A Day for the Animals

By Barbara Howard

The story: What if you said a prayer and then changed your mind. But before you could take it back, God answered it? When Roger Grayson said the animals should rule the world, God was listening. And his family will never be the same again. For one day the Graysons live among the animals and learn the meaning of love, courage and commitment. 3rd grade reading level.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barbara Howard
• Release date: Dec 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393275428

Barbara Howard

Author of mystery stories featuring a female amateur sleuth, diverse characters, and a dash of romance. Barbara Howard is the author of two cozy mystery series; Finding Home and The Clover City Files. Her stories feature a female amateur sleuth, diverse characters, and a dash of romance. She is a first generation tech geek turned master gardener. Ms. Howard returned to her Midwestern hometown after an extensive career as a Department of Defense Project Manager at the Pentagon, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music. She now spends most of her time treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits. Memberships/Affiliations: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Sisters in Crime (SinC), Great Lakes Fiction Writers (GLFW), Crime Writers of Color (CWoC) Read more at http://www.authorbarbarahoward.com

Book preview

Chapter One

The Wish

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Roger was looking out of the window when Mrs. Mapore called his name the second time. He did not hear the question she had asked him. And his face turned hot with embarrassment. The Sunday School classroom was especially warm that morning and his shirt collar was wet and sticky. None of the other children made a sound as she approached him. The electric fan buzzed in the corner near Mrs. Mapore’s desk. But Roger could not feel the breeze. He knew that the others were staring at him and waiting for his answer. He did not have one.

Roger, Mrs. Mapore said, Do you know why Moses went to the top of the mountain?

Roger looked down at his book, but he had not been following along with the lesson. The book was closed, and the answer was shut up inside its pages somewhere.

Psst...

Roger could barely hear the familiar voice. Keeping his head lowered, he glanced across the row of desks toward his best friend, Nathan. He was pointing at Roger’s book. Then Nathan tucked his hand under his armpit and slowly pointed out two fingers.

Two, Roger whispered to himself and quickly turned to the second page in his lesson book. When he looked at the picture, all color flushed out of his face and he wrinkled his brow in desperation. On page two, Roger saw a picture of King David as a young boy carrying a long stick and being followed by three small sheep. A lion was hiding behind one large stone and a bear behind a tall thick tree. David did not seem to notice the danger ahead. But Roger knew he was certainly in danger of being punished in front of the Sunday School class this morning, again. Mrs. Mapore stood next to his desk and placed her hand upon his shoulder. He could feel her metal wedding ring pressing against his collarbone. His sweating fingers tightened around the cover of his book. He looked at Nathan. Very slowly, Nathan slid his hand back under his armpit. Four fingers this time.

Twenty-four Roger breathed deeply as he flipped the pages of his book quickly until he reached page twenty-four.

Because, he said. Because there was a fire. Roger looked at the drawing of Moses in a long striped robe and ragged gray beard. The mountain. The burning bush. It was all there. Because he knew that a fire was up there. And he went up the mountain and he saw that it was the bush that was on fire.

Hmm, said Mrs. Mapore. And what was the name of the mountain?

Mount Sinai, Roger said brightly. He looked up at Mrs. Mapore and smiled. When she did not smile back, he turned again toward Nathan. His friend turned away and shook his head.

That is correct. Mrs. Mapore walked away from him. Everyone watched her, amazed by how she could move across the creaky old wooden floor without making a sound.

Roger wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced toward his sister, Connie. There she sat with glasses crooked on her upturned nose and gangly long arms and legs. He wished that he could lock her in the coatroom and leave her there. He knew she would tell the whole story to their parents as soon as the regular church service let out. She purposely sat near the door so that she could reach them first. She reported about his behavior in Sunday School to them each week. Roger hated that and even more on this morning. If his parents asked him to explain himself this time, he would refuse. He would have to.

Alright children, Mrs. Mapore’s voice focused everyone’s attention back to the front of the small classroom in the basement of Keystone Community Church. I want you all to go outside and wait for your parents. Stay on the lawn. Do not go into the street. I will be watching. She motioned for all of the children to bow their heads. Amy, please recite the prayer before we are dismissed.

Amy Lang stood up and pushed her chair back with her knees. The steel feet of the chair screeched against the floor making the other children groan and cover their ears. She read the prayer on the poster at the front board perfectly. Amy was a