Gaktus the Cactus was no ordinary gecko - no, he was a little cowboy gecko. Every day, he would perch on the same rock and bask in the morning sunlight. There, he would also take naps in the hot afternoon sun with his cowboy hat to shade his eyes.
One day, Gaktus the Cactus decided that he wanted to go on an adventure to be a real cowboy. He left at the break of dawn, wishing his basking rock—as that was all he had left—goodbye and set off.
He ventured through the great plains that consisted of tall grasses and slithering, deadly snakes. He would have to be careful as to not be caught up in one of the slithery noodle's sharp fangs and swallowed whole.
Along came a great storm. Storms were a common occurrence in the great plains, but this seemed different to Gaktus the Cactus. Never in his whole four years of his little gecko life had he witnessed a storm filled with such fury, such anger, such power.
Thunder rumbled in the distance with far strikes so powerful Gaktus could feel the earth shake underneath his little gecko feet. Clouds darker than night rolled in, blanketing the once beautiful, blue sky and warm, bright sunlight with nothing but cold and calm - a calm that warned of danger. Just like how the ocean tide flattened just before a storm, the great plains became eerily still and silent.
Gaktus the Cactus was unsure on what was happening at first. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was suddenly the last thing alive for miles around. Then, he saw it.
The black clouds swirled in the sky. They seemed to spin faster and faster until they reached hungrily for the ground in a tight, raging twister. Gaktus the Cactus didn't know what to do.
He merely stood there, watching as the tornado touched the very soil he walked upon, greedily sucking up and spitting out anything and everything in its path. Gaktus the Cactus wasn't scared, no. He has faced many challenges before. What harm could just one small, measly twister do?
Gaktus the Cactus held his ground. Even as the tornado got bigger as it neared, its powerful winds threatening to pick the little gecko off of the ground, he didn't move. He was determined to hold off.
He looked the storm dead in the eye. He showed no fear for a bunch of clouds. Why would he? He's Gaktus the Cactus!
He looked it dead in the eye and said in his squeaky, gecko voice, "I ain't scared of you, twister! Bring it on!"
The twister rushed forwards. Gaktus could hear the whistling winds of the storm; it reminded him of the steam engine that frequently passed his basking rock. Just as it seemed like it would take the little gecko with it, it lifted up off the ground, releasing its hold of anything currently in its grip.
Debris fell around the gecko as the green clouds dissipated, leaving behind a tranquility of the familiar blue sky and warm sunshine. Gaktus the Cactus had survived yet another face of danger and could go home to greet the evening sunset with a satisfaction of victory.
