Summer….Snow?

Jojo woke up to the usual buzzing of his alarm clock. Reaching out, he slapped it off then snuggled back into the covers trying to recapture that lovely comfy half-asleep stage he was in just moments before. The attempt failed and he wearily decided he might as well get up and face the day. Like every other. At least it was Saturday and he didn't have to get to school.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, yawned and stretched. Grabbing a brush off the dresser he made the attempt at getting his fur in a somewhat order, then tossed it aside. He really didn't care if his fur was a bit unkempt, unlike his sisters who fussed and fretted each time one little tuft got out of hand. What did it matter, anyway, he thought to himself. He did try to get his bangs out of his eyes, they were getting long enough to be a bother now, sweeping down and obscuring his view whenever he tried to write something or fashion a new part to his unique musical instruments. Maybe he'd ask his mom to trim them later, if she had the time.

He gave a small snort. Yeah, right. Time. As if she or his dad had any of that to spare.

Just before he opened his door he took a small towel off the rack and wondered when it would be his turn in the single bathroom. His sisters usually hogged it until the last minute before breakfast, giving him few moments to brush his teeth and wash his face. But when he stepped out into the hallway that thought gave way to wondering where everybody was!!!

The bathroom was empty, as was the vast dining room. Breakfast was stacked up there as usual, the chairs were all spinning about as they did every morning, but there was absolutely no-one about!!

For a wild moment Jojo wondered if someone had gotten in and kidnapped everyone but overlooked his small room set in the corner, then he heard a commotion from outside. Amid shouts of joy and laughter he heard his father shouting and demanding that "Everyone stop having fun immediately!! This is DANGEROUS!!!"

What????? Jojo dropped the towel and ran to the front door where he saw an amazing sight! Snow! All over the place! Very deep snow too, piled along the house, on the lawns and even on the walkways! He approached the door warily then barely had time to dodge the last of his sisters bounding out, knocking his father down then using him as a bobsled.

As his dad and sisters faded from view, he approached the doorway again and saw his siblings either skiing or making snowballs and snow-whos. Even Heedie, the baby of the family, was up to her eyes in snow, making a tiny snow angel. Everyone seemed to be having a ball, except for the small grey and black furred Who.

This wasn't right, not at all! It was summer! And summer was supposed to be hot and sunny with green things growing all over! But perhaps this was just a dream? After all, he –did- just wake up.

Jojo went over to the nearest drift and stuck his foot deep inside. It was cold and wet, and yep, snow all right. But how? Why? Jojo was old enough not to abandon himself in play without feeling the wrongness of it all. Unlike his sisters.

Whap! A small snowball smushed itself against the side of his head. Shaking himself to get rid of it, Jojo glared about until he spied Hannie, Heather and Hanna giggling and peeking from around the corner. He grabbed up a handful of snow, formed it into a ball and waited for a clear shot, but then allowed it to fall when he realized that if he did throw it, he'd be making a target of himself. A target for 96 sisters to throw at. No, the odds weren't exactly in his favor. He stuck his hands in his pockets and trudged off.

This was just so weird. His dad had been acting strangely lately and now this. This was dangerous, he heard him say. Not a very comforting thought. Perhaps he should go over to the town hall and ask him what he meant. Yes, this meant he'd have to speak for the first time in five years. Hopefully his dad wouldn't make a great fuss over it, but he needed answers!

"Jojo! Hey, Jojo!" he heard someone call and turned to see Hennie, Hailey and Holly beckoning to him besides a very large snow-who they had built. "C'mon, Jojo! We need your help!"

Well, it wouldn't hurt to see what they wanted. He shrugged to himself and ambled over.

"Jojo! Isn't this just the COOLEST thing EVER????" Hennie squealed. Jojo winced slightly, she had one of the highest voices and when she got excited it got higher yet. "Ooohh it's just sooo NEAT!!"

"Yeah, and lookit the snow-who we did!" Hailey added. "It's the biggest on the block, perhaps the whole town!"

Jojo looked up, it certainly was large. They had managed to stack five piles of snow rather than the usual three, but the face was blank. No eyes, no nose, nothing. He was about to point that fact out when Holly thrust two round pieces of wood in his hands. He noted that they had been taken from the girls' hair bands. 'Mom isn't going to like this,' he thought.

"C'mon, Jojo! You've got to climb up there and set the eyes in." Holly giggled. "We can't do it but you're small enough! Please?"

Now didn't they think he had anything better to do than to go around climbing snow-whos to add their facial features??? He was about to hand the beads back and refuse when he looked up into the three pairs of pleading eyes fastened on him. "Puhleeeeeeze Jojo???" Sighing, he stuck the beads in his pocket and carefully began to climb.

(In the meantime, the mayor was desperately trying to get Horton's attention in his office. 'Horton? Horton!!!' Ned glanced over to his desk and saw, to his horror, his fish frozen in his bowl. On why oh why didn't he remember to take Thidwick home last night???? Heat, he needed heat and fast! Taking up the only thing he could think of at the moment, the hair dryer, he plugged it in and frantically called out for Horton as he cradled the bowl of ice in one hand and waved the blower at it with the other. "Horton!!!"

Horton did finally answer and the mayor heard the faint sounds of back-cracking and yawning. 'Hey' Mayor,' came the groggy answer from the drainpipe.

"Oh , we're in big trouble down here! It's happening! It's snowing! In the middle of summer! It's the end of the world!!" Ned whimpered.

Puzzled, Horton looked down at his former resting spot and noted the frost out-lining a large elephant shape. A light clicked. "Hold on, mayor. I think I know what your problem is." Taking a deep breath, Horton then blew upon the clover and speck, a vast warming breath that really didn't seem like a refreshing tropical breeze but it did the trick.)

Jojo had secured the first beady eye and was just about to put in the second when suddenly..

SPLOOSH!!!!

The snow-who disappeared from underneath him and with a sharp yelp he did a rather undignified belly splat into a pile of slush, cold water and mud. Disgusted, he sat up and looked around him while his sisters stared in shock, then cried their disappointment. The snow was…gone! Simply gone! And in its wake was water pouring from the roofs and gushing into the drains.

Ok, what just happened, he wondered. He stood up and shivered, wet through and muddy. He threw down the bead he still had in his grasp and glared at the trio who had talked him into this mess in the first place, but they were too busy crying to pay him any attention.

Well, at least they weren't laughing at him either. And hopefully he could sneak in for a quick shower before anyone else took over the bathroom.

The only other person in the house was his mom, Sally and she gave him a shocked look. "Jojo! What –have- you been doing??? Swimming in a swamp? You're tracking mud all over!"

Jojo gave her a shrug of confusion, trying to convey the statement of 'hey it's not my fault how was I supposed to know how the morning was going to turn out??' in the simple gesture. Good, the bathroom was empty for once. He slipped in and turned on the shower. He wouldn't have much time, he knew, so he enjoyed it while he could.

But snow. In summer. What the heck was going on in Who-Ville anyway?????

\