Becoming a Hero

Kate wrote this story in the fall of her 3rd grade year and it has a number of illustrations with it that I will try to include in the coming days.  She has been working on a piece related to this one which I am planning to share next.

I groaned as I crawled out of my seat.  Right, school I thought.  A moment later I poked my head out of our van.  The air was cool and crisp but I didn't care about the weather.

After several seconds I reached back in and gripped my backpack, then I hopped out reluctantly.  While swinging my backpack over my shoulder I began to wander around, waiting until my mom finished helping my sister, too.  Ppphhh, I signed and continued my wander.

Then, suddenly I caught sight of movement.  I paused before peering closer.  I checked again.  I was right!  A frog!!  I crept closer a few inches but the frog did not move.  Then I saw the reason.  The frog's back legs were squished.  "Momm!" I yelled loudly.

"What?" my mom called calmly back.

"I found a frog, and it looks hurt." I replied a little more quietly.

"Ok, come over here," my mom said, "and we can talk over ideas."  I jumped up and the frog jerked at the sudden movement.  I paused and the frog stopped it's struggle.  I slowly relaxed a few seconds later.  Carefully I backed up.  Then I raced to my mom to talk.  And talk we did!  I was getting bored soon!

Finally, my mom gave me one last hug and kiss and I walked slowly across the bus lane to school.  Seconds after I set my backpack down my friend Alli appeared.

"Brrriinng!!"  The sound of the bell made me jump slightly.  I had explained to Allie about the frog and ideas my mom gave me.  Blinking back to the present, I hurried to the line and waited to go in.

Once inside, It seemed like a mad rush to get to our cubbies and get unpacked.  Alli and I chose the idea of telling Ms. Case our teacher the story and asking if we could help somehow.

We hurried to finish our morning jobs and we scrambled to Ms. Case's desk.  "Ms. Case," I began.  Ms. Case looked up from her paperwork and Allie took over from there.  I only added a few parts in. 

Ms. Case agreed that it would be nice to help somehow.  She told us that we could either take the frog to the prairie or the forest, which were both behind the school.  We decided the prairie was best.

Once outside, we rushed across the cross walk to where I found the frog.  It was still there but it had burrowed deeper into the grass.  I slowly, carefully lifted the frog and dripped him tightly.  Then I realized that I might choke the frog so I loosened my grip.

Allie and I scurried back across the bus lane and along the sidewalk to the giant field of grass next to the playground.  I was panting by the time we reached the prairie (which was on the opposite side of the field).  We wandered a little and argued a lot until we found the best spot to put the frog.  I slowly lowered my hands and slipped them out from underneath the frog.

I straightened and turned to Allie.  "Let's go," I told her.  So with one last glance at the frog we turned and skipped back to school.

As the day dragged on I still could not get that happy and proud feeling out of myself.  I will never forget that day I became a hero, but only to a frog.