The
line moved pretty quickly, and soon it was time for Ryan to climb
up the stairway so as to enter Frostys belly. Inside of the
giant snowman was a self-service machine that dispensed steaming hot
chocolate as well as cookies and donuts. Principal LoRicco handed
each of us two dollars which was enough to buy a cup of hot chocolate
and a package of two chocolate chip cookies. After Drew came out,
I climbed up the stairs and entered the giant snowman. It was totally
cool inside, and right beside the vending machine was a control panel
with all sorts of buttons and lights on it. Just above the panel was
a large sign that said Do Not Touch, which of course meant
only one thing for a fourth grader. It screamed out Please Touch
to the mind of any ten-year-old boy.
Shoot,
I cant figure out how to work this thing, Caleb, Ryan
declared as he pressed the button for hot chocolate again, but the
machine only groaned and spit out a few drops of water. I
put my money in and then placed the cup under the dispenser.
Let
me see, I said while checking the machine out. While I did
that, Ryan glanced over at the control panel and began studying
the buttons.
Aw,
this snowman is so cool. I wonder what would happen if I press this
button right here.
Dont
do it, Ryan, I blurted out.
Why
not? my friend asked me with a mischievous look on his face.
Do you think well get in trouble?
I shrugged my shoulders. I dont know, but theres
a sign right there that says not to touch.
All
the more reason to press it, Ryan declared.
Being the genius that I was, I got the hot chocolate machine to
start working again as a steady stream of cocoa poured into the
cup.
Im
gonna press it, Caleb, Ryan whispered, and after looking behind
us to make sure nobody else was in the snowman, he pressed the big
black button that was labeled Stairs. Suddenly, a roaring
sound was heard as the stairway began to lift up and return to the
inside of Frosty.
You
dork, you just made the stairs come back up, I shouted. Quick,
press the button again so it will go back down.
Ryans face took on a look of panic as he pressed the button
again and again, but nothing happened as the huge steel staircase
closed us inside of the giant plastic snowman. It wont
work, Caleb. Im pressing it, but nothings happening.
I
told you not to press it, I warned before pushing Ryan aside
and pressing the button with my own fingers. Sure enough, the stairs
didnt budge now that they were inside of the snowman and we
had no way out.
|