ANIMAL LAND
Once again, the elevator shook and rumbled when the doors shut. Johnny and Joey sat on the floor and waited to come to a stop. They were a little frightened, but not as scared as the first time. At least this time they knew they’d made it back alive once before.
Just as they were done convincing themselves they weren’t very scared, the elevator stopped. Johnny and Joey stood up and waited for the doors to open. When they did, the boys were confused for a moment.
What they saw before them were woods. Almost just like the woods in their backyard. But it was when they stepped off the elevator that they realized the woods weren’t like the ones in their backyard. These woods were deep and thick. From what the boys could see, they went on for miles.
And more than that, there were mountains in the background. Huge mountains with snow-white tops.
“Where are we?” Johnny asked.
“I don’t know. But it sure is pretty.”
“Yeah, sure is.”
“Hello there.” Johnny and Joey almost jumped out of their skins when they heard the voice (they’ll have to get used to having people walk up behind them when they go to these places).
But when Johnny and Joey turned around to see the person who had spoken to them, they didn’t find a person at all. In fact, what they found were two enormous ostriches. They stood almost four feet higher than the boys. The black and white feathers that covered their bodies were each bigger than Johnny’s arm.
“Ahh—” Joey exclaimed as he backed away.
“Did you say that?” Johnny asked.
“Yes I did,” one ostrich said. “Don’t you say hello when you first meet someone?”
“Yeah, but you’re—”
“An ostrich?”
Johnny nodded, unable to stop looking at the ostrich’s long bare legs. Its knees looked knobby and its feet were really weird with two huge claws that looked like fat toes.
The ostrich also had a long neck that was bare of feathers, and on top was a little head with huge black eyes. It lowered its head to Johnny’s level and said, “Well then, I should first start by welcoming you to Animal Land.”
