Monster Zoo

By: L. M. Reynolds

Jimmy Jeffreis, better know as J-J to his friends and family, sat on the floor playing his favorite monster video game. 

His head was protected by a warrior helmet and the plastic sword strapped to his waist was ready to be drawn at a moments notice.

J-J's father tapped him on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Get ready, J-J.  We are going to the zoo."

With a big sigh, J-J said, "Ah Dad. Do I have to go?"

His father smiled, "Come on, J-J. I promise we'll have fun."

J-J turned off the game and asked, "Can I wear my helmet and take my sword?"

His father rubbed the top of the helmet and answered with a laugh, "Sure. Why not?"

Marie, J-J's sister, sang all the way to the zoo. 

Before he knew it, they were there.

The first building they entered was the reptile house.

 J-J looked around at the snakes and lizards and noticed that they looked a lot like monsters. 

J-J drew his sword and told his family that he would protect them. 

His imagination carried him into battle with the monsters.

When the scalely monsters curled up and stopped moving, J-J raised his sword in victory.

Marching to the door, J-J said with courage, "Come on. Our journey must continue."

J-J lead his family from the reptile house and straight to the monkey building.

Staring at the spider monkeys, J-J imagined that they suddenly had wings and spike tails.

All of a sudden, J-J raised his sword and pretended to be fighting the monkeys from the Land of Oz. Turning to the chimpanzees, J-J's strength increased. He knew that it would take more power to overcome the bigger monkeys.

Proud that he had defeated the chimpanzees, J-J turned his attention to the gorillas.

He swung his sword hard. J-J laughed when he imagined that the gorillas were just too large to fly and they all fell to the ground into a big pile. J-J raised in sword in victory and yelled, "Don't worry. I'll protect you!"

The next stop was at the polar bear pit. 

When the bear came out of his cave, J-J imagined that it was the abominable snowman. 

With his trusty sword in hand, J-J fought hard and the monster retreated to his cave. 

Once again, J-J had won the battle.

J-J whistled and held his sword tightly as he led his family down the winding path to the lions den.

Marie was too short to see over the wall, so their father picked her up so she could see the lions. 

The large male lion left out a loud roar, then yawned and laid down in the sun.

J-J thought about their own cat, Jeeters, and smiled and said, "No danger here.  Let's go!"

He put the sword back into its holder and waved his family onward.

Standing close to the fence of the zebra cage, J-J watched the zebra line up, one behind the other and his imagination took another journey. 

The zebras became a monstrous, striped centipede with a large head and teeth. J-J drew his sword and fought with all his might. 

Holding his sword up in victory, J-J announced, "We win again! Let's keep going!"

When they reached the giraffes, they were all standing in a big bunch. J-J imagined them to be a big monster with four heads. 

J-J carefully planned his attack. 

He knew that a monster with four heads would not be an easy battle.

J-J had played enough video games, he knew what had to be done. 

His strength and courage lead him to victory over the four-headed monster.

A proud J-J led his family further down the winding path to the elephants. 

The largest of the elephants was sitting down, spraying himself with water. 

J-J's imagination could not pass up a chance like this. 

All of a sudden, the elephant looked like an erupting volcano and the water he was spraying turned into fiery rock. 

The fiery liquid came close to everyone's feet. J-J picked up mud balls and flung them into the opening, clogging up the hole and saving his family from harm.

They came to the end of the zoo and J-J wanted to start all over again, but his family was tired and wanted to go home.

J-J turned back toward the Monster Zoo, held his sword high in the air and yelled, "I'll be back someday. Be ready to defend yourselves!"  

He smiled, slid the sword into its holder and took his mother's hand as they walked out the gate. 

On the way through the parking lot, J-J boasted about all the battles with the monsters and how he had saved his family. 

His mother patted him on the head and praised him, "Thank you J-J.  I am glad you were along to save us. We would have never made it through that jungle without you."

"You are welcome."  J-J held his head high, grasped the handle of his sword and walked proudly to the car.

It had been a hard day of battle for J-J, he was tired and fell asleep in the car before they left the parking lot.