PAD challenge Trouble

The Trouble with Lady Bugs

Lily had a pet ladybug named Pearl.

Wherever Lily went Pearl went, too.

When Lily flew through the forest,

Pearl flew by her side.

Whenever Lily played hide and seek,

Pearl hid with her.

Whenever Lily went to sleep under a fern,

Pearl cuddled on her pillow.

But one day, Pearl lay on her back very still,

with her little six feet up in the air.

Lily shook Pearl, but Pearl didn’t move.

“What’s wrong with Pearl?” Lily asked.

“The trouble with ladybugs,” said Mama,

“is that they don’t live as long as fairies.”

“Pearl has died,” Mama told her.

“I don’t think she’s dead,” Lily said.

“Wake up, Pearl Wake up!” Lily shouted.

But Pearl didn’t wake up.

“It’s hard to believe it when someone dies,” Mama said.

“Everyone who loses someone has that feeling.”

“I didn’t want Pearl to die!”

Lily yelled and stomped her feet.

“Pearl died because that’s what they do, after awhile.

It’s okay to be mad about bad situations,” said Mama.

Suddenly, an awful thought popped into Lily’s head.

“It’s my fault! I didn’t give her enough water!”

“Don’t blame yourself,” said Mama.

“Pear was getting old. It’s not your fault.”

“We can get you another ladybug,” Mama said.

There are lots of ladybugs in the forest.”

“I don’t want another ladybug,” Lily said. 

She began to cry. “I want Pearl!”

“It’s good to cry, sometimes,” said Mama.

“That’s part of losing someone you love, too.”

They buried Pearl in the backyard.

Lily’s whole family said kind words about Pearl.

Lily cried for several days. She remembered

all the things she and Pearl did together.

One day, a teeny, tiny ladybug crawled across a leaf.

It wandered this way and that. It looked sad.

“Do you want to be my pet?” Lily asked.

“I’ll take care of you and be your friend.”

“I would like that very much,” said the ladybug.

“What’s your name?” Lily asked.

“I don’t have a name,” said the ladybug.

The ladybug was red with black spots.

“I will call you Rose,” Lily said.

“That’s a nice name,” said Rose.

Lily would always miss Pearl.

But she loved Rose very much.