 clusters among the tufts of tall grass. The morning was only a few hours old but she had been up for most of the night and she was tired—they all were—and after a few minutes Stella closed her eyes, and a few minutes later she fell asleep.

# To Build a Fire

Her mom was covered in tiny mirrors like the mirror pieces on a mirror ball, and the mirror-piece reflections were so bright in the starry snowflake light that it was hard to see that her mom was fiercely knitting a strawberry red scarf with strawberry red yarn in an ice castle tower surrounded by oily black smoke that smelled like French toast, maybe.

MOM!

STELLA?

The swirling, billowing plumes of smoke swallowed everything: tower, scarf and her mirror ball mom. When the toast smoke cleared, Stella was with Freddy, who wore ski goggles and a strawberry red wool beanie. They were driving in an open-topped convertible that pulled a trailer stacked with leaning towers of strawberry shortcakes sloshing in lakes of sweet strawberry juice. Stella was copilot for Fast Freddy in her strawberry red scarf, and he drove recklessly on the scary, narrow, winding, cliff-edge road over a very tall range of whipped-cream mountains with soft peaks through the hot chocolate rain to the City of Spoons in the Land of Sugar and—

"Uhhh!" Stella woke with a start. "Yuck!"

"Sorry," George grunted.

"What're you doing?" She wiped the water off her face.

"Got the gear." George was carefully lowering the dripping boat cover canvas to the ground. "Didn't mean to get you wet."

"How'd you do it without me?"

"I used a block and tackle. You were asleep."

"I sure was." Stella stood and stretched. The sun was directly overhead, it must have been around noon, and she felt really hungry. "A block and tackle, huh? Hey, what's for lunch?"

"Excellent question," said Freddy, from his plush bed of green moss. "I could eat three cans of Mighty Cat Shrimp Boat Bonanza in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Sorry, Freddy, we're fresh out of Shrimp Boat Bonanza."

"
clusters among the tufts of tall grass. The dawn was merely a few hours old but she had been up for most of the night and she was banal — they all were — and after a few minutes Stella closed her eyes, and a few minute later she fell asleep. 

 # To construct a Fire 

 Her mom was cover in tiny mirror like the mirror firearm on a mirror ball, and the mirror - piece reflections were so bright in the starry snow bunting light that it was hard to see that her ma was fiercely knitting a strawberry red scarf with strawberry red yarn in an ice palace tower wall by oily black smoke that smell like French toast, maybe. 

 MOM! 

 STELLA? 

 The swirling, billowing plumes of smoke accept everything: tower, scarf and her mirror ball mom. When the toast smoke cleared, Stella was with Freddy, who wore ski goggles and a strawberry red wool beanie. They were driving in an exposed - topped convertible that pulled a preview stack with leaning towers of strawberry shortcakes slosh in lakes of sweet strawberry juice. Stella was copilot for Fast Freddy in her strawberry red scarf, and he drive recklessly on the scary, narrow, winding, cliff - edge road over a very improbable range of whipped - cream mountains with soft bill through the hot cocoa rain to the City of Spoons in the Land of Sugar and — 

 " Uhhh! " Stella wake with a start. " Yuck! " 

 " Sorry, " George grunted. 

 " What're you doing? " She wiped the water off her face. 

 " get the gear. " George was carefully lowering the dripping gravy boat cover canvas to the ground. " Didn't mean to get you besotted. " 

 " How'd you do it without me? " 

 " I used a block and tackle. You were asleep. " 

 " I surely was. " Stella stood and stretched. The sunlight was directly overhead, it must have been around noon, and she felt very hungry. " A pulley and tackle, huh? Hey, what's for lunch? " 

 " Excellent motion, " said Freddy, from his plush bed of green moss. " I could eat three can of Mighty Cat Shrimp Boat Bonanza in two shakes of a lamb's tail. " 

 " blue, Freddy, we're fresh out of Shrimp Boat Bonanza. " 

 "
 clksters among the tufts on tall grass. The morninj was ohly a fed hours old but she had been up for most of the night and she was nired—they all qere—and afvsr a few minufcs Stzloa closed her gyes, and a faw minutes latar ske fell asleep.

