The Hunt For Ned October Illustrated & Novel

By Bobby Legend

Little six year old Billy Smith had become depressed and sad when he had to move from his old neighborhood to another side of town. To make him happy his mother had offered to buy him a Halloween costume at Boyagian's pet and toyshop.
But Billy didn't want a Halloween costume. Instead, he bought a little, green turtle for a pet and called him Ned O

• Language: English
• Publisher: Legend Publishing Company
• Release date: Nov 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9780982168745

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

This is a suspenseful story about a six-year-old boy named Billy Smith, his mother, Marnie, a little, green turtle named Ned, Mr. Boyagian, the owner of Boyagian’s Pet and Toy Store where Ned was purchased and two, devious Russian spies.

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CHAPTER 1

Six-year-old Billy Smith lives with his beautiful mother, Marnie and his only friend, a baby pet turtle named Ned October. Little Billy’s father passed away suddenly from a heart attack not long ago and paying for his funeral and medical bills took most of their savings and left them strapped for cash. Billy’s mother couldn’t keep up with the mortgage payments on their beautiful house so they had to move into a much smaller home in a much poorer neighborhood. For this reason, Billy had to leave his school, neighborhood, and friends and move to the other side of town that was very far away.

Billy was sad and depressed when this happened, so his mother decided to take him shopping for a costume. It was October and close to Halloween. But Billy wasn’t interested in trick-or-treating. He wanted to be with his old schoolmates and best friends again. He missed his old pal Ned who still lived in the old neighborhood. But poor Billy had moved too far away to be able to see him very often now.

On a warm, fall day, Billy and his mother walked to the local mall to shop for Billy’s Halloween costume. As they approached the mall, they noticed a rather large crowd of people exiting through the doors of Boyagian’s Pet and Toy Shop. But they were too far away to tell what was happening. By the time they had reached the mall, the excitement had died down and all was just about forgotten.

Billy was too immersed in his own little fantasy world wondering what he was going to buy to even care about anything else. But Billy’s mom wondered what was going on so she decided to ask Mr. Boyagian, who was a friend and next door neighbor, about the crowd of people.

What was all the excitement about, Mr. Boyagian? asked Marnie.

Oh, I don’t really know. I think the police caught a couple of shoplifters and carted them off to jail, he said.

Billy’s mother thought nothing more about the incident and went to the toy department across from the pet shop. While Marnie was looking over the costumes, Billy was busy looking at the pets in the pet shop. When his mother finally found her son, Billy no longer wanted a Halloween costume. He begged his mother for a baby turtle instead.

She reluctantly agreed to purchase the baby turtle for her son along with a bowl and the other supplies that were needed to raise it; but only on one condition.

Billy, if you promise to clean the turtle bowl at least once every two weeks then you can have the turtle. Is it a deal? asked Billy’s mother.

Yes Mom. I promise to keep the bowl clean, he said.

Billy was ecstatic with his new-found friend. He had a smile on his face for the first time in months, since his father passed away.

Billy and his mother left the shop with an armload of pet supplies and headed for home. Billy carried the little, green turtle in a small, white, cardboard box that the clerk had given to him at the pet shop. Billy constantly talked to his new friend on the way home, while his mother carried the rest of the supplies. She was happy to see her son with a big smile on his face.

Over the next few days Marnie would see a new attitude emerge in her son. He would once again become the happy-go-lucky boy that she had known before the death of his father and the move to their new home. And Marnie was very happy for her son.

When Billy got home, he went directly to his room and placed his pet turtle into the plastic bowl. He added water, gravel, and food, and then placed the bowl on the table near his bed. While lying on his bed, he watched and talked to his new friend. Suddenly, he came up with a name for his turtle. He decided to call him Ned October. He named him Ned after his old schoolmate and best friend, Ned and gave him the last name of October after the month he got the turtle. Billy was so happy with the name Ned October that he ran to the kitchen to tell his mother.

Mom. Do you know what I named my turtle? he asked.

I don’t know, honey. What do you call your new, little pet? she asked.

I call him Ned October. Do you know why?

Why? asked his mother.

Ned is for my friend from my school and October is for the month that I got him, said Billy.

"That’s nice honey. Now why don’t