A Little Thing Called Imagination

Chapter 15

 Chester lay with his head comfortably situated in his paws as he watched the rambunctious kindergarteners scramble amuck the playground. Jake, or Tweetele three, the final Tweetle to hatch, had perched himself on the branch that was just next to his.

"I thought you said Recess would be over soon."

"Yes, yes, yes! It will! Just be patient, Jake. I've done this many, many, many more times than you have. Trust me."

"You haven't been around for that long."

"You know what I mean! Just- look. The whistle will be signaled soon. Ok?"

"Alright, Chester. If you say so."

Just then, almost as if directly on cue, the grating, agonizingly sharp cry of a metal whistle being blown by a teacher; or staff member, Chester could hardly tell the difference, rang out across the playground.

Chester did his very best not to give Jake a cheeky 'I told you so' glance. He only half-succeeded in that, as only a few seconds later, a brief chuckle somehow forcibly emitted itself from Chester's throat just as Jake looked over at him. Jake dared not respond, instead choosing to slowly and carefully climb down the branches to the ground below, where Bengeman, Tony, and Daisy waited for him. After he shook off his previously acquired smugness, Chester followed.

"Where's mom?" Jake asked his siblings once he was on the ground.

"She's looking for lunch. I don't know exactly where she is right now, but we should probably stay put until she comes back." Daisy quickly responded.

"Oh, okay."

The group proceeded to sit in silence for a few seconds until one of them inevitably got bored.

"So Jake.." said Tony.

"Yeah?"

"Excited to learn to fly?"

"Well, I mean, it's an exciting thing to learn, but at the same time, it seems kinda scary, ya know, I mean, what if you fall?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Jake! If you can fly, you won't fall!"

"Yeah, but-"

"Tell ya what? We've been stretching our wings and hopping off the ground for... how long? A month now? I think it's finally time to put ourselves to the test and try to fly for real! I say me, you, and Daisy jump off that branch you were sitting on, and actually try to fly!"

"What? Are you kidding me? I-I'm not ready for that yet-"

"Jake's right! And shouldn't we wait until Tweeteleet comes back?" Chester abruptly added.

"I agree with Chester." Bengeman calmly stated. "You guys aren't ready yet! Tweeteleet will show you how to do it when the time comes, but that time is not now! Can't you guys just be patient for one minute-"

"Bengeman." Daisy quickly retorted, "I don't think you understand how long we have been waiting. I have been patient. For. Months. This is going to be a tough step to take, but I think it's time I start taking matters into my own wings."

"But... uuugh! Chester, I really hate to admit it, but arguing with them about this is useless! Now that they're like this, there's nothing we can do to stop them! But please! Don't force Jake to do it with you! If he doesn't feel comfortable doing it yet, then don't make him!"

"Uh.... yeah. What Bengeman said.'' Chester said as a failed attempt to add something meaningful to Bengeman's statement.

"Well, then let's ask Jake what he wants to do then! He never outright said he didn't want to try!" Tony snapped back.