting kina worried she should’ve came back on already. Has anyone tried calling her?” Vicky asked them

“I did. But I only kept getting her voice mail I even sent a few texts but she never answered.” Cookie shrugged. Tammy was about to dial Daisy’s number, when she got a text from Cookie

“Hey, haven’t you noticed how weird Vicky, has been acting ever since you told us that story?”

                             “No, not really weird how?” Tammy type back

“Don’t know but she’s not acting like herself. She sent me this weird text saying that Daisy, was taken by Mary’s spirit” To look out cause she’ll be back.” Cookie wrote

“That’s weird. Maybe she’s just messing with you.”

“No, that’s not like Vicky, she wouldn’t do something like that just for fun.” Cookie replied. Tammy was just about to write her back when Tommy interrupted her

“Oh great!” Now Cookie’s missing!”

“Huh?”

Tammy looked up from her cell phone and onto her computer screen and noticed that just like Daisy’s, Cookie’s slot was bright red

“Oh great!” Tammy thought to herself

“Okay, this is getting to weird first Daisy, now Cookie, disappeared there’s something very weird going on. Don’t you guys agree?” Sammy began

‘I warned her I warned her that she’d be back. But she didn’t believe me.” Vicky muttered

“What!” Who are you talking about warned her about who?” Tommy asked frowning

“Umm, I agree with Sammy, I’ve tried calling both of them and I only get their voice mail. Why don’t you guys, come over and see if we can figure this out before we all suddenly disappear,” Tammy interrupted. Then after discussing it for a few minutes more they all agreed that it’d be a good idea

Tammy looked at the clock on her night stand

“Where are they? They should’ve been here by now?”

Tammy took out her phone and text Tommy

“Hey!” Where are you guys?”

She was about to text him again when her doorbell rang

“Well, it’s about time,”

 Tammy ran downstairs and opened her front door and found that only Vicky was standing there

“Oh, hey! Where’s Tommy and Sammy?” I thought they were coming with you?”

“We should’ve never brought her back. She was waiting for so long just waiting for someone to bring her back.” So she could get her revenge on all who murdered her.” Vicky answered her

“Vicky, I don’t know who you’re talking about but you’re starting to creep me out. Now where are Tommy and Sammy? And why didn’t they come with you?” Tammy frowned. Vicky pushed past her and closed the door behind her

“Shh, listen.”

“What?” I don’t hear..”. And before Tammy could finish all the lights went out

“Of course what else could go wrong?” She frowned to herself

“I think that there are some flashlights in the kitchen.”

They were about to walk towards the kitchen when Tammy’s cell phone went off

“Well, aren’t you going to answer it?” Vicky suddenly frowned. Tammy just gave her a weird look

Hello?”

“Tammy?”

“Oh my god!” Daisy?” What happened to you, where are you, are you okay?” Tammy cried out

“Tammy, quick you’ve to help us I don’t know how all I remember going to get a drink. And the next thing I know I’m waking up next to Cookie, down in your basement.” Daisy quickly explained

“What!” How did you get there!” Tammy yelled

“I don’t know, but you’ve to help us before she comes back!” Please Tammy, don’t let her take us!” Daisy sobbed. Then there was a loud crashing noise and the line went dead

“Well what did she say? Is she okay, what’s going on?” Vicky cried out

“Quick!” We’ve to go downstairs to my basement that’s where they’re we’ve to help them!” Tammy answered

“Your basement? How did they get there?” Umm, maybe we should wait for the boys. They should be here any minute now.” Vicky mumbled

“We don’t have time to wait for them!” I don’t know what’s going on but I do know that we’ve to go down there right now. And help them!” Tammy yelled at her

“Okay, okay, but maybe we should get something as a weapon before we go.” Vicky told her. Tammy just gave her another weird look before grabbing a couple of flashlights out of her kitchen counter

“Here! You really think we really need them as weapons?” She asked Vicky

“Better safe than sorry, I don’t know who or what we’re going to find in there,” Vicky shrugged

Together they slowly made their way towards the basement. Tammy opened the door and reached for the light switch but before she had a chance to flick them on. A bright light flashed almost blinded her and cries from all over yelled out

SURPRISE!

