Read an Excerpt
Just Little
By Robin Rabun AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2013 Robin Rabun
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4918-2998-1
CHAPTER 1
It was a beautiful day in the forest and Sophie Spider was excited. Mrs. Bear had called Sophie earlier that day and asked if she could babysit her twin cubs that evening. Clutching her purse in both hands, the yellow wood spider skittered across the forest on six sneakered feet.
The Bear home was a two story structure fashioned into the hollowed trunk of an old Redwood. She approached the porch steps with shivers of uneasiness scurrying down her spine. She hoped everything went well this evening.
Swallowing hard, she wove a sling from her silken web and launched a pebble at the doorbell. The chimes echoed in her ears and the door swung open. Mr. Bear stepped out onto the porch wearing a blue suit.
"Yoohoo!" Sophie called. "Mr. Bear!"
"Hello Sophie," Mr. Bear replied.
He reached out and scooped Sophie up in his paw. Once inside he set her gently on the coffee table.
"Mrs. Bear will be out in a minute," he said, fiddling awkwardly with his tie. "I hate these things."
Seeing Mr. Bear struggle with his fabric noose made Sophie giggle. Mrs. Bear entered the room dressed in an evening gown and pearls.
"Hello dear," she said warmly. "The boys are in the kitchen eating an early dinner. You can help yourself."
Mrs. Bear continued with Sophies instuctions. Dinner, bath, and bed by nine.
"Sounds simple," said Sophie. "Just have fun and dont worry about a thing."
"Fun?" growled Mr. Bear. "Operas are a punishment, not fun."
After the Bears had gone, Sophie made her way into the kitchen. The cubs were busy cramming hotdogs into their mouths. Sophie used her web to zip onto the tabletop.
"Hey g uys," she said. "I'm your babysitter. My name is Sophie."
The cubs stared at her with wide eyes. Sophie shifted under their gaze.
"You're kidding, right?" asked the slightly smaller cub. "But you're just little."
"Well, yes." Sophie stared down at her feet. "I suppose I am."
"Don't be rude," said the larger cub to his brother. "Sorry, Sophie. I'm Buddy. He's Benny."
Once they were introduced, Spohie made small talk with the boys about school and their friends. Suddenly, Benny lifted the ketchup bottle and aimed the spout right at his brother.
"You wouldn't dare," Buddy challenged.
Before Sophie could object, Buddy's tee shirt was spattered in ketchup. He gave a disgusted cry and quickly dove for the mustard. He decorated Benny's shirt in a bright stream of yellow.
"Boys!" yelled Sophie. "Stop that at once."
The cubs exchanged grins and turned on Sophie.
"Uh oh." Sophie was smothered in thick gobs of red and yellow.
The twins roared with laughter. Sophie shook away the condiments like a wet dog.
"Food fight!" Buddy bellowed.
At that, the food began to fly. Hotdogs, chips, pickles-- everything was launched into the air. Sophie dodged a cub-sized cookie that came spinning in her direction. Sophie watched helplessly. The cubs stood on the table and began dueling with a couple of buns. Sophie was then hit with another blast of ketchup. Angry wisps of steam shot from her ears.
She took to the air, encircling the twins in her strong web. She whipped about, drawing the bears in closer and closer until they were bound together. They struggled to get free.
"Now," Sophie began, "you will go upstairs to take a bath while I clean up this mess."
She realeased them, and the cubs trudged upstairs and slammed the door. Sophie went to work. She whipped the dishes into the sink with her sticky web. She had just begun to glide across the countertop on a sponge when she heard a loud crahs from overhead. Her heart sank. She eased over to the staircase and crept up the bannister. Inhaling deeply, she crawled under the bathroom door.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Just Little by Robin Rabun. Copyright © 2013 Robin Rabun. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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