Exercise 11

Henry always wished he could fly. He would climb up to the top of his parents’ apartment building in New York every night. The building was very high. And every night he imagined flying high above the city. Zoom! Swish! How he loved it!

But it was also dangerous. At least that’s what his parents said. “What would happen if you fell?” they demanded when they found him up there one night. As punishment, Henry had to go to bed early for a week.

Henry was very angry. His parents had robbed him of his most favorite thing! He would show them. He would sprout wings that night and fly away! Boy, would they miss him then! With all of these angry thoughts swirling around in his head, Henry went to sleep.

But he woke up soon because he couldn’t get comfortable. His back itched. He reached around to scratch it and felt feathers! He had grown wings! Quickly, Henry opened his window and jumped out. He knew his wings would carry him and they did! It was better than he had ever dreamed. He flew over Times Square, the Empire State Building, and everything just as if he were a bird!

Then, suddenly, one by one, his feathers fell out! Oh, no! Henry was falling...Thud! He hit the ground. Then Henry woke up. It had all been a dream. And he realized that the ground was the best place to be.