Tammy was so startled that she almost lost her balance and fell down the stairs. If Vicky didn’t hold on to her

“Whoa!” What’s going on?”

“Surprise! Happy birthday!”

Vicky laughed as she helped Tammy down the stairs

“We really got her, you guys, Tammy, you should’ve seen the look on your face!”

“Oh wow!” I can’t believe that you guys, did all this just as soon as my heart stops. Beating out of my chest I’ll be so happy!” Tammy cried out happily

“When did you guys, plan all of this?” She added. Daisy went up to her and gave her a big hug

Well, we all felt bad that your birthday plans were interrupted cause it fell on the same weekend as the fair. We already had it plan to throw you a surprise party but didn’t know exactly when” But when you told us about your plans for your slumber party”

“Since we had everything already for your party we all decided that it’d be perfect to surprise you tonight.” She began to explain

“But what made it even more perfect is when you told us that story that’s when I text everyone. And told them my scary twist for tonight since we all know how much you love a good scare.” Vicky added

“Oh wow!” Vicky, you truly deserve an Oscar for your performance you really had me freaked out. That was just so awesome!” I still can’t believe that you guys, did all this for me!” Tammy cried out punching Vicky lightly on her shoulder

“But I warn all you now be ready. Because you know that I’m sure going to find a way to pay you all back real soon!” She added laughing. Then after Tammy opened her presents and blow out the candles on her cake

She gave the gang a big smile and cried out

“This was the best birthday party ever!” Even if you all did scare me half to death I can’t wait to see what you’ve plan for next year!”

Copy rights © belong to jack 2006

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Tim the Tadpole’s Birthday

 Before you say it – let us say it first: we’ve done this story before. And yes, it was from a time when Bertie was still a frog.

We first recorded Tim the Tadpole’s Birthday way back in 2006, but somehow the mp3 file was overwritten and lost. All that is left of the original is this experiment in animation.

The video just uses a few lines from the story. Now, for the first time in some years, we present this sparkly story in its entirety.

Would you like us to do more Pond Life Stories? Perhaps as a separate series from Bertie?

Story by Bertie.

Read by Natasha.

Proofread by Jana Elizabeth.

 

Tim the Tadpole’s Birthday –

Hello,
This is Natasha,

And this story is a bit of a time warp. We first recorded it ever so long ago – way back in 2006. It’s now almost 2015 – Happy New Year by the way. That means we made this story … um – well quite a few years ago – when Bertie was still a frog and I was a wee tiny girl. My how time flies!

Well somehow along the way, we lost the audio when Bertie overwrote the file by mistake. That’s why Bertie has asked me to read you the story once again.

This morning, when I paid a visit to the pond where Prince Bertie the frog lives, Colin the carp was grumping about the place, muttering something about his birthday. Tim the tadpole became very excited because he would love to go to a party in the pond.

“Colin,” said Tim. “How old are you?”

“Too old,” said Colin who is a rather grumpy fish. “And very wise. You get that way, when you are as old as I am. Well some do.”

Just then, Sadie the beautiful black Swan glided by. Tim swam up and asked her:

“Sadie, how old are you?”

“Tish Tish, little Tim, didn’t your mother tell you that it’s not polite to ask a lady her age?”

Tim is a very nicely brought up tadpole, so he apologised to Sadie for asking her age, before swishing his little tale and swimming up to Prince Bertie the frog.

“Oh Bertie,” he said, “can I ask you a terribly important question?”

“Ask away, little Tim”, boomed Bertie, “a prince knows the answer to everything.”

“Bertie, can you tell me how old I am?”

