Trouble with Bubbles

          It was an ordinary day in an ordinary forest. Bobby Bear walked with his sister, Bailey.
         “I found some,” shouted Bailey as she looked under a dead log.
         “How can you get so excited about bugs and worms?”
         “How else should I feel?” She scooped a handful of juicy worms.
         “Aren’t you bored with the same thing every day?” Bobby looked casually at the log. “We need more excitement, more fun.” He picked at the loose bark with his paw.
         “I don’t know Bobby, I like things just fine.” The look in her brother’s eyes meant trouble.
         “C’mon Bailey, let’s forget about bugs and grubs. I want to explore.”
Bobby had wandered near the brook that ran through the meadow.
         “I wonder what’s on the other side.”
         “You know we can’t cross the brook. Mother has told us ever since we were babies."
          “We aren’t babies anymore, Bailey.”
         Bailey looked again in the direction of their mother.
When she looked back, Bobby was already on the other side.
         “What are you doing?”
         “Nothing bad is going to happen.”
         Bobby was running on the other side of the brook.It did look like fun over there, Bailey thought. She put one paw into the chilly water. Before she knew it, she was rolling in the warm grass, wrestling with her brother. Bailey didn’t notice that they had entered a strange part of the forest. When she did finally notice, she slid to a stop.
         “Bobby, where are we?” She whispered.
         Bobby tugged at her foot until she fell down.
         “Stop it Bobby. I can’t hear mother anymore.”
         “I told you, we aren’t babies. We don’t always need to be near mother. Come on. I want to explore.” Bobby started walking deeper into the forest..
         Soon, there was a strange smell in the air.
         “Bobby, what is that smell?” Bailey lifted her nose to the wind.
         “I don’t know, but I want to find out.” Bobby followed his nose.
         Bailey nervously followed her brother.
         “Look. What is that?” Bobby pointed at a cabin.
         “I don’t know and I don’t like the way it looks.”
         “I want to get a closer look” Bobby said.
         The door to the cabin came open with a nudge. Bobby looked inside. “It is empty.”
         Bailey followed her brother inside.
         “Look at all of the shiny things in here.” Bobby touched everything he saw.
         “We shouldn’t be here Bobby. I want to go home.”
         “Don’t be such a cry baby. Only a few more minutes.”
         Bailey followed Bobby into a room with a white tub in it.
         Bobby kept touching all the shiny things. When he touched one, water started coming out of it. Bobby backed up at first, afraid. Soon, though, he was brave enough to touch it.
         “It’s only water.” He splashed some at Bailey’s face. She giggled when it tickled her. Reaching to splash him back, she bumped into some bottles. They fell into the tub, spilling. A fruity smell filled the air.
         “Hey, it must be apples,” Bobby said.
         He dipped his paw then licked it. He made a terrible face and started to wipe his other paw on his tongue.
         “YUCK! It’s not apples,” he said as he kept wiping his mouth.
         In the meantime, water filled the tub. Bubbles rose above the edge.
         “What is that?” Bailey started to back away from the bubbles.
         “I don’t know,” Bobby backed away. “But it is growing fast.”
         “I want to go home now,” Bailey said.
         “Yeah, I think you are right, Bailey. We better find mother now.”
         As Bobby turned to leave, he stepped on a bar of soap and fell down. At the same time, the giant wall of bubbles fell over and fell on top of Bobby. Bobby screamed and scrambled for the door. Bailey didn’t see what happened but ran after him.
         Both bears ran screaming through the forest, sure that the bubbles would follow. They finally stopped screaming as they saw the familiar brook.
         “Finally, we are home,” Bobby said as he gulped air.
         “Do you think it followed us?”
         “I don’t think so, but I know I’m never going in that part of the forest again.” Bailey was already crossing the brook to the safe side of the meadow.
         “Me neither. I think I’m hungry for some berries. I’ll race you to the berry bush.” Bobby was already running ahead of Bailey.
         “I’m right behind you, you had better save me some.” Bailey followed her brother over the hill and back under their mother’s watchful eyes.