Racing With Sparky
by Isaac Hout
Drip. Drip. Drip. The rain slightly sprinkled down, thus making wet, this quaint, small town. Here in Henryville, there’s not many around. But it doesn’t take much to make us happy, there’s never a frown. 
Maw and Paw began to call,
“Get inside and bring the dog.”
“C’mon Sparky!” I said to my best friend.
“We can’t get wet. We must go in!”
“We don’t want to catch a cold, Plus Maw and Paw told us so.” We began to hike up the hill, running so fast. I raced Sparky, hoping to not come in last.
Sparky’s speed showed, oh that boy sure could go. I’d never beat him, for I was way too slow. Running up the hill and passing the mill, I thought: “I know I’m going to lose. I just know I will.”
Sparky had won, and he’d made it inside,
For I had lost, and was far too behind.
Though I had not won, I still had to finish.
Knowing I needed to put more heart in it.
Now close to my home, I was almost there! But the rain made me slip, I missed the finish by a hair. Maw and Paw witnessed my fall, I was dazed and confused, I couldn’t make out what I saw.
They both raced out, ever so quickly, They saw I was on the ground and needed to help me. I had a cut on my knee, the slip and fall had made. Maw exclaimed to Paw to go inside and get a band-aid.
Paw rushed in and grabbed it quick, He put it on my knee, and the cut was soon fixed. My parents asked: “Johnny, are you ok?” Still dazed, I responded: “Did I win the race?”
Maw and Paw both looked at me and smiled. “No, I’m sorry sweetie, Sparky won by a mile.” Saddened and shaken, so much effort I had put in. I still managed to sit up, and I let out a grin.
My parents walked me inside and gave me some milk. Then I began to express how happy I felt. Though I had lost, due to my speed and the rain above, I was surrounded by people who showed me I was loved.
Maw and Paw both gave me a kiss,
And I thought to myself: “What more could I want than this?” Though I live in a small town with not much to do, I have loved ones there for me, when I get down and blue.
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1. What is happening in the town at the beginning of this story?
a) the streets are flooding from the rain
b) it is storming and hailing
c) it is sprinkling
2. Maw and Paw wanted:
a) the boy to pick up some things at the grocery store
b) the boy and the dog to come inside
c) the boy to take his dog for a walk
3. Who won the race?
a) Sparky
b) the boy
c) Paw
4. What happened to Johnny?
a) he won the race
b) he slipped and hurt his knee
c) he got lost in the woods
5. At the end of the story, why is Johnny happy?
a) Maw had cookies for him
b) he got to go to the movies
c) he was surrounded by people who loved him
