Jake Coils

A Reading Genie BookBy Geri Murray

It was the first day of school. Nate came to Miss Roy's room to join the band, but the noise was too loud. The drum made Jake coil in Nate's bag.

"Boys and girls!" Miss Roy said. "It is time to play!" Nate felt in his bag for his flute, but all he found was Jake in a coil.

"Oh, boy, this is not my day." said Nate. "How did Jake get in my bag, and where is my flute?

"Miss Roy did not like all the noise. "Boys in the back, if you make one more noise, I will boil over and then you will not get to join the band.”

Nate felt Jake uncoil in his bag. Nate’s head poked out, and the girl in line behind him saw he was no toy. "Is that a snake? A snake!" she cried.

Nate reached for Jake, but he slid like oil from the bag. "Oh no," thought Nate. “This is so bad that Miss Roy will be mad and I will not get to join the band!”

Nate chased Jake down the hall and into the boys room. He found Jake in a coil on a foil pipe, too high for Nate to get him. "Maybe he will hide here and not spoil my first day of school," Nate told himself.

Back in the band room, Mr. Boid came by to help Miss Roy. The boys told Mr. Boid about the boy with the snake. Mr. Boid knew all about Nate and his pet snake.

Nate left the boys room and ran back to join the band. When he saw Mr. Boid, Jake was glad. "Mr. Boid, can you catch my snake? Jake will like your lab mice," Nate told him.

Jake would not spoil this day. Nate showed Mr. Boid where Jake was coiled. Mr. Boid took Nate to class and told Miss Roy about Nate’s pet Jake. "Nate is a nice boy," he said, “He did not bring his pet to school. Jake just sneaks his way in sometimes.”

Nate was glad to get a chance to join the band. "Nate, after school, you can come by to get Jake," said Mr. Boid. "I will put him in my soil tub where all the girls and boys can enjoy him."