An Excerpt from a Writing Project

From The Somewhat Perilous Plot of the Patriotic Mosquitoes

Rockybado, the Robot King of the Island of Texamilio, and the eight kids were sitting by an old oak tree, drinking some coffee or tea or whatever they really wanted. They went to a coffee shop today and decided to try new things, like the Calignobia. Some went with the Calignobia. Others went with the mint tea. And yet some others went with a hazelnut latte.

Things seemed to be going alright for quite a while. Nothing was to be worried about. The Patriotic Mosquitoes had not made their appearance yet. Or at least for quite some time. Everyone seemed to enjoy their drink of choice for the time being, until they all heard a very familiar sound.

The sound of a very familiar cowbell was faint at first. One may or may not be able to hear it at this point. But then, the sound of the cowbell grew louder and louder by the minute.

“Weeeeeee’re heeeeeeere,” Sam announced after a cowbell solo, performed by DR.
“Wonderful job,” Rockybado remarked.
“Much obliged!”
“And no. You still cannot have the three islands.”
“Aw, come on! It’s Tuesday!” Sam exclaimed.
“What does Tuesday have to do with anything?” Rockybado questioned the leader of the Patriotic Mosquitoes.
“Tuesday is the best day of the week.”
“I honestly thought that the best day of the week was Friday.”
“No. I believe it’s Tuesday.”
“Well, that could be your opinion, though.”
“It is, and it’s right.”

Since when would someone say that Tuesday is the best day of the week? For some, Tuesday's are typically pretty great. For others, Tuesday's are typically pretty horrible. In most cases, probably not horrible. Just annoying because it's Tuesday. This day may not be the absolute best for most, but it would probably not be the absolute worst either. This Tuesday was probably not going to be the absolute best for the Patriotic Mosquitoes. But then again, the Patriotic Mosquitoes might find a way to make their Tuesday pretty great. And they would try to do this by getting away with taking the three supposedly fictitious islands. This was about to get interesting.

“Did you actually have a plan to take over the islands?” Rockybado asked.
“We were just gonna come in and take them,” Lisa replied.
“But….how?”
“Well, we did have some plans, but they seem to have failed.”
“Yes, they most certainly did,” Rockybado replied.
“At least you recognize that,” Lisa said.
“I recognized it from the very beginning. The point is, you didn’t really seem to have a plan. You were waltzing all around Texamilio, Galavanti Island, and Wakahakai asking to take the islands. That is not the best strategy in my book.”
“Then, if that’s not it, then what is?”
“You just need a bigger and better plan.”
“Enlighten me.”
“As long as you don’t take the three islands.”

This didn't look amazing on the side of the Patriotic Mosquitoes. Rockybado, Dacston, and Marty had all concluded that the Patriotic Mosquitoes did not have the best motive possible to take over the islands. If the Patriotic Mosquitoes were not making any official plans, then what did they have to lose? Why did they have no motive? What were they going to prove when they just said they were going to take over the three islands? They couldn't just walk in and say they could take over the three islands. That would not have been cool. It was totally uncool for the Patriotic Mosquitoes to advertise who they were with absolutely no motive. And their name might have been a bit laughable as well. At least to those who haven't always associated mosquitoes with being patriotic.

“So, why are you called the Patriotic Mosquitoes?” David questioned.
“Because we care deeply for our land and our citizens. We all got power hungry, and we wanted more land,” Sam replied.
“So that is why you wanted the three islands all along?”
“Absolutely.”
“I agree with Rockybado. You should have been more strategic,” David said.
“Do we still have a chance at the three islands?” Sam questioned.
“No, I don’t think you do.”
“Well….bummer.”
“You didn’t have a chance at the very get-go.”
“I realized that.”
“Sad, but true.”

Sam and the fellow Patriotic Mosquitoes started feeling sorry for themselves. None of them would have gone for a coffee at the moment. They were not in good moods at all. Not now, especially since their so-called "motive," if they even had one, was unveiled. Even though coffee normally lightens the mood, it may not always. For about five minutes, no one said a word. Not even the word "it" was said. Rockybado didn't know what else to say to the Patriotic Mosquitoes. The kids didn't quite know what to say to the Patriotic Mosquitoes. Sam didn't know what to say to the Patriotic Mosquitoes.