Now all the pond life knew that Tim is always asking silly questions, so Bertie wasn’t at all surprised that Tim didn’t even know his own age. In fact, secretly, he was rather pleased that Tim’s question wasn’t too difficult, because in truth, he doesn’t always know the answer to every question – not right away, without asking somebody to go and look it up for him.

“Well little Tim, don’t you know that you are four and a half?”

“Rubbish!” said Colin the carp, who can be rather rude sometimes, especially to Bertie. “If a tadpole was four and a half years old, he wouldn’t be a tadpole anymore. He’d be a ugly green frog, just like you.”

“No, no.” said Bertie. “Who said anything about four and a half years? Little Tim is four and a half weeks old. I remember because I met him the day after he was born. He looked just like a little piece of green slime, and I almost ate him, until I noticed at the last moment that he was a tadpole.”

Now Tim started swimming around in circles, which is what tadpoles do when they are very excited. “Yippee!” he said, “I’m four and a half weeks old. Not just four by itself! Soon it will be my birthday and we can have a party.” Then he said: “Oh!” And he stopped swimming round in circles for a moment. “Bertie, just exactly when is my birthday?”

“Why little Tim, it’s every Monday,” said Bertie.

“Yippee!!!!” sang little Tim, “next Monday’s going to be my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! We’re going to have a part-y.”

And all the creatures who lived in the pond were very happy, apart from Colin, who doesn’t like parties, because he thinks that they make little tadpoles get over-excited and disturb his peace and quiet.

Bertie and Sadie the Swan spent the whole weekend planning Tim’s birthday party. They decided to hold swimming races, games of hide-and-seek, Blindman’s Bluff and offer prizes of green slime, dead insects and stale bread. Bertie wanted to have an egg and spoon race, but Sadie pointed out that eggs were too precious to risk in a silly game. All the pond life were terribly excited about Tim’s party. But nobody was more excited than little Tim. When Monday came he was swimming round and round in circles so fast that he became quite dizzy. Bertie sat on a lily pad and called all the pond life to gather around. The ducklings were peeping excitedly, but the geese were the noisiest of all, honking away so that the pond sounded almost like the centre of the city during the rush hour.

“Quiet. Be quiet everyone,” boomed Bertie. “Now let’s all sing Happy Birthday Little Tim. One two three, Happy Birthday To You.”

And all the pond life began to sing “Happy Birthday To You” except for Tim who sang: “Happy Birthday To Me.”

But just as the whole chorus was swelling up to – “Happy Birthday Little Tim.” And Tim was jumping out of the water with excitement, his mother, who is a green frog, like Bertie, only prettier, hopped onto a lily pad near Bertie. Now Tim’s mother doesn’t have a very high opinion of Bertie because he isn’t a true frog – not really – but only a prince who looks like one. She thinks that he is always putting silly ideas into little Tim’s head, and causing him to get over-excited and ask too many questions. So she ignored Bertie and called out:

“Timmy! Timmy! Time to go to Schoo-ool!”

At first Little Tim didn’t hear his mother calling, because the singing was so noisy, and he was so excited, but soon she spotted him, and as he jumped over the water she stuck her tongue out and caught him on it. Then she carefully put her little son on her webbed foot, and started to hop away, from one lily pad to the next. There was a hush over the pond. Everyone stopped singing, and heard little Tim’s sobs.

“Mummy, Mummy, please no. I don’t want to go to school. Not today. It’s my birthday. Let’s go another day. Please no …”

“Don’t be so silly!” said Tim’s mum. “How can it be your birthday yet. You’re hardly a month old.”

“Please Mummy. Please, please, please. I want to go back to my party.”

“Enough of this nonsense! Hush right now!”

Little Tim’s pitiful pleas were so moving that even Colin the carp felt like crying, until he decided to eat some of the juicy dead flies that were meant to be prizes instead. Sadie the swan sighed:

“Oh Bertie, that’s so sad. Little Tim has been looking forward to his party so very much. I didn’t even know that he went to school.”

