KING
My secret kingdom has lots of shade. That's because my secret kingdom is inside the most gigantic bush in the world. Nobody knows about it but me. The only other person who knows is Henry. Henry is a dog, and he can't talk. So he won't tell.
I feel a little sad for not telling Daddy and Mama about my kingdom. I think they would like to know that I am king of a magical kingdom. But, right now I have to keep it secret, because that will keep it magical. Once everyone knows about a secret kingdom, the magic goes away. At least, that's what would happen in my secret kingdom. I just know it.
It had been my kingdom for three whole days. That's a long time to be a king.
The day I found it, I was actually looking for a buried treasure that Mama had given me a map for. There was a big "X" next to the biggest bush in the world on the map. I looked and looked for the treasure. I started to feel mad that I couldn't find it. But Daddy always tells me that if you feel like giving up it means you should try one more time. So I took a deep breath and counted to four, the way Mama makes when I am getting upset and I kept looking for the treasure. I even crawled around on the ground like a baby so I could look very carefully for the treasure. I just kept finding rocks and ants and grass and dirt.
But then the magic happened. I found the secret door to the magical kingdom. It's kind of more like a tunnel than a door, because I had to crawl through it to get into my kingdom. The branches hardly poked me at all. I was very excited when I crawled through the tunnel, but I was even more excited when I finally got inside. It was a big round room underneath the bush. I knew it was magic and secret, because from the outside you couldn't see it. That's why it was a magical secret kingdom.
I knew I had to be king because I was the one who discovered it. Not even Mama or Daddy knew about the kingdom. And Mama and Daddy knew everything.
Today I told Mama I was going to look for the treasure again. When I told her that, she smiled and kissed my cheek.
She said, "Good Luck Captain Joshua Cullen." I laughed because Mama used her silly, deep voice, the one where she tried to talk like Daddy.
"Thank you, Mama," I said. Mama kissed me on the cheek and hugged me.
"Remember, Josh, the map says you have to stay in your backyard." Mama looked at me with serious eyes.
"I know Mama. I will stay in the backyard." Daddy says I have to listen to what Mama tells me. I know he's right.
Henry follows me out to the bush again.
"Henry, you can't come in today." I tell him when we get to the secret tunnel.
"I need you to keep watch for bad guys. Only the King is allowed in today. " Henry wags his tail.
I got down and crawled through the tunnel.
That's when Henry follows me in. He's wagging his tail and his tongue his hanging out.
"Henry! You were supposed to stay outside." I'm not really mad at Henry. But he didn't listen.
I told him not to come in. I told him only I was allowed. Henry never listens. Daddy always gets mad about that. He tells Henry to stop chewing up his nice work shoes, but Henry doesn't listen.
Daddy always says in his mad voice, "Henry, you've got one more chance! One more chance! If you chew another one of my shoes, you'll have to start living the dog house." Henry always gives Daddy sad eyes when Daddy uses his mad voice. Then Daddy loves Henry again and says to Mama, "Bella," – that's the name that grownups call my Mama. Well, sometimes they call her "Mrs. Cullen". And Daddy calls her all sorts of names like "Love" and "Baby" and "Silly Girl" and "Beautiful Bella". She's my Mama, so I call her Mama. Anyways, when Henry shows Daddy his sad eyes, Daddy pets Henry's head and says to Mama, "I swear this dog will be the death of me." Mama smiles at Daddy and hugs him. Sometimes she'll say something like, "I love you Edward Cullen. So much." Or "Henry loves you Edward and so do I."
My Mama and Daddy really love each other, even I know that and I'm only four. They love me too. And I love them. Mama says love is where our family came from and where our family will stay.