By Benjamin Schaar

It was an unusual Monday when it happened. Gee was taking a steam engine from Texas back home to Philadelphia after being on a vacation for a week. Gee’s birthday was approaching, but the world didn’t seem to care. Instead, a thunderstorm greeted the train. A tornado was possible, but the weather didn’t seem to be severe enough for that to happen.

Suddenly, the train came to an abrupt stop. Confused passengers looked around to find the answer for this pause. The train door slid open, and the conductor walked through the aisles, explaining what had happened. “Currently,” he began, “A very big giraffe is sitting on the train tracks. We will resume our journey when he leaves.” The conductor’s eyes darted to the window. But when Gee turned to face the window that the conductor was looking through, he saw three masked giraffes. One of them hurled a rock at the window, breaking it. He climbed in through the hole, and the others followed.

“Valuables! We demand your valuables,” the smallest one shouted. People handed over everything that was worth something as they didn’t want to mess with the scary giraffes. Finally, they reached Gee.

“I’m sorry,” Gee said, shaking with fear. “I don’t have any pocket money left! I spent it all on this train.”

“We don’t want your money. We want you,” The biggest giraffe said, holding a sack and trapping Gee in it. Gee couldn’t see a thing, couldn’t do a thing, so he just waited.

………………………………………………………

It must’ve been hours when the sack was finally opened. The same giraffe who had trapped Gee peered into the sack, holding a black mask identical to his own.

“Where are we?” Gee asked, adjusting to the light.

“The Back of Geetopia,” he said, “Now put this mask on and do as I say or else you’re gonna get it!”

“What do I have to do?” Gee asked again.

“Take this stick of dynamite and blow that big vault door open,” the giraffe said, nodding to the corner where the vault stood. He handed Gee a stick of dynamite and a match to light it. Reluctantly, the now masked Gee got out of the sack and walked to the bank vault. One of the giraffes who was on the bank teller yelled, “Faster!”

Gee picked up the pace, fumbling with the match. But no matter how many times he stroked it against the matchbox, no sparks came. “I can’t do it,” Gee shouted. “The match is wet!” But his words were cut off when Gee was once again shoved in the sack.

………………………………………………………

Hours passed, and Gee was still in the sack. He thought he heard a conductor yell, “All aboard!” But it was probably just Gee’s imagination.

………………………………………………………

It felt like a year when the sack was opened once more. This time, he found himself in a dark room. After some investigation, Gee realized he was in his own apartment! For some reason, the sofa was now positioned in the center of the room. As Gee walked around it, he was startled when three masked giraffes popped up from behind the sofa.

“Surprise!” they yelled, taking off their masks to reveal their identities. It turned out that they were Bee, Gee’s brother; Fee, Gee’s girlfriend; and Eee, Bee’s friend who always screamed when he talked.

“What the actual Gee is this?!” Gee exclaimed.

“We kidnapped you from the train to throw you a surprise party for your birthday,” Bee said. “But WE needed a way back, and we didn’t have any money left. So naturally, we robbed the train and a bank to pay for a train ticket”

“It was all Bee’s dumb idea,” Fee said, rolling her eyes.

“EEEEEE!” said Eee.

Gee slapped his face so hard, his hand almost went through his head. “Beeeee!” he screeched. But Bee wasn’t listening. He has already began singing, “Happy birthday to you…”