Think Before You Act

Long long ago, in a land full of talking animals lived a cheerful axolotl named Floofy. There was also a giant, crystalized palace at the end of a mysterious forest where an orca named Orca resided. Orca loved to compete with Floofy, though she usually lost.

One day, Orca challenged Floofy to a race in the Crystal River, a river with crystal water as clear as white jelly (that's why it was called the Crystal River). Floofy agreed. She was a pretty good swimmer, to be honest.

"Alright!" Orca exclaimed. She was very ready to beat Floofy, once and for all. Floofy was a little nervous, not because she wanted the prize but because, if Orca won, she would never stop bragging about it. Orca was a really good singer, but she never challenged Floofy to a singing contest. Floofy always wondered why.

Floofy lived in a small cottage as big as two small fish tanks put together, the cottage filled with souvenirs from different kingdoms. There was a rock candy that would never get smaller when you sucked it, from the Food Kingdom, a bunny from the Toy Kingdom that was as soft as cotton candy—that would do whatever you asked—and, lastly, a book from the Literature Kingdom that would change every time you read it. However, the one she coveted most was the sparkly glitter that could illuminate the darkest of the blackest caves of the land. That one was from the Light Kingdom.

As Floofy agreed to compete, she had a feeling that there was something sinister about this. Orca also seemed more excited than usual.

"The race is next Tuesday," Orca informed Floofy.

"Ok," said Floofy, who knew she had to be prepared. She packed all her souvenirs: the rock candy in case she got tired, the toy bunny just in case she needed it, and last but not least, the sparkly glitter. Floofy didn't need the book because it was for entertainment, but she packed it anyway.

When the big day finally arrived, Floofy, well prepared, arrived first, Orca arriving a few minutes behind her. Turtle, the announcer, was already there waiting for them. Almost everyone was already there, too. There were some people cheering for Orca, but most of the audience were cheering for Floofy. It sounded so loud, that it was like ten hockey stadiums all playing a game at the same time! Ow, Floofy thought, my eardrums are going to burst.

"What's the matter?" Orca asked meanly, snickering at Floofy. "Are your ears too delicate to hear all the cheering for me?" Sometimes she can be so annoying. Floofy thought to herself, irritated.

"Attention, everyone!" Boomed Turtle's voice. "I would just like to notify you that the race is going to be delayed by ten minutes, as we have found a gas leak in the middle of the river. Please remain calm, and we will continue in ten minutes."

"What's going on?" Everyone was murmuring to each other. What's happening? Floofy wondered, I'd better see it for myself. Floofy snuck through the trees and got a peek at the gas leak. It looked absolutely horrible. What was once the Crystal River was now an eerie black river that gave Floofy the shivers. I have to fix this, but who caused it? Wondered Floofy, who snuck back to the starting line, hoping that nobody noticed that she was gone. Just when Floofy arrived, Turtle announced that the race was starting in five minutes. Good, Floofy thought. Nobody noticed me. Floofy exhaling in relief, Orca, coming over, asked suspiciously, "What have you been up to?" Oh, Floofy thought, so Orca noticed. That was the worst possible possibility! Floofy had to stop the gas leak, but how...

Floofy gasped. Into her head suddenly arrived a bright idea. She was going to get her best friend, Popcorn, to help find a solution to this horrible problem. Only he wasn't actually popcorn—he was a lobster. He was just buttery-yellow like popcorn. Floofy whistled some notes. That was the signal: "come here!" A minute later, over rushed Popcorn.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

"There's a gas leak in the middle of the river!" Floofy replied, a little louder than Popcorn.

"WHAT?!" Popcorn shouted, surprised. "That can't be!" He yelled again.

"What's wrong?" Floofy asked. "Has this happened before?"

"Yes, it has," Popcorn said sadly—"it happened two years before you were born. No one has spoken about it since then." That made sense. Popcorn was a little older than Floofy, who then nervously asked, "Is it bad for the environment?"

