“Bearnapped!? Bearnapped!! Andrea has been bearnapped!” Bethie cried as she ran down the stairs to find her mom. Racing through the empty house, Bethie searched high and low for her mom, and any sign of Andrea. Her cries echoed through the house. Where was her mom? Where was Stevie?

     “Anybody? Mom? Stevie? Where are you guys? Andrea has been bearnapped! We’ve got to find her,” Bethie yelled through her tears. She looked in the kitchen for her mom or at least a note saying she had gone to the store. Nothing. She walked out to the porch, her eyes scanning left and right.

     With her heart filled with worry, Bethie wondered out loud, “Who can help me? What am I going to do?” Panic started to bubble up, tears filled her eyes. Bethie had never spent a night without Andrea cuddled up next to her.

      Tearing through the house, she looked everywhere when something caught her eye. Tucked under a cushion on the sofa was something that did not belong there. A note with a piece of curly, yellow fur attached. Andrea’s fur! Through watery eyes, Bethie read the note:

We’ve got the bear.                 Ransom: Your allowance for 2 months                         Signed,                             Bearnappers

Suddenly, she got a catch in her heart and her breathing quickened as she looked outside. Snagged on a nail of the porch railing was a piece of fabric from the shirt Andrea wears. Bearnapped and now possibly torn and broken?

Courageously, Bethie stepped off the porch, hugged the house and tiptoed to the backyard. As she turned the corner she spied something suspicious in the bushes...a diaper...Andrea’s diaper!  Scared and frightened, she ran back into the house and dialed 911.

     “911, what’s your emergency?” “Bearnapped, Andrea has been bearnapped and I am so scared,” cried Bethie.

    Sirens filled the air as Bethie talked to the operator. Peering out the window, Bethie saw the police cars and firetrucks stop in front of her house. Neighbors poured out into the street wondering what the emergency was. The officers rushed to the front door as Bethie pushed past them and leaped into the firefighters arms, sobbing.

     “Andrea has been bearnapped and she’s hurt,” Bethie sobbed wiping her runny nose on the firefighters shoulder.

    “Bearnapped?” inquired the firefighter.
    “Bearnapped?” questioned the police officer.
    “Bearnapped?” asked Mrs. Bond, the nosy neighbor.

      Bethie, through hiccuped-laced sobs, explained how Andrea, her precious teddy bear, had been bearnapped  and that the bearnappers wanted her allowance.

    Just then Bethie spotted Stevie walking up the sidewalk with his buddy Mud. Stopping short, Stevie and Mud looked at each other with wide eyes as they noticed all of the hullabaloo (police cars, fire trucks and neighbors...oh my!). In an instant, they bolted in opposite directions.
    
    Mud ran one way, Stevie the other way making it difficult to chase them both. With a burst of energy, Bethie scrambled away from the firefighter and took off after Stevie. He was running towards Dale Creek.

    Thinking quickly, Bethie ran towards the creek, hopped across the rocks and ran straight into Stevie, knocking him off balance. He stumbled and slipped down the bank landing in the creek just as the officers appeared. Mud stood by laughing hysterically.

    “Where is Andrea?” Bethie demanded.

    “Yes, young man, where is that bear?” the firefighter asked firmly.
    “Where is that bear?” demanded the police officer.
    “You had better tell us where that bear is!” shrieked Mrs. Bond, the nosy neighbor.

    Soaking wet, Stevie stood up and shook off like a dog. With a defeated look on his face, Stevie waded through the creek, reached under the bridge and untied Andrea.

    “Here you go, you big baby!” Stevie yelled as he threw Andrea in the air towards the gathering crowd. 

    Bethie vaulted into the air and grabbed the tumbling bear before she landed in the creek. Hugging her tightly, she thanked the officers for their help. Cheers erupted from the banks of the creek while Stevie, embarrassed, walked towards his mom, who was shaking her head in disappointment.

    For the next three weeks, Stevie came home each day to do all his chores (and Bethie’s too!) while wearing Andrea snuggled to his chest in a baby carrier.

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Beth Burrows has been a storyteller since the ripe age of three when she was able to sell rocks (plain old rocks!) to neighbors for one dollar each after telling a tall tale of needing money to buy a new teddy bear friend for her own teddy bear, Andrea. She earned $24!! As a teacher, she has been able to strengthen her writing skills by telling and writing stories from her childhood with her students to inspire, motivate, and provide mentor texts for her students. Some of her favorites include The Brussels Sprouts Caper, Rattlesnake!, and The Red Boot which follow little Bethie into some precarious and interesting situations. 

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