My Day as a Pancake

Mallory rolled out of bed on the morning of the first day of school. She was feeling excited. Her new school outfit hung in her closet; the new shoes were by the door. Her fancy hair ribbons were sitting on her desk.

The sight that greeted her eyes in the mirror horrified her. She blinked and looked a second time. “Mom!” she called. “Please come here immediately!”

“Just a moment, honey. I’m frying the bacon.”

“Mom, it’s an emergency!”

“What could be such an emergency this morning?” asked Mom as she climbed up the stairs. Suddenly, she stopped. “Mallory, is that you under there?”

“Yes, Mom, it’s me. Something must have happened in the middle of the night! Do I look like a puffy pancake to you?”

“What did you eat? Did you drink something unusual?”

“Well, I did drink a chocolate shake that a stranger at the store gave me yesterday.”

“Mallory, you know what we’ve said about taking things from strangers!”

“I know, Mom, but what can we do about it now? I’ve already turned into a pancake, and I don’t know how to change back. What am I going to do? It’s the first day of school!”

Mallory tried to get out of her pajamas but could barely wiggle her toes. She was stuck. Her mom called the doctor, and she said to come immediately.

“So much for wearing my new outfit and my new shoes,” grumbled Mallory. She had been so excited about the first day of school. Now, though, she was glad that she didn’t have to go to school looking the way she did. No matter how fantastic her clothes were, they couldn’t hide the way she looked today!