BEHIND THE BUSH 

 

 

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Nevaeh Gourt. Everyone in school would pick on her and she had no friends. One day after school, she went outside on her swing set. As she started to swing, Nevaeh heard a noise coming from behind the bush. She stopped swinging and started toward the bush. “Is anyone there?”

 

Closer and closer she got until she was able to lift up some branches. Nevaeh discovered a hole behind the bush. She sat down and tried to put one foot in the hole to see how deep it was, but slipped. She fell deeper and deeper in the hole. “Help! Help! Somebody help!”

 

Nevaeh rolled out of an opening and sat there for a moment looking around. She was very scared, but also curious to know where she was. “It sure is beautiful here.” The surroundings looked like pictures of a jungle. There were tall trees with vines, a waterfall, and big beautiful flowers. She saw many different

animals and it seemed like they were talking with each other. This can’t be she thought.

 

Nevaeh started walking, following the sound of the waterfall. Feeling hungry, she stopped at a banana tree. Suddenly a big shadow appeared and she screamed. Covering her face, Nevaeh trembled as she spoke. “Please don’t hurt me, I don’t mean you any harm.” Uncovering her eyes, she looked and saw a cute little monkey. “Hi, my name is Pip. What’s yours”

“My name is Nevaeh Gourt.”

They just stared at each other for a moment. Finally Pip said, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m not sure. i slipped down a hole behind a bush and here I am.”

“Well, where are your friends? They must be worried.”

Nevaeh put her head down sadly and said, “I don’t have any friends.”

“Well you do now. Come with me and I’ll introduce

 

-2-

you to my friends.”

They began walking, and all the while Pip was calling for Doey and Hoppey. Pip and Nevaeh kept walking until they came to the waterfall. There, splashing each other in the water was Doey and Hoppey. “This is my friend Doey, he is a turtle and here is my other friend Hoppey, she is a hippo. This is my new friend, Neveah”

“Pleasure to meet you!” they both said. “Would you like to play with us?”

Nevaeh played with Pip, Doey, and Hoppey for hours. Friends really do come in all shapes and sizes.

Nevaeh realized it was getting late and knew she had to go. “How can I get home, and will I be able to come back?”

“That’s easy!” said Pip. “Take me to the opening that you fell through.”

Nevaeh and all her new friends walk back until they came to the opening. Pip went in and shook loose a

 

-3-