SPARKLEHORN AND BRENDA IN BIRTHDAY LAND

SPARKLEHORN AND BRENDA IN BIRTHDAY LAND

“Let’s go on a really special adventure today,” Sparklehorn suggested to her friend Brenda Bunny.

“I love any adventures!” Brenda cheered.

“Don’t you want to know where we’re going?” Sparklehorn asked.

“Doesn’t matter, I know it will be fun!” Brenda began hopping around in bunny zoomies at the idea.

“I’ll tell you anyway. We’ve been invited to the never-ending birthday party! It’s only a twenty-four-hour invitation, because in order to invite every creature, some must leave!”

“Okay with me, Sparkle. I love a party, but I doubt if I could survive a never-ending one!” Brenda giggled.

“How did you know that?” the unicorn asked.

“Rumors abound about that place. I’ll just be happy to visit.”

“It’s a long trip, maybe you should make yourself smaller and ride between my ears and rest on my horn.”

Brenda thought that was a most excellent idea. So, she gently hopped up the unicorn’s body to the spot between her ears and rested her front paws on the base of her horn.

Sparklehorn began the journey. By the time they reached the time portal, Brenda was sound asleep. The unicorn leaped into the opening and in no time the two friends were in Birthday Land.

The confetti, horns, balloons and sounds of repeated versions of the Happy Birthday song soon woke Brenda. Her eyes rounded and her nose twitched, as she jumped to the ground to follow beside Sparklehorn’s left front hoof, for protection.

A little walking soon made Brenda resume her normal size. All the noise was deafening at first, but the pair soon got used to it. Everyone stopped to stare at the friends, but they ignored such impoliteness because they were so fascinated by the place.

Following the crowds, they found a games area. Any party game they’d ever played and a few they hadn’t were collected there. The two friends tried them all.

They were nearly exhausted when the cry of ‘Cake Time’ echoed all around.

“What kind of cake do they have?” Brenda wanted to know.

“Whatever kind is your favorite,” Sparklehorn told her.

“What? Do they make that many cakes?”

“Just one huge one, wait until you see, it’s magic!”

When the two friends made it to the cake area, Brenda couldn’t believe her eyes or nose. Someone plunked a huge slice of carrot cake down in front of her, thick with cream cheese icing and decorated with small candy carrots.

The rabbit glanced over at Sparklehorn. She had an airy pink cake with candy floss icing. The pair ate in silence.

When one slice disappeared, another was plunked down in front of you. Several large wedges later, Brenda could barely hip, let alone hop. She had never seen Sparklehorn so fat and stuffed!

“I can’t move!” she confessed with a loud burp.

“Me neither! I’m so sleepy too,” Sparklehorn said as her stomach rumbled loudly.

“Maybe a little nap is in order,” Brenda said and fell promptly to sleep.

“I may have to join you,” Sparklehorn mumbled.

It seemed like no time, before a loud steam whistle startled them awake. Sparklehorn jumped up, grabbed Brenda in her teeth and began to run.

“What’s going on?” the bunny asked in panic.

“Our twenty-four hours is up! We have to leave now!” Sparklehorn said through her teeth.

“What if we don’t make it?”

“The time portal closes and we are left in the Unbirthday Forest forever!

“How bad can that be?” Brenda wondered.

“Everything is the very opposite of birthdays. It’s horrid and dark, and the plants are alive!”

Brenda began to paddle like she was swimming with all four of her legs to try and help Sparklehorn. When she accidentally kicked her for the fourth time in the chin with her back legs, she realized she wasn’t helping but hindering.

They seemed to gallop forever and Sparklehorn was definitely tiring, when the time portal came into sight. Alarmingly, it was half closed already! Sparklehorn made a mighty leap, and they squeezed through just as it closed. The journey back to Unicorn Island seemed longer than the journey away.

“Where have you two been?” Sparklehorn’s mother Glister demanded.

“We’ve been frantic!” Brenda’s mother Barbara butted in with.

“Why are you so sticky?” she asked her child.

“What have you been eating? You’ve grown so fat!” Glister demanded of her wayward child.

Before they could give answers, the exhausted friends fell sound asleep.

739 WORDS UNICORN AND BUNNY CONTEST 9/7/2024