"Yes, very bad," Popcorn replied. "It makes everything in its path sick—us animals, no less!"

Floofy gasped, "Orca and I are supposed to swim through that river!" This was bad, REALLY BAD!

"I think it's Orca who did it," Popcorn suspected. "She must have found a secret path through some regions of the river—some deep unknown currents, right before the gas leak, so then you would get sick, and she would win the race!" That was a reasonable suspicion because Orca seemed more excited than usual.

"If you're correct," Floofy said slowly—"then you need to find the secret current!" Popcorn finished.

"But the river is going to be really dark," Floofy said. "I won't be able to see where it is."

"Wait, OH MY GOSH!" Popcorn said excitedly.

"What is it?" Asked Floofy, not quite matching his excitement.

"Don't you have your souvenirs?" Popcorn asked, jumping up and down. Suddenly, it hit her.

"Of course!" Floofy exclaimed—"the sparkly glitter. Why hadn't I thought of that before!?" This was the best idea ever! "Popcorn, you're a genius!" Floofy said, hugging him. But suddenly, her mind filled with doubt. "What if the glitter clears the darkness, but you can still get sick? That could ruin the whole race and ruin me as well!" Unfortunately, the race was starting!

"Oh no," Floofy whispered softly, fluttering butterflies slowly multiplying and reproducing in her stomach. Then, she thought of a possible plan. Wait, Floofy thought, what if I make Orca think she's winning and then follow her! That was the only option she could think of, but she could still use the sparkly glitter.

"I'll go test it for you," Popcorn suddenly said. What he meant was that he would go to the gas leak, get a plant, dip it in, and see if the plant shriveled up and died. "Oh, and don't forget the sparkly glitter!" Floofy reminded him. As she poured some of the glitter into his claws, she wished him good luck and Popcorn scuttled away. Now it was time to get in the water. Orca was smiling weirdly, as if she were sure she could win—that was another possible reason that Orca made the gas leak.

Wait a second, Floofy thought worriedly. Where is the book? I swear I brought it with me. Thinking hard, she remembered that she had dropped the book and that Popcorn had picked it up for her. Popcorn must have kept it. Floofy thought. I hope the book changes to something actually useful, not something useless like dancing gummy bears!

The race starting, out of nowhere, she heard a click clack clickety clack. That was the signal for: "it worked!" That meant the sparkly glitter had fixed the gas leak! Now Floofy was EXCITED. When she heard the word "go," away she zoomed, all her worries drifting away with each bubble she blew. As she looked around, miraculously, she saw that the eerie blackness was now gone! Now the crystal river shined more than ever! Now Floofy felt freer than ever, as she breezed away in the cool water.

After the race, which Floofy won, Popcorn congratulated her, and Floofy congratulated Popcorn.

"YOU DID IT!" Popcorn shouted, hug-tackling her.

"No, you did it!" Floofy insisted.

"No, you won the race!" Popcorn said, confused.

"Yeah, I won the race, but you thought of the sparkly glitter," Floofy said, her limbs on her hips.

"I guess," Popcorn said, defeated, "Oh, but the book taught me how to make the cure, and YOU brought the book."

"It did?" Floofy asked, both confused and surprised.

"Yeah," Popcorn replied. "The cure needed sparkly glitter, cotton clovers, and fairy drops."

Floofy gasped, "Those items are really rare!"

"I know," Popcorn answered, "but there was a page that had all the ingredients, except for the glitter."

"Wow," Floofy said, amazed. "That's such a coincidence!"

"Well, that's true," responded Popcorn, agreeing with her for once.

"I guess you have to bring more than you need, in case you need it," Floofy advised.

"Yes, exactly," someone answered. Floofy turned around… only to find Turtle! "Always think before you act, and consider consequences," wisely said the smart old Turtle.

"Always think before you act, and consider consequences."

— Turtle the Wise