The Ice Storm

Chapter Four

Chips and Charley felt sad taht William left. They felt even worse hearing Rocky and Rhonda talk about leaving in the spring to find the far-away lake. Not that the two of them could not have fun together. It was sad to think of their friends being so far away.

But winter was not over with yet. An ice storm struck the forest. The trees were covered by ice up to an inch thick. In the morning, the trees looked beautiful in the sunlight. They looked like sparkling crystal trees. Chips and Charley wanted to go out and explore the wonderland the ice created, but they changed their minds when they heard the weighed down branches snapping and falling to the ground.

Later in the morning, Rocky and Rhonda show up at Chips' house. A branch fell through the roof of their shelter. They were not hurt, but they were a little frightened. The four friends gathered in Chips' kitchen to drink warm drinks and talk.

They talked about many things: what William might be doing at his new school; how many trees might be destroyed by the ice; what the effects of the ice storm on the area around the Misty Mountains might be like; and so on.

"That must have been quite an adventure having the branch fall through your roof," Charley commented.

"Yes, but we have had other adventures much more exciting than that," said Rocky.

Chips asked, "What was your biggest adventure?"

Rhonda answered, "When we were caught in a forest fire."

"Yes," agreed Rocky, "that was scary. There was a big fire in the section of the forest below the Misty Mountains. We did not know about it until we saw other animals all running in the same direction. We were not sure what they were running from, but we were not about to stick around to find out."

Rhonda added, "So we started running too. Soon we could smell smoke, so we knew what was behind us."

"After awhile, we realized that there was smoke coming from the front of us. We were surrounded by fire!" Rockay exclaimed.

"How did you get out of it?" Charley asked.

"Rocky remembered a large pond that was not very far from where we were, so we ran in that direction as fast as we could," Rhonda explained.

Rocky continued, "When we got to the pond, we jumped in and swam to an island that was in the middle. After we reached then island, we sat on the shore and watched the forest fire."

"It was frightening, yet beautiful at the same time," said Rhonda. "There were large orange flames and so much smoke. Luckily, it rained very hard that evening and the fire was extinguished.

"It was sad to see all the trees that were destoyed. It takes years for a forest to grow bac," Rhonda concluded sadly.

"I am glad you two were safe," said Charley.

"Now you tell us your biggest adventure," suggested Rhonda.

Chips and Charley looked at each other. It would have to be the time they followed a butterfly, Spirit, into a very beautiful, mysterious part of the forest.

"It was so pretty and colorful there," said Charley, "that we forgot to pay attention to where were going, so when Spirit mysteriously disappeared, we were lost."

Chips continued, "So we had to spend the night there. There was a big storm and we were both frightened.

"The next day, we found Spirit again. We almost met a family of deer. One of them showed us the way back home."

"Have you ever seen a deer?" asked Charley.

"No," replied Rocky and Rhonda.

"They are very beautiful, and they were kind," Charley stated.

They continued talking thoroughout the whole day. Chips' mom invited Rhonda, Rocky, and Charley to stay for supper and to sleep overnight. She felt it was dangerous for them to go back outside. Indeed, as they were talking all afternoon, they could hear the branches falling.

They were able to talke Chips' mom into letting them peak out the doorway to see the trees.

The trees were still sparkling brilliantly. The sunset poured a glowing red light through the forest. Everything looked so strange and different the three friends felt they stepped into another world. As wonderful as the magical new world appeared, they also sadly noticed the many broken branches piling up on the forest floor. They felt sad for the trees and they wondered how something that created so much beauty could at the same time be so destructive.

All they knew was that, on a day like this, it was very nice to be safe inside with each other's company.