Pilot for a friend
One warm evening in September, little mouse Jacob was running as fast as he could through the fields near his house. He is practising for an upcoming competition at school. Each class is looking for the fastest animal.
Last year, Jacob needed to be faster to win; His competitors were bigger and stronger. But this year, he is determined to be first.
A prize awaits the winner every year. This time, it’s a trip. The winner will get to spend a few fun days camping with their closest friends. Jacob’s eyes lit up at the thought of telling his friends about his victory.
Building a campfire, playing hide and seek, telling scary stories at night… He could already imagine it, and it made him run faster and faster.
He suddenly stopped when he came across a large tree. He was completely exhausted, and the tree looked old and withered. It no longer has any leaves on its branches.
Jacob realized that he had lost track of time. The sun was quite low in the sky, and the fields were getting dark.
Suddenly, he heard a deep voice.
“Hello, little mouse,” he said. “I’m up here.”
Jacob looked up and saw a strange black creature hanging from a bare branch. This unknown creature spread its wings, making it seem even more ominous.
“Hello,” Jacob replied in a whisper. He was a little scared. “Who are you?”
“I’m Carlo,” the voice replied. “And you look like you’ve never seen a bat before. Am I right?”
Jacob nodded. “Bats… I’ve never heard of bats!” he says. “Why are you stretching your arms out like that, Carlo?”
“You call them arms, but to me, they are wings,” Carlo explains. “You see, I’m a pilot. When you go to bed, a new day begins for me. Now I am getting ready for my trip.”
Jacob sat under a big tree, forgot his fear and asked Carlo more questions. He learned that bats don’t use their eyes in complete darkness. They find their way around using their ears. During the day, they sleep in caves or crevices.
As Carlo was telling Jacob about his many adventures on night flights, Jacob heard his mother calling him from afar. She is looking for him.
Carlo heard it, too. Jacob stood up to leave, but when he turned back to the bat, all he saw was a dark shadow flying into the sky.
“Goodbye!” Carlo said.
“Jacob! There you are,” his mother hissed as she stepped into the clearing. “What are you doing out in the cornfield so late?”
On the way home, Jacob told his mother everything he had learned about bats. He couldn’t wait to tell his siblings and friends about Carlo the next morning. After all, now he has a pilot for a friend.
