By Greg Brawner
8th grade, San Diego county
Illustrated by Grant Union High School Students
A long time ago, on a farm far, far away, lived a young cucumber named Cuke.
Cuke was chilled as he watched the destruction of his
homeland by the evil minions of the Insect Empire lead by the
sinister Roach Vader. The Empire had invaded his garden-like
planet with the intent of destroying all plant life forms.
One day, as Cuke was watching the evil bugs destroy the farm, a platoon of aphids descended on his family's vine and annihilated all of his relatives by sucking the plant sap out of their defenseless bodies. Cuke narrowly escaped because he was growing on the side of a hill. He rolled down the hill and stopped at the feet of his friend, Obe Juan Cantalopie. Obe Juan, startled out of his siesta, yelled "Ai caramba! Who is there?" Cuke quickly explained to Obe Juan that the Evil Empire had invaded the garden.
Obe Juan knew exactly what had to be done! He used his pruning shears to sever his own vine, never to return. He and Cuke set off to the Salad Bar where they knew they could find a way to get out of the garden and get help. Inside the Salad Bar they ran into all kinds of peculiar vegetables playing musical instruments.
They quickly spotted who they were looking for at a corner table.
It was Fronds (as in palm) Solo, the famous crop dusting pilot known
for his conquests of insects far and wide. Obe Juan sat down at the
table with Fronds and told him of the trouble back at the garden. Cuke
looked on with crisp innocence as the two old friends made plans to
destroy the Empire.
The next morning, Cuke, Obe Juan, and Fronds Solo filled his Geranium
Falcon airplane with a secret weapon… LADYBUGS and their army of
beneficial insects! The bugs were ready for action as they lined up
in Fronds' ship ready to jump at his command. They soared high into
space and, through a wormhole in the garden fence, lined up the plane
for the deadly attack. Things in the garden were much worse than when
Obe Juan and Cuke had left. As Fronds piloted the ship over the brigade
of hungry bugs, he pushed a button marked EXTERMINATE! A blur of red and
black dots sprayed over the entire garden. The army was ready for warfare!
All that could be heard was the sound of the insects screaming.
As the ladybugs and their army devoured the evil bugs, what was left
of the garden looked like a battleground that had been nuked.
The bugs were all dead, gone forever. All of the surviving fruits and vegetables yelled with joy as Obe Juan, Cuke and Fronds flew over the garden. When they landed, the Jolly Green Giant gave his daughter, Princess Peas, to Cuke as his wife. They all lived happily ever after…