By Katie W., 4th Grade

As I said in Flying Taco part 3, there would be Mini Mysteries coming up, and here they are.

The Mystery of The Missing Mouse

One  fine day, when Taco was eating a cherry, he heard Kim squeal and squeak, as if she were getting kidnapped! Kit had a whistle that sounded like a bird. She had gotten it at the dentist’s as a kid and never used it, until now. ‘Tweet tweet tweet,’ went the whistle and everybody ran toward the house.

When everyone was there, Kit announced, “I heard Kim squeal and squeak, what did you do to her? Now be honest.”

There was a dreadful pause, then Taco said, “It was not me. Honestly.”

Kit said, “Taco it couldn’t have been you. You were snacking on a cherry.”

“I was busy pretending to sleep and I was listening the whole time,” admitted Melody.

“Melody, what did you do to her!?” Kit growled sharply.

“I didn’t even touch her tail or pick her up.” replied Melody.

Kit said “I’ll let you go this time, but if you are caught, you are in BIG trouble!” Melody nodded silently. “It couldn’t of been Lizz or Tizz,” thought Kit cleverly, “They were too busy unpacking. Hmm… It was not any of us. Who could it be?”

“I’d never do a thing like that! It’s so cruel of the kidnapper to steal Kim!” Larry said, horrified. (Dun dun dun!)

Meanwhile, we’ll go to Kim. Kim found herself in a tree and she must have fallen asleep. Kim did not know that she wasn’t with her friends. She was kidnapped! To be specific, she was kidnapped by a leopard, a quite cruel and mean one if you really want to know. “So,” came a voice behind Kim who whipped around finding herself face-to-face with a sleek, slender, mean-faced, leopard. Its name was Lix. “You’re awake.” he said, licking his chops (lips). “I love my prey small and quick. It gives me something to boast about to my friends.”

“I don’t think you’d want to eat me. I’m sour and-” Kim started.

“Shut up.” said Lix. “I eat anything dirty or not.” he said. “Run, run, run, little mousie, I’ll always get to you in the end.” he snickered, showing all his yellow, (some black) ugly teeth.

Kim had enough. “UHG!” Kim said, in a ferocious voice. “STOP TAUNTING ME!” and with that, she threw a punch as hard as she could with all her might.

“Oush!” said a toothless Lix. As small as she was, she could destroy a building. Running as fast as she could, she hopped over logs, poisonous bushes, and most important, spikes (?) with Lix following close behind.

Now back to Taco and the gang; except Kim.

“I do have a book on jungle cannibals- Oh! Here it is.” Kit said, pulling a book out of a basket. “I think this is the Yamaza Jungle. The tribe called the Oomozar live here.”

“D-d-do you think that K-Kim is really captured by c-cannibals?” said Taco, his teeth chattering with fright. Taco was pretty shaken up; he really, really wished he had kept an eye on Kim. I would’ve been shaken up pretty bad too if I was in his position.

“Maybe. I dunno.” Kit said, with a hint of absence in her voice.

“Hey,” called Tizz. “Maybe I could use a strike of lightning to teleport you guys ’round the jungle.”

“This whole jungle is 500 acres. The book says it here: Even though it may look small, the Yamaza Jungle is actually 500 acres.” Kit said.

“Well, we better get going if we’re going to get anywhere.” said Taco, slightly irritated. And they were off, marking their path with sticks, so that if they get lost (in a jungle 500 acres, they will most certainly get lost, using sticks or not) they could follow their sticks. As soon as the clearing was out of sight, a bird called a byrid, known for its parrotlike colors and for giving information to people passing by, swooped down from the tree branches and cocked its head. Will the bird be an enemy and tell Taco and the gang to go to Lix’s tree? Or will the bird give them info about Kim or where the Oomozar’s tribe lies in the jungle? Tell me in comments what you think about the last part you read. This is NOT the end and it is NOT a two parter.

Kim suddenly stopped short to see herself surrounded by weird tikilike dudes, all pointing spears at her, with a look of awe and confusion on their tanned faces. “What do you think? Is this the mouse in the prophecy? The one who destroy building?” they all said. Then another tikilike dude, royally, and richly dressed, stepped out from a grassy teepee. Poisonous and colorful  flowers weaved in tightly.

“Let us put zis stvange mouse to vee test. Kanoo, build zee building.” he said.”My name is Veebozee. Voo are honored. Voo must be hungry.” Kim could just barely make out what he was saying.

“No, I just had lunch. I mean, food.” Kim stammered.

“Vo not be afraid. Make yourself at home.” Veebozee said. An hour later, “Stand beetwveen zeeze buildings and push as hard as voo can.” Turning his attention to his men, Veebozee said, “Prepare vee ceremony. Vis might vee it. Gather vround. Walk up in beetveen those buildings and push vith vour arms.” Kim walked up to the buildings and pushed.

NUG! just can’t do it!” Kim screeched. Everyone gasped.

“I knews it! It’s the mouse!” exclaimed a little boy standing in the crowd.

“All hail Kim! All hail Kim! All hail Kim!” chanted the crowd, bowing.

“Wha?!” said Kim, her furry face turning red. “What do you mean?!” Kim looked to her sides and gaped. She saw two piles of rubble that were once the small buildings . Then there was an uproar in the crowd, and a gasp.

“STOP THIS!” screamed Taco, bursting through the crowd in a huff. “DON’T HURT HER!”

“Listen to him!” said Kim. The crowd mumbled one last ‘All hail Kim’ and listened.

Veebozee spoke up, “She is prophecy. We will not give her to voo. Seize him.” Two guards grabbed Taco by the arm, one sneering, one snickering.

This can’t be happening. Now I’m going to die and everyone knows it, thought Taco, angrily. Taco felt his back tighten.

“Take him to The Cliff of the Dead and get rid of him.”

NO!!!” screamed Kim, Larry, Lizz, Tizz, and Kit.

Then somewhere from the left of Kim came a voice. “There’s no escaping now, little mousie.” said a mean mocking voice. Kim recognized the voice. Lix. Out of the shadows came Lix, barring his teeth fiercely.

“Ahhh; Lix. You missed the ceremony.” Veebozee said, a hint of tartness in his voice.

“I was busy hunting, old man.” replied Lix. “And that,” said Lix, beckoning to Kim. “is my prey.”

“LET ME GO!” screamed Taco, trying to loosen the guards’ grip, but his efforts were in vain. His arms were starting to hurt by how the guards were holding him. “Ouch! You’re hurting me! Loosen your grip!” said Taco, trying to twist out of their grip.

“We know that trick, fool!” said the guards in unison. Just then, Taco felt his back tighten again, and then a crack. “WHA!?” said the guards, surprised. Taco felt himself float forward with a lurch. He had grown wings again!