Unseen Passage for Class 5 - Passage 09

I had my school bag on my back and a leash in my hand. It was "Pets at School" day! My dog Max was happily walking beside me as we made our way to the bus stop. The other kids in my neighborhood were also bringing their pets. Lily had a fishbowl with her Siamese fighting fish, Sparky. Jake had a crate with his cat, Whiskers, inside. Sarah had a birdcage with her parakeet, Bluebell, perched on a small swing. We were all excited to have our furry and feathered friends with us.

Once we boarded the bus, things took a turn for the worse. The bus was filled with noise! The usual chatter of the kids was mixed with the sounds of the animals, who seemed to have forgotten their inside voices. The smell was overwhelming too. Max's nose was going crazy, trying to sniff all the new scents, and it was a challenge to get him settled in a seat. When we finally found seats, another dog came up to us, her leash trailing behind her. Max and the other dog started sniffing each other and playing.

"Fluffy! Come back here!" shouted one of the third graders. The dog ran toward the voice. The bus driver's voice came through the speaker, reminding everyone to hold on to their pets and keep them from running around the bus.

Finally, we arrived at school. As we exited the bus, I stepped in a small puddle. "Ew, someone's pet made a mess..." I muttered to myself. I wiped my shoes on the grass and glanced at the schoolyard.

It looked like a zoo! Animals were everywhere! Dogs of different shapes and sizes, colorful birds in cages, rabbits, chinchillas, and hedgehogs in small carriers. And some animals were running freely on the grass and sidewalks, with kids chasing after them in every direction!

They were causing chaos. Food and bedding were scattered across the grass. Some kids weren't cleaning up after their pets when they went to the bathroom. Fur was floating in the air. If the outside looked like this, I didn't even want to imagine what the inside would be like, I thought to myself.

Then, something astonishing caught my attention. I saw a kangaroo hopping around the grass! And a peacock strutting up the stairs! I had no idea people could have them as pets...

I walked into the school building and the hallways smelled even worse than the bus. Animals were still running wild, and there were messes everywhere. My classroom was no exception. Mrs. Johnson, my teacher, looked overwhelmed as she instructed us to keep our pets in their cages or keep them leashed to our desks during class. While she was talking, she slowly started transforming into a parrot...

And then I woke up, snug in my bed. No wonder our school doesn't have a "Pets at School" day! I realized. As much as I love Max, I was relieved that I didn't have to worry about him or his messes all day at school.