Emma, with her bright eyes and even brighter smile, loved to play pretend. Playing wasn't just fun for Emma, it was like magic! When she played, she could be a brave princess, a silly unicorn, or anything she could dream up!
Today, Emma was playing with her furry best friend, Yuna, a fluffy dog who was fifty-four years old in dog years! Emma whispered in Yuna's ear, "Let's pretend we're explorers and sail to a deserted island!" Yuna wagged her tail excitedly. Emma giggled. Even though she couldn't understand Yuna's barks, her superpower let her understand what Yuna felt, and Yuna felt ready for an adventure!
Emma grabbed a blanket for a sail and a bucket for a hat. She tossed a squeaky toy into the "boat" for Yuna. "Ready, Captain Yuna?" Emma asked. Yuna barked and hopped onto the blanket-boat. Emma closed her eyes and imagined the ocean waves. When she opened them, they were surrounded by sparkling blue water!
The island was small and covered in soft sand. A little forest grew in the middle, and juicy-looking fruit hung from the trees. But the air felt strange... quiet.
"Hello?" Emma called out.
A sweet song answered her, but Emma couldn't see who was singing. She followed the sound deeper into the forest. The leaves rustled above, and the shadows from the trees grew long and spooky.
"Who's there?" Emma squeaked, holding onto Yuna's fur.
Then, Emma saw it! A little bird, small and colorful, perched on a branch. It tilted its head and sang the prettiest song Emma had ever heard.
"Wow," Emma whispered. Yuna wagged her tail softly, as if she liked the song too.
Emma spent the rest of the day playing with the bird. She pretended the bird was a prince trapped in a tower, and she, a brave knight, had to rescue him! Yuna even joined in, barking at the pretend dragon guarding the tower.
As the sun started to set, the bird flew to Emma's shoulder. It chirped sadly, and Emma understood. It was time for them to go.
"Don't worry," Emma whispered to the bird. "We'll come back and play again tomorrow!"
The little bird chirped and flew away. Emma and Yuna climbed back onto their blanket-boat. Emma closed her eyes and thought of home. When she opened them, they were back in her living room!
Later that night, Emma snuggled into bed. She smiled, remembering the little bird's song. It might have been a spooky island, but Emma knew that as long as she had her imagination and her furry best friend, any adventure, even a spooky one, could be fun!
