The Sasquatch Escape (The Imaginary Veterinary) by Suzanne Selfors Page B

big mess. But no one got hurt. You two wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
    “No,” Pearl and Ben said.
    “What about the net that was left in the forest? Do you know anything about that?”
    “No,” Pearl and Ben said.
    “Well, Mrs. Mulberry and Victoria Mulberry got tangled in the net, but they’re okay. No harm done.” Officer Milly pointed to the rolled-up paper in Pearl’s hand. “Whatcha got there?”
    “We got jobs at the worm hospital,” Pearl said.“We’re going to work Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all summer.”



“What do you do at a worm hospital?” Officer Milly asked.
    “Feed the worms,” Ben said.
    “Take them for walks,” Pearl said.
    “And give them baths,” Ben added. “Stuff like that.”
    “All summer, huh?” Officer Milly chuckled. “Well, it sounds like it will keep you two out of trouble. Come on, I’ll give you both a ride home.”
    Ben and Pearl climbed into the backseat. As they rode to Pine Street, Ben might have been thrilled about riding in the back of a police car. But his brain was flooded with images—the dragon swooping between clouds, the hatchling dangling from Barnaby’s mouth, the sasquatch eating butterscotch pudding. And, of course, the tail poking out from Mr. Tabby’s vest. All those things were way better than any story Ben had ever told.
    “How come you two are so quiet?” Officer Millyasked, glancing at them in the rearview mirror. “You got some secrets?”
    Ben smiled at Pearl. Pearl smiled back.
    Grandpa Abe was still at the senior center when Ben arrived back at his house. Barnaby was lying in wait beneath a bird feeder, swatting at chickadees. Once inside, Ben opened his sock drawer and tucked the Sasquatch Catching certificate way in the back. Monday couldn’t arrive fast enough. What would happen at Dr. Woo’s secret hospital? Perhaps he’d learn why the doctor had been covered in fairy dust? And who or what eats kiwi-flavored jelly beans? Perhaps he’d learn where to find the Imaginary World.
    Or maybe he’d actually go there.
    He scooped Snooze out of the cage and cradled him in his hands. “I think it’s going to be a great summer,” he told his hamster. Snooze stared at Ben with his beady black eyes. Then he curled up into a ball and fell asleep. Ben tucked Snooze back into his nest and closed the cage. Life is simple ina plastic rectangle, where nothing changes.
    But sometimes change is just what life needs. Sometimes change is a very good thing.
    Ben smiled. Then he headed into the kitchen to do the dishes.





CREATURE CONNECTION
Wyvern
    Stories about dragons are found all over the world, but the stories that come from Eastern cultures are very different from the stories that come from the West.
    Dragons from the East tend to be friendly and helpful. They often have important lessons to teach humans, and they live peacefully. Killing one of these dragons is considered a tragedy.
    The tradition in the West is to write about dangerous dragons. These fire-breathing creatures often burn villages to the ground, hoard treasure, and eat sheep, cows, and sometimes children. Stories about Western dragons tend to be about a hero who must slay the dragon to save a village or even a damsel in distress. Western dragons guard their treasure and will kill anyone who tries to take it.
    The dragon hatchling that Ben found on his bedwas a wyvern. The wyvern is one type of Western dragon. It is different from other Western dragons because it has two legs rather than four. Descriptions of wyverns differ from story to story, but most describe them as ranging from muddy brown to a greenish color. Like other Western dragons, the wyvern has wings and can fly. In some stories it shoots flame, while in others it shoots poison. It is often said to have a barbed tail and a neck and head that are very snakelike. Some say wyverns come from Africa and that their favorite food is the elephant. But this dragon became very popular in the Middle