Three Amigos

Terry, Jerry, and Kerry were the bestest of friends.

They had so much in common. Like, they all loved the ball pit, they all loved playing with clay, and their favorite color was the color purple. It was destined that they meet at Jenny's birthday party.

But then the unthinkable happened.

"Someone stole Jenny's teddy bear!" Caroline, Jenny's mother, had gathered up all the kids and parents. "Whoever it is needs to fess up! This wrong!" The mothers around Caroline nodded with stern expressions. "No more games! So? Who was it?"

Crickets. Jenn'y teddy bear was a big, fat panda bear that she carried around with her everywhere she went. But there was Jenny, at the table, crying, and the bear was nowhere to be found. Everyone knew that was her best friend and favorite toy. Who would dare steal it?

Caroline sighed, hands on hips. "Whoever you are, you have until the end of the birthday party to return Jenny's panda. You won't be scolded. We won't be mad. Just return your friend's toy. Please."

Each mother went to question their child separately. All to no avail. Jenny stopped crying and went off running somewhere. Probably to cry in a corner where no one could find her. Poor girl.

The Three Amigos - that was what they dubbed themselves, met under the slide to discuss this atrocity.

"Who could it be?" asked Jerry.

"I think it's that tall girl, Tina," said Kerry.

Terry nodded.

"You saying she might be jealous?" Jerry scratched his chin.

"Either that," Kerry looked around conspiratorially. "Or she needed the panda for one of her dark rituals."

Terry nodded.

"Dark ritual?" asked Jerry.

"Yeah. You see her hair? How long and dark it is? Her nails too! My big bro said those girls were all witches!"

There was only one thing to do - confront the witch.

"What?" Tina became red at the accusation. "You three are idiots!"

"You are surrounded, Tina! Come quietly or - "

Jerry received a kick in the stomach from a fuming Tina. The other two boys, petrified, backed off slowly.

"Her powers." Jerry wheezed, "are formidable."

"What does formidable mean?" asked Kerry.

"It means 'formed in the void," said Jerry.

Terry nodded.

As they searched, they found every kid except for Jenny. They found Jenny's mom, who seemed infuriated about something. She was so red-faced that the boys didn't have the heart, or nerve, to approach her.

The Three Amigos started looking for clues, questioning the other kids and mothers. Dead end after dead end they refused to give up. It was Jenny's birthday party! And she was crying through the whole thing! Something had to be done about it!

That is... after they had cake. Can't be solving crime on an empty tummy.

They sat down at their lunch table, each ordering their favorite smoothie to go with the cake. Jerry liked his lemon, yellow flavored; Terry wanted orange; and Kerry was the adventurous one, he ordered a mint smoothie. They all talked about how cool it would be if there was a purple smoothie. But alas, this cruel world didn't have one. Well, not at this party at least.

Then they saw her, Caroline, Jenny's mom. Head bowed and hands behind her back. "Sorry about today boys." She said quickly and left. What was that?

"Perhaps she's sorry that the thief ruined the party?" Kerry proposed.

Terry nodded.

And Jenny sat next to them, a giant grin on her face, and her giant panda next to her.

"Jenny! You found it! Who was the culprit?" Jerry asked.

"Cul... what?" Jenny cocked her head.

"Jerry uses big words!" Kerry stretched his hands as far as he could.

Jenny shrugged. "I forgot Mr. Dots in the bathroom..."

"Awww man. We thought it was used as a sacrifice!" said Jerry.

"A what?" asked Jenny.

And Terry nodded.

This was A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words contest entry.

The prompt image:

Describe what you see: A sense of childlike joy.
Describe what you feel: I feel happy.

Obligatory shout-out to the 🍕PIZZA🍕 gang, 🤙 gang. 🤙

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Cover image source.

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