I DO NOT OWN LAB RATS.
Day at the Ice Rink
It was a beautiful, hot, and sunny day in Mission Creek. Everyone was sitting around and trying to keep cool. "Ughhh! I am soooo hot!" said Adam.
Chase said, "Adam, you're not the only one."
"Why does it have to be so hot out?" asked Bree as she was trying to fan herself with a folder.
"I don't wanna do anything today. It's too hot!" complained Leo.
"Leo, can you shut it?! We're all hot," said Chase.
"Well," started Adam, "why does it have to be so hot?"
Chase replied, "Because it's summer and summer's always hot. It's even hotter in California."
The elevator opened up and Donald and Tasha came out. Donald asked, "How are you guys holding up?" They all groaned. "Well, you guys seem happy."
"I have an idea. Why don't we all go to the ice rink?" Tasha suggested.
"Yes!" Everyone seemed to like the idea, except Donald. Donald just widened his eyes and froze in place.
"Donald?" Tasha waved a hand in front of his face. "Donald?"
"Mr. Davenport!" Adam smacked him across the face.
"Ow! Adam!" He rubbed his cheek. "What was that for?"
"To snap you out of whatever the trance you were in. Speaking of which, why were you in one?"
"W-what? No. I-I was not. I'm totally cool."
Leo asked, "Then why do you look so worried?"
"I-I'm not worried. Totally not worried. I'm good. I'm cool."
"Big D, you don't know how to ice skate, do you?"
"Of course I know how to ice skate. Why– why would I not know how to ice skate? That– That's just crazy."
"Why are you freaking out then, honey?"
"Yeah, Big D. Don't you wanna go ice skating?"
"No. I'm just... not that big into ice skating."
Bree crossed her arms. "Okay, that's fine. Just one question: why aren't you? It's so much fun."
Chase nudged Bree's arm. "Bree. If he's not, he's not."
"All right, I give. You guys wanna know why I'm not that big on ice skating? I'll tell you."
Flashback
It was winter. Donald was ten years old and Douglas was eight. They were in the park. Douglas was on the frozen lake, skating and showing off tricks that he learned. He stopped and crossed his arms. "Come on, Donny! How long does it take for you to get ice skates on?!"
Donald finished lacing up his skates. "Coming, Dougy!"
Donald stood up and skated onto the ice. "I hate it when you call me Dougy!"
Donald stuck his tongue out. "I hate it when you call me Donny!"
"Donny!"
"Dougy!"
"I love ice skating. It's like roller skating, but on ice."
"Oh, great logic, genius."
"You're just jealous because I'm a better skater than you, Donny."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"You are not a better skater than me."
"Hmm." Douglas slowly skated around his brother. "Then, why don't we make this interesting?"
"What do you mean?"
Douglas stopped and put a hand on Donald's shoulder. "I mean, whoever can skate the longest without falling down is the better skater. That will be me, of course. Plus, fancy moves have to be done too."
"I-I'm just a beginner, though."
"Oh. Afraid you're gonna lose? You don't want to prove yourself? Ha! I knew it! You're a big baby!"
Donald was getting really annoyed and angry by now. "Oh yeah?" He took off.
"Wait for me!" Douglas shouted as he took off to catch up with him. Donald j2umped and did a few twirls in the air. Donald landed and took off again. He got to the end of the lake, skated to a stop, and waited for Douglas. Donald didn't see the sign that said 'Caution: Thin Ice'. Douglas apparently saw it. "Donny!"
"Just admit it. I'm a better skater than you!"
"Yes, but–"
Donald heard a cracking sound from underneath him and looked down. The ice was cracking beneath him! He tried skating away, but it was too late. The ice gave way and he fell in. "Ahh!"
"DONALD!" Douglas hurried over and fell to his knees. Donald swam to the surface and he tried getting out. Douglas tried pulling him out, but he couldn't. "MOM!"
Their mom saw what happened and ran over. "Donald! Douglas, what happened?!"
"Well, Mom, as you can see, he fell through the ice."
"I can see that. Help me get him out!" Other people ran over to see what happened. One person called 911. Within five minutes, paramedics arrived. They pulled Donald out and placed him a stretcher. He was then taken to the hospital.
End of Flashback
Donald shuddered at the memory. "That's why I don't like ice skating. I fell through the ice and that water was freezing. I was in there for five minutes before I got pulled out. I almost died of hypothermia."
"Huh?" asked Adam.
Chase said, "It's when your body temperature gets too low if you're in a freezing place and can't get warm. If you get hypothermia, you need to get medical attention fast."
"And I did. I was trying to get warm, but I couldn't. On the way to the hospital, I got a ton of blankets put on me and got a little warmer. Eventually, the doctors got my body temperature back to normal. After that happened, I vowed never to ice skate again. I'm afraid something bad is gonna happen again."
"Honey, as long as we're here, nothing's gonna happen to you. We'll make sure of that."
"Thanks guys." They all hugged.
At the rink, the kids were skating and Donald was on the bench, finishing lacing his skates. "All right," he said as he stood up, "I'm good to go."
"Are you sure about this, sweetie?"
"No, but I gotta face my fear eventually. So… yeah, I'm ready."
"Great." Donald grabbed her hand and Tasha guided him to the edge of the rink.
"Let's do this." They slowly stepped out onto the ice. "I can do this. I can do this." He let go of her hand and glided to the middle of the ice. He was really impressed with himself! He was skating and faced his fear! "Look at me, Tasha! I'm skating!"
She skated over to him. "I am so proud of you, Donald! You faced your fear!"
"Thanks to you and the kids." He kissed her.
The kids skated over. Leo said, "Make it stop!"
"Mr. Davenport, you're skating," said Chase.
"That's great! You faced your fear!" said Bree.
"So… you wanna race, Big D?"
"Oh, you're so on!" With that, Donald and the kids took off racing to see who could get to the end of the rink faster. Bree couldn't use her speed, so she had to race normal. Tasha just smiled at them. Even though Donald was still a little scared of ice skating, he left that accident behind him and finally got over his fear. From now on, whenever ice skating comes up, he's going to take it. He absolutely loves it now!