THE INBESTIGATORS (EZRA'S LOVE STORY)

(13) PET ADOPTION FAIR

Today is the worst day of my life.

Our school has volunteered to host the Pet Adoption Fair at our soccer field.

It's an animal-related fair that features the appeal of pets.

Ava, as the head of the school events student council, has forcefully turned the Inbestigators into "zookeepers."

That's what Ava calls the helpers.

Kyle was assigned to go to Fishy Farms and Maudie to Bird Base.

I gladly volunteered to go to Scales and Shells Shack, the reptile section of the fair, because I'd rather be with snakes and lizards than the dogs in Puppy Palace.

You can already tell from the names that they were all named by Ava.

I was moving things and stuff when I heard Ava's scream.

If you've been friends with Ava for five years, you start to recognize what her screams are like.

I rush to the scream.

I drew closer to the source, but what I realized terrified me.

I was in Puppy Palace!

I thought about ignoring Ava and going back, but Ava might need help, so I gathered my courage and continued.

I see Ava, but beside her was a broken dog fence.

I was alert and cautious when walking towards Ava.

You don't know when a dog might come at you and lick your face.

I was about to speak when I was startled by something who suddenly touched my shoulder with no warning.

Me: Aaagh!

I fell down, and I covered my face to prevent it from being attacked or licked.

Maudie: Ezra, it's me. What are you doing?

Me: Maudie?

I stood up and pretended that nothing had happened.

Me: I was uhh... startled. Yes, I was startled. It has nothing to do with dogs.

She giggled and smiled.

Maudie: Sure.

She walked up to Ava, who was frantic and moving all around.

Ava: Maudie, this is bad. The dog fence broke, and now all the dogs are gone.

Maudie: Don't worry, Ava. Ezra and I will help you get them back.

Me: Wait, what? Why me? You guys know I'm allergic.

Ava: Kyle is busy with the fair, and he's on the other side of the field. You're our only hope.

Maudie: You're not getting out of this Ezra.

Me: Fine, but how are we going to look for them?

Maudie: This place is full of witnesses. We can go ask them.

Ava: Let's split up. We'll find them faster this way.

Maudie: I should stick with Ezra so he won't escape.

At least one good thing did happen today, inbestigating with Maudie.

We went around the field asking people, looking for the dogs and returning them to Puppy Palace one by one.

We were looking for the last dog when Maudie spots it.

We walked closer, and we found that its leash was caught under large boxes of canned catfood.

Maudie suggested we pull the leash together.

The leash was rather short, and there was little space to grab on, so our hands were touching when we were pulling it.

We managed to free the dog and returned him to Puppy Palace.

Ava: Thank you guys so much for helping me out.

Me: No problem, Ava, it's what the Inbestigators do.

Ava: Oh, I just remembered I have two coupons to that new ice cream shop that just opened.

Maudie: You should give this to Kyle. He would love it.

Ava: The coupon is for a special product exclusively for two people. I was going to go with Pixie, but I bet you two would enjoy it.

Ava had a sly grin and winked in my direction, carefully making sure that Maudie didn't see.

She gave us the coupons and left.

Maudie: When should we go to the ice cream shop?

To be continued