Exceptional Ivan sneaks off the school bus Walk In The Dark Forest by Alaskastory Artwork by corrinas creations at FanArtReview.com

"Ivan, how could you get off the school bus at my stop?" Annie asks. "Driver Mac didn't see me sneak off. I'm walking home right through the woods." Annie and I stare into the forest. There are no houses, just trees. Some have bare branches with only dead leaves. Others are dark green pine trees. "I see no sidewalk, just deep snow," Annie says. "A bad wolf or a bear might be in there." "It's not spooky." I take a big sniff of air and stomp my boots across the street. Annie calls, "Be careful, Ivan. I hope I see you in Miss Ward's class tomorrow." I pull on mittens, give her a salute, then step up and over the tall snow bank. My boots go crunch into snow and sink with each step. Deep snow comes up to the monster on my lunch pail. Icicles drip from bare, skinny branches and look like silver knives pointing down at me. Between dark rows of trees, I spy a twisting trail that is punched with big paw marks. The tracks look bigger than feet on a wolf. A big bear might walk here. I swallow hard and start to run. A tree limb reaches out and snags my lunch pail. It plunks into the snow so I stop to pull it out. A sound cries through the air. I stop and listen. A shadow moves from behind dark trees. The shadow comes so close that I see a yellow jacket. It looks a lot like the one Mom wears. "Ivan!" I hear my favorite voice call. Oh, oh. She knows I sneaked off the school bus. Recognized Author Notes Thank you, corrinas creations, for this fabulous look at the forest. Only 280 words

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