Benjamin in Blunderland - Part 4

This is a collaborative story! If you have not read the first three parts, then please do so via the links below:

Part 1, written by Rowan Finely:

Part 2, written by Sibley Shamra:

Part 3, written by Colleen Walters:

Part 4, (Conclusion) - written by Rowan Finley:

Samuel, who was affectionately called No-Name by most people in Blunderland, scratched his furry head. He thought hard for a moment. Raising his eyebrows, he paused and then said,

"There are far too many things going on in Berganashio at this time! Don't ask me how I know what I know, but the time is not right for you two to go there. Maybe one day... but I believe contentment can be found right here in Blunderland for now."

Josiah and little Benjamin nodded in agreement.

The sage, furry, little, critter Samuel continued,

"Speaking of secret places that nobody hardly even knows about... there is a special pond over that way that you can go fishing in but there are no fish in the pond... but some other yummy treat!"

Benjamin's eyes lit up with more excitement. In-between bites of his creamsicle and kettle corn, he asked,

"What's in there?"

Samuel pulled out two finishing poles made out of bamboo.

"It's a surprise! Take these fishing poles and let your fishing lines in and you'll see! Oh, and why don't you ride on the zebras! They like what's in the pond too."

Josiah smiled. He felt like a transformed father. Being in Blunderland, with his son Benjamin, had brought out his childlike heart out again.

"We'll be sure not to accidentally wipe their stripes off so they don't get embarrassed!"

Samuel giggled.

"They can certainly be a bit vain about their stripes it seems... so wise choice!"

He waved the father and son pair a farewell as they rode off on the zebras. Josiah clasped the two bamboo fishing poles tightly. Benjamin clung to the zebra in pure delight as he eyed the black stripes.

"Do you talk too?"

Benjamin asked the zebra that his father had placed him on gently.

"Of course we talk, but we'd prefer to not talk much, unless we're talking about matters of fact that are black and white! Any matters that are too gray, we just won't have anything to say..."

The zebra retorted back, somewhat offended.

"Oh!"

Benjamin looked at his father who quietly laughed at the zebra's response.

Meanwhile, Samuel had skipped over to see the beaver's sweaters that they were knitting on the right-side-up train.

"How much you selling those for anyhow?"

He asked. They didn't hear him at first, so he yelled the question a little louder. The upside-down-train track with the groundhogs in the carts still went round and round and unfortunately the groundhogs were still on strike and the strike didn't seem to be ending any time soon.

After several moments of plodding along, Josiah and Benjamin found the pond tucked away in the woods. It was a beautiful silvery pond that glimmered and glistened in the sunlight. They cast their fishing lines in, still quite unsure what they might catch and before long, they felt tugs and pulled up quick.

"Gummy bears?"

Benjamin shrieked in amazement.

"Sure enough! Wonder what flavors they are?"

Without hesitation, they popped them in their mouths.

"Strawberry flavor!"

Benjamin joyfully laughed.

"Mine is caramel flavored!"

Josiah said as the zebras stamped their hooves impatiently.

"Don't worry the next ones we catch will be for you."

Josiah cast the fishing line back into the silver water. Within seconds, there was another gummy bear on the end of the hook which he fed to one of the zebras. The zebra quietly grinned with a long-toothed grin of appreciation.

Josiah looked at his son affectionately.

"Son, I promise to be a better father from here on out. When we go back to our world, things will be different. We can start playing baseball at the park if you like and of course we can come back here from time to time."

"Oh dad, that would be the best!"

That day, they ate lots of gummy bears, until their stomachs couldn't handle any more. They fed even more gummy bears to the zebras. Samuel snapped his fingers from the other side of Blunderland and Josiah and Benjamin were suddenly back in their usual world, but their smiles were forever changed.

The End.