WFFF

6/28/26 FIRST DRAFT: Once there was a lonely skunk who wished for a friend to play with. One day he and his parents celebrated his birthday with a small cake, a candle, and a balloon. His mom said, “Son, make a wish before you blow the candle and don’t tell us your wish or it won’t come true.”

Skunk closed his eyes and whispered to himself, “I wish I had a good friend to play with.” He glanced at the red balloon and came up with an idea. He got out a clean sheet of paper, and his favorite blue pen. He put the sheet of paper on the table and began writing a letter. He wrote

Hi, if you receive this letter, would you be my friend? You can write a letter back or come to my house. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Skunk

He put the letter inside the white envelope and tied it to the balloon string. Excitedly, he took the balloon with the envelope attached to it outside. He waited a while for a breeze and then let go of the balloon. The red balloon rose up in the air and the breeze carried it away. Skunk followed the balloon until it was out of his sight and disappeared in the forest.

That night Skunk couldn’t fall asleep. He twisted and turned all night. He tried to count sheep to help him fall asleep but that was no help for his heart was beating fast out of anticipation for hearing from a new friend. In the morning, he woke up early to go outside and wait to meet his new friend or a letter in the mail. He waited and waited but no-one came to his house.

When Madam Blue Jay came to deliver mails, Skunk asked her, “Madam Blue jay, do I have any mails today?” Blue jays looked inside her mail bag, shook her head, and said, “No Skunk, you don’t have any mail today. Are you expecting mail from someone today?”

Skunk told her about the letter and the balloon. Madam Blue jays asked, “Did you include where you live in the letter?” Skunk shook his head, “Oh no, I forgot to write my address.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Maybe someone received your letter but had no way of knowing where you live.”

“Madam Blue jay, what should I do?”

“Ah I am not sure what you should do Skunk. Maybe write another letter or better yet go look for the balloon yourself. I don’t think it flew very far from here.”

“I don’t have another balloon to attach my letter to. I will go look for it.”

“Good luck Skunk!”

“Thank you Madam Blue Jay!”

With that he ran to look for his new friend. First he went to a house at the base of an old pine tree, took a deep breath, and knocked on the wooden door. Gray rabbit opened the door.

“Hi, did you by chance see a red balloon with a letter attached to its string?”

“I did not but I can help you find it.”

“Really?”

Gray rabbit nodded. Skunk grinned ear to ear and together they ran to the next house by the tall redwood tree. Skunk took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Squirrel came out.

“Hi, did you by chance see a red balloon with a letter attached to its string?”

“No, I did not, but I can help you find it.”

Together Skunk, Gray Rabbit and Squirrel ran to the next house by the pine tree. Fox came out.

“Hi, did you by chance see a red balloon with a letter attached to its string?”

“No, I didn’t but I can help you find it.”

Together they searched and searched but still no sign of the red balloon. Finally, there was only one house left that they haven’t knocked on. Fox said, “I am scared of that house. There’s a big angry bear that lives in that house, and he absolutely does not want anyone to enter his house.”

“We have to check to make sure.”

“No he will eat us if we disturb him I am sure of it.”

“How do you know?”

“One night I went home from visiting my grandpa’s house and I walked by his house in the evening. I heard noises from the inside, and I swear it sounded like he was eating something alive. I heard two different sounds, a loud chewing sound, then a roar, then crying of a baby animals.”

Fox trembled and shuddered at the memory.

“I’m not knocking on that door.”

“Fine! Let’s quietly peek through the windows or cracks on the wall.”

The four of them held their breath and tiptoed quietly towards the house. They heard chewing noises from inside the house. Skunk, Squirrel, Rabbit took a sneak peak through the cracks on the wall. They were all scared and shaky. There was no balloon anywhere from where they stood but they could see a grizzly bear sitting at a table and eating a big orange pumpkin. There were no other bears in the house.

Skunk moved to a different spot to get a good view of the rest of the house. And sure enough, there it was! The Red Balloon was just attached to a small table behind Grizzly Bear. The letter was no longer attached to string, and currently sitting neatly on the small table. Skunk whispered, “Come here, quick!” and gestured with his hand to ask them to come over.

As they walked toward him, Fox accidentally stepped on a dried branch and it broke. Immediately they saw Grizzly Bear poking his head out of the window.

“Who’s that?” he asked.

They were all terrified.

“RUN!!!” Fox screamed.

They all ran as fast as they could with Fox leading the way. They heard heavy stomping from behind. Fox turned around, widened his eyes, and screamed, “HE’S CHASING US.”

“Hey, Hey, Stop! I want to talk to you.”

Fox and the others kept on running, but Skunk stopped, breathing heavily. His heart was beating hard, and he wasn’t sure whether it was because of the running or because of the big grizzly bear.

“What were you guys doing outside my house?”

“We were looking for a red balloon with a letter attaching to the string. I saw it in your house.”

“That red balloon belongs to you?”

“Yeah.”

“And you wrote the letter?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been looking for you, but I don’t know where you live,” said Grizzly Bear quietly.

“Really? I live by the big old oak tree by the river.”

“I can play with you if you want.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, any time you want.”

“I can play with you too. Any time you want.”

From then on, Skunk and Grizzly Bear became the best of friends along with Rabbit, Squirrel, and Fox.