08-I HATE FLYING!

I HATE FLYING! Next morning at dawn, we all met at the airport. My sister, Thea, checked out her plane. Yes, my sister has her pilot's license. She also has her own pink plane decorated with flowers. Now she patted the side of the aircraft with a loving paw. "All aboard! We're ready to hit the sky!" she announced. Aunt Sweetfur squealed with joy. "How wonderful!" she exclaimed. My head began to pound. Did I mention I hate flying? Thea radioed the control tower. "This is The Pink Princess, ready for takeoff. I am heading south toward the Ratlapagos Islands."

The engine roared to life. My whiskers began to twitch. "You know, Auntie, I can do all sorts of tricks with this plane," Thea squeaked. "Want, to see some?" "Oh, yes, of course, dear! How wonderful!" Aunt Sweetfur cried. My paws began to shake. "Thea, please, you know I have a weak stomach," I tried to protest. But my sister just laughed. "Hang on to your tails!" she advised, revving the engine. Oh, why did my sister love to torture me? I was a good big brother. I never picked on her. I never teased her. Well, there was that time when she puffed up her fur for the junior prom. She looked just like a hamster gone berserk.

I was still thinking about Thea's bad- fur-day when the plane began to roll. Then it did a loop. Then it began to dive.

Then it spun through the air like a top. "How wonderful!" Aunt Sweetfur squeaked cheerfully. "Boring," Trap mumbled. Amazingly, Benjamin had fallen asleep. As for me, well, I was not a pretty SIGHT. My face had turned green, and I had used up all the AIRSICKNESS BAGS. Ten torturous hours later, we landed. I crawled out of the plane. "Are you OK, dear?" Aunt Sweetfur

asked me. "You're looking a little pale." I tried to answer, but I was too weak. "He's fine, Auntiloo," Trap smirked, clapping me on the back. "Gerry Berry just loves to fly! Don't you, Cousinkins?" I wanted to SCREAM. I wanted to shriek. I wanted to tie Trap's tongue up in knots so he could never squeak again. But I had no strength left. Just then, a suntanned rodent strode up to us. "You must be the Stilton family!" he said. "We've been expecting you!"