“He hasn’t learned much,” said Colin. “He’s the silliest creature I’ve ever met, apart from Bertie that is.”

Bertie ignored this comment, because he knew that Sadie the Swan didn’t approve of him fighting with Colin. But secretly, he decided that when he became a prince again, he wouldn’t invite Colin to his birthday party. And then Colin would be sorry that he was so rude to Bertie – because Bertie’s parties always had lashings of jelly, and popcorn, and the most amazing going away bags anyone ever saw.

“Come to think of it,” said Bertie. “I did hear Tim’s mother saying the other day that he would be starting school soon. I think this must be his first day.”

“It’s not just Tim who’s disappointed,” said Sadie. “Look at all the little ducklings. They are peeping away and wagging their fluffy tails. They are so looking forward to all the stale bread that we found for them in the rubbish tip behind the Palace, but how can we have a party without the birthday boy?”

“If you were a real prince,” said Colin, “and a leader of creatures great and small, like you think you are, you wouldn’t stand for any nonsense from Tim’s mum. You’d go and rescue him.”

For once Bertie thought that sounded like a good idea coming from Colin. He hopped off in the direction that Tim and his mum had gone. He hopped to the end of the lilies, and after that he began to swim up a little stream, pushing against the current with his webbed feet. Finally, round a corner, in a still pool of water protected by a wall of pebbles, he found the school for tadpoles. And there were hundreds, and hundreds, if not thousands and quite possibly millions of them – or at least that’s what it seemed like to Bertie. He had never seen so many tadpoles in his whole life. But which one was little Tim? Above them all, on a rock, a wise old frog was asking the tadpoles if any of them knew what the first letter of the alphabet was. A clever little tadpole called out “A.”

“That can’t be Tim,” thought Bertie. “He’s too silly to know that.”

Next the teacher asked the class if anyone knew what comes out of a duck’s egg.

Another little tadpole answered: “A duckling.”

“That can’t be Tim”, thought Bertie, “he’s far too silly to know that.”

Then the teacher asked what jelly beans were made of. And Bertie was about to put his web-fingered hand up, because even he knows the answer to that one, but then he thought he’d better not, because he wasn’t really meant to be there. A clever tadpole in the front row answered it instead.

And after a while, a little tadpole called out:

“Sir Sir! I’ve got a question.”

“Yes, little tadpole,” said the teacher. “What is it?”

“What kind of cheese is the moon made out of?”

And right away, Bertie knew that was his little friend Tim. Only Tim would ask such a silly question.

The teacher explained that it is made out of a special cheese called Camembert that is very smelly, which is why nobody lives on the moon. And while he was explaining this, Bertie called out: “Psst … Tim. Come with me. I’ll take you back to the party.”

Tim was very excited to hear his friend’s voice. But he was also very interested in what the teacher had to say. He had learned so many fascinating things since coming to school, and he had only been there ten minutes.

“Bertie,” he whispered back. “I mustn’t leave school. I’ll see you this afternoon when class finishes.”

And so Bertie sat and waited for his little friend to finish school. And while he waited, he learned all sorts of interesting things that the teacher told the little tadpoles. Like … it never rains on Tuesdays … you mustn’t stand on the lines on the pavement … and jelly babies aren’t really babies at all, but just brightly coloured sweets.

When the school finished, Tim sat on Bertie’s back and Bertie hopped back to the pond. It didn’t take long to call everyone together again, and so they held Tim’s birthday party after all. And all the creatures played games and ate lots and lots of green slime, and dead flies, and stale soggy bread, until they all felt quite sick – but very happy.

And so it was that after that, Tim went to school in the mornings, and learned lots of interesting things. And he didn’t mind, because on Mondays, it was always his birthday, and he was another week older. Colin the carp says it isn’t really fair that Tim has a birthday every week, when most people only have one every year. But Bertie says it is better that way … and when he is King one day, everybody will have birthdays every week, and all the cake they can eat.

From me, Natasha, and all the pond life … bye! bye!

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