There once was a girl named Becky. One day Becky was walking home from school, when she stopped to pick up a round rock. Now the path she takes runs by a river, and on her way home she always likes to throw rocks into the river. She was winding up to toss the stone into the river when she heard a faint voice say,"Wait, I can't swim."
She searched the river for the source of the voice, but saw nothing. She leaned back prepared to pitch the rock into the river.
"No!" screamed a voice, louder than before. "Stop!"
Startled, she dropped the rock.
"Ouch," said the voice.
Was the rock talking? Becky stooped down and said,
"Hello.""Hello. Look out! Duck!" screamed the rock. Becky ducked just as a bullet wizzed over her head.
"Sorry!" yelled a man from the woods. "Shootin' ducks."
"You saved my life!" Becky said to the rock. "How can I ever repay you?"
"Take me home with you," the rock replied. Becky scooped up the rock and headed for home. She set the rock on her desk and started to go downstairs.
"Wait," said the rock, "put me on the bed so I can sleep."
Becky put the rock on her bed and went downstairs for dinner. At bedtime Becky was getting into bed.
"Rock," she whispered, "Are you asleep?" When she got no reply, she placed the rock on a pillow and set it on the floor. Then she went to sleep.
The next day as Becky got ready for school the rock said, "Take me with you."
"You'll be bored," she warned.
"Take me with you!" the rock insisted.
Sighing, Becky put the rock in her pocket and headed for school.
At recess Becky went to play baseball with the other kids.
"We can't play," Marsha told her. "Billy forgot the ball."
"Use me," said a voice.
"What was that?" asked Marsha.
"Excuse me," Becky said.
She walked behind a tree and took out the rock.
"Use me as a ball," said the rock.
"But rocks are hard!" Becky protested. "Someone could get hurt!"
"Oh I can direct where I go in the air. I promise not to hurt anyone."
"Okay," Becky said. "I have your promise."
Becky walked back to the other kids. "I have this rock that would make a great ball," she said.
"Great!" said Marsha. "Let's play!"
As Becky watched, the rock was doing very will being careful not to hurt anyone.
When it was Becky's turn up to bat the rock flew towards the plate� and hit her right in the head. As Becky fell to the ground she knew she was going to die.
"You killed me!" she said to the rock lying beside her.
"Sorry," said the rock.
And that was that.