“What I find depressing is that you didn’t think you had enough power so you decided to take over these islands,” Levi remarked, shaking his head.
“Yeah, I guess that is pretty depressing,” Sam replied.
“Then, why did you think this was all a good idea?”
“Well, it’s all better than playing the odds against some land, I suppose.”
“What is that even supposed to mean?” Levi questioned.
“I am rambling,” Sam commented.
“You are kinda rambling.”
“I do like speedbags, though.”
“What are you talking about?”
“They’re fun to play with.”
“I don’t doubt that at all. I actually have a speedbag in my garage. My dad and I renovated it when I was in high school.”
“Is that right?”
“Absolutely.”

It was definitely one of those moments when a drum roll would have been appropriate. Rockybado was waiting for the Patriotic Mosquitoes to make up their own mind about Texamilio, Galavanti Island, and Wakahakai. The sad looks on their faces gave Rockybado and the kids a somewhat obvious indicator. But it could have meant something else, too. They might have been sad because they missed their flight to London. That place is pretty cool, so many people would want to make a point to go there some time. But Rockybado still waited for the “drum roll” to subside and for Sam to tell him what his plans were going to be.

A few minutes later….

“So, what are you going to do, Sam?” Rockybado asked the leader of the Patriotic Mosquitoes. It was the ultimatum of ultimatums.

“I surrender,” Sam replied slowly, his head hanging down.
“It’s a deal. You must not request to take the three islands.”
“I accept the deal, even though it was not what I wanted.”
“I’m sorry to be a bearer of bad news, but I think it will be for the better,” Rockybado remarked.
“I understand,” Sam replied with a sigh.
“So, what will you be doing now?”
“I suppose we Patriotic Mosquitoes need to book a flight to Italy and eat our weight in pasta.”
“You would definitely like Italy.”
“I’ve always wanted to go there.”

With a shrug of the shoulders and a shake of the head, Sam had surrendered to the rightful rulers of the three islands. Even though he had lost his bet with the three islands, Sam was going to make sure that his loss wasn't so bitter. If he won the three fictitious islands, he and the Patriotic Mosquitoes were going to travel somewhere. Even if he lost the three fictitious islands, which he did, he and the Patriotic Mosquitoes were still going to travel somewhere. The Patriotic Mosquitoes had a plan.

“Rockybado,” Sam got the Robot King of the Island’s attention.
“Yes, Sam?” Rockybado responded.
“What did you enjoy most about Italy?”
“What did I enjoy most about Italy?”
“Yes,” Sam replied.
“The spaghetti,” Rockybado replied.
“Oh please. Of all things in Italy….the spaghetti?”
“Yes, the spaghetti. What were you expecting me to say?”
“The splendor of the Italian scenery, the warm fellowship of the citizens. You’re the Robot King of the Island, so I was thinking you’d say something a little more correct.”
“Well, I like their spaghetti, so if that’s a little incorrect for you, I don’t know what could be more correct.”
“Well, enough with the chit chat, I guess. My fellow comrades and I have a mission to accomplish. We are gonna go to Italy and take in the splendor of the Italian scenery, as well as the warm fellowship of the citizens because I like to be correct.”
“Have fun in Italy!”

Sam motioned Lisa, DR, Elly, and the other Patriotic Mosquitoes over to where he was. They had to book yet another flight, since their flight to London didn’t work out. As a matter of fact, the Patriotic Mosquitoes wanted to go to Italy, since they have been to England before. It took the Patriotic Mosquitoes to leave the island while Rockybado watched them leave. In a matter of fifteen minutes, the Patriotic Mosquitoes had finally left to go to Italy. And there was much rejoicing for Rockybado and the kids, as well as Dacston and Marty, and everyone else who rule these three islands.

“So, that is over. Finally,” Rockybado said to everyone.
“So, what are we gonna do now?” Andrew asked for everyone.
“I think we should get everyone together for a fiesta. I hear the dinosaurs over at Galavanti Island are amazing fiesta planners.”
“Yes, they are.”
“And I’m also in the mood for some jazz music. I hear they are excellent musicians over there,” Rockybado said.
“Absolutely,” Andrew replied.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
“We should definitely reach out to them and see if they’re in the mood for a fiesta!”
“That’s what I’m talking about!”
“We’ll see what we can do!”