The Experiment

“Joe, come on down here.” Mom said.

“Why?” I asked.

“ Just… Just come down here. Fast!”

“Fine.” I grumped.

“Why did you make me come down here?” I mumbled to my mom.

“Your babysitter is here.” She answered. “I’m  going on a hike, remember?”

“Yes. I remember.” I hate getting babysat.

“Hello Brit.” Mom said to my babysitter.” Joe goes to bed at 8:30. The emergency numbers are on the refrigerator.”

“See you in , Joe. Be good.” She said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

“You can do whatever you want Joe.Can I watch TV? My favorite TV shows on.” Brit asked very rudely.

“I don’t care.” I mumbled.

I stomped up the stairs, down the hallway, and into my bedroom.

The only thing I really like is science. I love Space, weather, everything. But there's one thing I love the most. Making potions. I also love animals.

I started making stinky, gross, and horrifying potions when I was 5. I’m 10 now, almost eleven. So I’ve been making potions for about 6 years. And today, today I’m making the worst of them all. The stinkiest, grossest, most horrifying potion in the world. And, I’m going to drink it.

The ingredients are: Earthworms, dirt, skunk spray, sap from a tree and paint.

After I mix it all up, I look up how much of a chance I’ll die. If it’s over 80%, I wouldn’t do it. There was a 70% chance I’ll die. But, there is a 10% chance something awesome will happen.

“This is going to be epic.” I whisper to myself.

I drink it.

It didn’t taste too bad.

“Time to go to bed. It’s 8:30.” Brit yelled. “Get into your pj’s and do whatever you do before bed.”

“Oh man.”

The next morning, I woke up. Feeling queasy.

I throw up.

I see worms and all this disgusting stuff I ate yesterday night.

“Is everything all right up there Joe!” Brit yells from downstairs.

“Sort of.” I yell back to her.

I walk downstairs, not telling Brit what just happened.

I grab some cereal.

“Did you sleep well?” Brit asked.

“I guess.” I say, sleepily.

Honk, honk.

“Well, that’s the school bus. Time for you to go to school.”

“Bye, Brit.” I say getting my backpack.

“Bye. See you later.” She replied.

Science finally came today! Yay. Mr. Dunkit, my science teacher, is talking about Photosynthesis, but I’m not concentrating. I feel like I’m going to puke again.

“May I go to the bathroom Mr. Dunkit?” I asked.

“Yes, but make it snappy.” He replied.

I ran out of the classroom, heading straight to the bathroom.

Ring, ring.

And school is over.

To get to my house, you have to walk past a theater, a bunch of shops, and go through the woods.

“Hello.”

“A human! Run!”

“I want food!”

“Yum. A nut.”

“Hello?” I said to the wilderness. “Is anyone here? I hear something and it’s really creepy.”

“Hello.” A squirrel said to me, crawling up to my shoulder.

“AHHHH!” I screamed.

“It’s fine. You can hear me. I can hear you.”

“Wha-wha-what are you?” I asked, stunned.

“A squirrel. Duh.”

“Yeah, but why can you talk.”

“Of course I can. All living things can talk.” The squirrel said. “But normally, humans don’t understand animals. Did you drink something gross recently?”

“Yeah. I drank worms and stuff like that.” I answered.

“Yep. That’s it.”

"I don't get this. What in the world is going on right now!" I asked.

"Well. Since you ate worms, the worms eat the outside of your brain. In the inside of your brain, you are much smarter. Most people don't use the inside of their brain, only the outside. But, since the worms ate the outside of your brain, you only have the inner brain. Which is why you can talk to animals.” The squirrel answered. “Any questions?”

There were so many questions zooming around in my brain.

“Yes. Question number 1. I can talk to any animal in the world?”

“Well, not exactly. You can only talk to woodland animals.”

“Question number 2. How are you so smart?”

“Ha. I have no idea.”

“And question number 3. Will the worms infect the inner part of my brain?”

“No.”

“Brit! Guess what just happened!” I exclaimed.

“What!” She said running into the room.

“I talked to a squirrel!”

“Ha. Are you serious? Aren’t you a little old for pretending to talk to animals?”

“I’m serious!”

“Well then. I don’t believe you.” She said. “And, since this is very odd, I’m taking you to a doctor.”

“But I’m serious.” I said in disbelief. “You're the one that needs to go to the doctor!”

“His temperature is fine. I don’t think he has a fever.” Dr. Phedrick says to Brit. “Why is he here again?”

“Joe keeps on saying he was talking to animals.” Brit replies.

“It’s true!” I say.

“Well, there are some scientists and doctors that think that humans can talk to animals.” Dr. Phedrick said.

“How is that possible?” Brit asked in disbelief.

“Well. I think Joe ate worms. Right Joe?”

“Yes.” I said glumly.

“So,” turning to Brit. “Since he ate worms, the worms eat the outside of his brain. In the inside of his brain, he’s much smarter. Most people don't use the inside of their brain, only the outside. But, since the worms ate the outside of his brain, he only has the inner part of the brain. Which is why he can talk to animals.”

“Told you.” I said to Brit.

“Hey Joe.” Brit said when we got home. “I’m sorry for not believing you.”

“It’s okay. It’s even hard for me to wrap my head around.” I said.

“I was wondering if you maybe, possibly, want to go on a walk with me in the woods and find your furry friends.”

“Of course I do.”

“Hey squirrel.” I said to the squirrel I was talking to before.

“Hi. Who’s that?” He asked.

“This is my babysitter. Brit.”

“Hi.” Brit said.

And that night was filled with laughter and happiness.