Mick McArt - The Skipping Stone of Wordishure

This is a work of fiction. Except in references to the Lord Jesus Christ, the events and characters described herein are imaginary and not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

Tales of Wordishure: The Skipping Stone of Wordishure

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2012 Mick Art Productions

V1.0

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphics, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Mick Art Productions, LLC

www.mickartproductions.com

ISBN: 9781619798014

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

"And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

Luke 19:8

Edward loved to skip stones. He could make one skip easily nine or ten times. One stone he had thrown skipped so much that he lost count! Today, he thought to himself, "I'm going to skip one across all of Lil' Valley Pond!"

Grandma had sent Edward out with a basket to collect squishberries, a delicacy in Trusthymn Village. But, after a few hours of picking berries, Edward decided to practice skipping a few stones. Not long after walking along the shore of the pond, Edward found the perfect skipping stone. It was smooth and round, like one of Grandma's squishberry pancakes! He paused for a moment and thought about saving it for the perfect day, but everyday is perfect in the land of Wordishure!

His sandals made a "schlop, schlop, schlop," sound as he waded out ankle deep into the pond. The water of Lil' Valley Pond was cool and refreshing. He loved it when his parents brought him here for picnics and swimming. He hoped to be baptized here when he was ready.

Edward waited patiently until the wind died down. Then, as the birds hushed their singing, and the sun was high in the sky, he slowly drew his arm behind his back. With a mighty hurl, he sent the stone flying. It flew straight down the center of the pond. Edward was pleased. Knowing it would make it across the pond, he started counting the skips. The perfect stone skipped, tapped, spun around, and tapped again. Suddenly, there was a "tap, tap, a thunk..." and a big "ouch!"

"Tap, tap, thunk...ouch?" Edward thought. That doesn't seem right. There should have been more taps, maybe even a thunk, but never an ouch. As Edward pondered this sound, a mysterious voice from a nearby lily pad spoke to him, "Excuse me sir, is this your stone?"

Edward looked down and saw a frog with a large bump on its head. It was holding the perfect skipping stone that the boy had just thrown.

"I am sorry," said Edward sheepishly. "I did not see you out there."

"I don't usually see stars until nightfall," commented the frog, rubbing the bump on his head.

"My name is Edward," stated the boy, pocketing the stone the frog gave him. "I'm practicing to become the best stone skipper in Trusthymn Village. Who are you?"

"Hmmm...," said the frog. "I don't know, I don't remember what I was doing here."

"Why, you're a frog," insisted Edward.

"That would explain my weird craving for bugs," remarked the frog.

"Yuck," said Edward. "You should try squishberries, they're much better. I've got some in a basket right over here."

"Okay, but there's a swarm of delicious fat gnats over there with my name on it," the frog responded.

As soon as they reached the place on shore where the boy had left his basket of squishberries, Edward noticed that it was gone! "Oh no!" cried Edward, "I spent all morning picking squishberries for Grandma, and now they're missing!"

Edward was very upset. He knew Grandma had promised to make squishberry pancakes for all the people at church. Edward loved attending Fellowship Church every Sunday, and to be with others who loved Jesus. Fellowship Church was a big ship that floated on Waterdove Lake. Edward enjoyed holding his grandma's hand as they walked down the wooden dock leading up to the church. Although the dock to the ship was narrow, it was also stable and sure. You'd never fall off as long as you kept your eyes looking forward. He knew some people that had fallen in, but they were watching their feet instead of trusting what was before them. Every Sunday, Fellowship Church would float out on the lake with the sounds of joyful hymns, and the preaching of God's Word emanating from the heart of the vessel.

"Look," observed the frog. "A trail of squishberries! Whoever took them was in a hurry, and real sloppy!"

Soon Edward and the frog were walking and hopping down the trail of the missing squishberries. "You don't have to hop, Edward," said the frog.

"I like hopping," revealed Edward, bouncing up and down.

As they walked away from Lil' Valley Pond and through Whittlewood Forest they came to a clearing. "We're at the top of Tumbledown Hill," noted Edward, looking at the sign that named the location.

It was a tall hill with thick green grass that was much too tempting to resist. "What do we do now?" asked the frog.

"Just like the sign says, mister frog. Let's tumble down the hill," giggled Edward.

"Good," said the frog "because my legs are fried!"

Edward and the frog took a few steps down the hill, crouched down sideways and then began tumbling down the hill.

"This is fun!" shouted Edward.

"It sure beats walking," laughed the frog, "but it sure is making me dizzy. I can't remember ever being this dizzy."

"You lost your memory, remember?" Edward noted, tumbling along.

"Now I'm really confused," expressed the frog as they reached the bottom of the hill.

"Help!" exclaimed another voice.

Edward looked all around him and could not see anyone.

"I'm up here," came the voice from above his head.

Edward looked up, and there, fluttering over him, was a very worried-looking firefly.

"Help me, sir! There's a frog over there and he's looking real hungry," the firefly shouted, flying behind Edward to hide.

"Don't worry friend," reassured Edward. "He's helping me look for squishberries. He won't eat you."

"Fireflies give me heartburn," croaked the frog while tapping his chest. "That's something you never forget!"

"Did you say squishberries?" asked the firefly.

"A whole basket of them," pleaded Edward.

"Someone just came through here with a big ol' basket of them," revealed the firefly. "And they were in a big hurry!"

"Please help me find them," pleaded Edward. "It is really important."

"There is one catch," responded the firefly. "Mister...?"

"My name is Edward," the boy answered.

"Well, Mr. Edward, my name is Liddlelite and my friend, Taylite, was caught by a fisherman. He stuck Taylite in a glass jar so that his light would attract some of Shallowpond's biggest fish," continued the firefly. "But the fisherman left him floating in the jar out in the middle of the water, and I don't know how to rescue him. Taylite is the one who saw where the squishberries went," recalled Liddlelite sadly.

Edward and the frog looked up and saw that indeed, they were close to the edge of Shallowpond, one of Wordishure's favorite fishing spots. And sure enough, floating out in the pond was a glass jar with a glowing light coming from inside.