Nuggets and Thwaps

Here is another of my 10 year old daughter's stories. Getting rid of creative writing curriculum and saying, "Just write something" was one of the best homeschool decisions I've ever made! 😂 Nuggets and Thwaps

By Elizabeth

Part one: How Leeli met Nugget

Leeli hobbled out of the Igiby cottage to find Podo. The thwaps were probably back. A whine interrupted her thoughts. She turned toward the sound. A little dog came out of the bushes. It had matted fur and a thorn in its front left paw. Leeli hurried over to the poor little black ball. She dropped her crutch and picked the dog up.

“Oh. How did you get here?” She hopped into the house as fast as she could. “Mama! Mama!” she wailed. Nia turned from the stove.

“What is it?” Nia asked.

“It’s a poor little puppy. He’s hurt!”

Nia tended to the dog quickly. “Now he has to go. I can’t feed him.”

“But Mama!!! He can’t survive out there! A fang will get him!” Leeli pouted. Podo walked into the house. “Thwaps!” He looked at Nia, and then his granddaughter.

“Now what’s makin’ my Leeli sad?” Leeli was crying now.

“The puppy!” Leeli wailed.

“She found a puppy outside and I can’t let her keep it.” Nia filled in.

“Aww, Nia. She can keep the dog.”

“She can’t and she won’t.”

“The dog won’t eat more than she will.”

“Papa-” Nia protested.

“Mama. Pleeeeeeease?” Leeli said. She smiled sweetly. “Pleeeeeeease?” Podo put a hand on Nia’s shoulder. “Nia, she can keep him.”

“She’ll need to be able to take care of him.” Nia smiled. Leeli squealed and hugged Nia. Then she hugged Podo. “I’ll name him Nugget. He’s so cute.” She picked up the dog and hugged him. “I need to show Janner and Tink.”

(A few hours later) Tink ran into the house. “Mama! Mama!” he put a thwap on the table. “He’s hurt! Can I keep him?”

“No.”

“But-”, the door was flung open. Podo walked in. “What’s going on in here?”

“Tink found a thwap and wants to keep it.”

“YOU THINK YOU CAN BRING PETS IN MY HOUSE?” Podo yelled. “NO!”

“Aww.” Tink moaned. “A fang will get him.”

“Good riddance,” muttered Podo. He looked at the thwap. “He’s not even hurt.”

“But Leeli got Nugget.”

“Well, that’s because she is my favorite.” Nia sent a glare to Podo. Tink pouted and trudged out of the house.

Part two: The thwap in the underwear drawer

Tink ran into the house. He dashed past his room and into Podo’s room. He put a squirming thwap in the underwear drawer. Tink shut the drawer and hurried out. He acted like he was coming out of his room. He ran into Podo on the way to the kitchen.

“Uh… Grandpa. You should… check your dresser. I… smelled…uh… something weird from your room.” Podo walked to his room. Tink snickered as he heard Podo open a drawer. Then he opened another drawer. Then he opened the underwear drawer. Then Tink heard a crash.

“ARGH! KALMAR IGIBY WING- KALMAR IGIBY! YOU’RE IN TROUBLE!”

(a few hours later)

“And he said I couldn’t play zibzy for a week.” Tink finished. Janner glared at him. “Don’t do that again. You now have to go fix the roof.”