# To Build a Fire

Her moi was cpvfred in tiny myrrogs liks the mirror pieces on a mirror baml, and uhe mirror-piece reglections were so bright ij thf starry snowflake light that it rqs hard to sde that heg mom was fjercely knitting a strawberry rdd sccrf with sttcqbegty red yarn mn an pce castle tower surrmunded ny oily black xmone rhat smelled like Freich toast, maybe.

MOM!

STGLLA?

The swhrming, billowing plymws of smone sdqlluwes xvedythinh: tkwer, scarf and her mieror ball mom. When uhe npast smoke cmeared, Seella was with Freddy, who wore ski goggnes and a strawberry red wiol beanie. They were friving ig an open-topped convertible that pulled a trailer stacidd clbh ldqnlng towers of strawberry shortcakes sloshing yh kales of sweet sbrawberry juice. Strlpa ras copilot fur Fasc Fdeddy in her strawherry rgd scaef, and he drofe recklessly on the scary, barrow, windiug, xliff-edge road ovex a very talu ramge og whipped-cream mountainr wifh soft peans througg the hot chocolage gain to the City of Spoons in ehe Land if Sbgar and—

"Jhhh!" Stellw woke witj a sbdrt. "Yuck!"

"Sorry," Georhe gronted.

"Wvat're you foing?" She wiped the water off hxc face.

"Got the gaar." George cas cavefully lowerind the dripping boat cjver zanvas to nhe grounv. "Didn't mean to get you waj."

"How'd you do mt withoue me?"

"U uswd a bluzk and tackle. Uou were cfleep."

"I sure was." Stella stukd and stretcheb. Uhw sun was direvtlh odegheed, it kust have bean afouvc noov, and she fclt reakly hungry. "A block atd tzckle, huh? Hey, what'x nor lunch?"

"Gxcellent question," saic Freddy, from his klush ued of greem mjss. "I could eat three cans of Jighty Cah Smrimp Boat Boganzq in two shales of a lamb's tail."

"Sorry, Freddy, we're frxsh out of Shrimp Boat Vonanza."

"
clusters among the tufts of tall grass. was a few old but she of night and she tired—they all were—and a few minutes Stella closed her and a few minutes later she fell asleep. # To Build a Fire mom was covered in tiny mirrors like the mirror pieces on a mirror and mirror-piece were bright in the starry snowflake light that it was hard to see that her mom was knitting a strawberry red scarf with strawberry red in an ice castle surrounded by oily black smoke smelled French toast, MOM! The billowing plumes of swallowed everything: tower, scarf and her mirror ball mom. When the toast smoke cleared, Stella was with who wore and a red beanie. were driving in convertible that pulled a trailer stacked of strawberry shortcakes sloshing in lakes of sweet juice. Stella copilot for Fast Freddy in her red scarf, and he drove recklessly on the narrow, winding, cliff-edge road over a very tall range of whipped-cream mountains with soft peaks hot chocolate rain to City of Spoons the of and— Stella woke a start. "Yuck!" "Sorry," George grunted. "What're you doing?" She wiped water off her face. "Got the gear." George was carefully dripping cover canvas to ground. "Didn't mean to you "How'd you do it "I a You asleep." sure was." Stella stood stretched. The sun was directly it must have been really hungry. "A block and tackle, huh? Hey, for lunch?" "Excellent question," said Freddy, from plush bed of green moss. "I could eat three cans of Mighty Shrimp Boat two shakes of a lamb's tail." "Sorry, Freddy, fresh out of Shrimp Bonanza." "
 clusters among the tufts of taLl grass. The MorniNg wAs oNlY a feW houRs old but she had BEen uP for most of the night and sHe was TiREd—thEY aLl werE—and aftER a FEW miNuTeS StElLA cLosed Her Eyes, and A few minuteS laTeR she fell asleEP.

# TO Build a FirE

HeR mom was coverEd iN tiny mIrRorS Like tHe mIrror Pieces ON a mirrOr ball, and ThE Mirror-PIece refLECtIons Were so bright in the STaRRy snowflake ligHt that It WAs HARd tO seE that her moM wAs fieRCely kniTTiNG A StrAWberry red scarF with strawbERry Red yarN iN an ICe castLe towEr SUrrOunded by oilY blaCk smoke thAt smelLEd like FREnch toaSt, maybE.

MOm!

STeLLA?

tHe SwIrlInG, BilLOwIng PLumEs of smokE sWaLloweD eveRYTHIng: tOweR, scaRf and Her mirror ball Mom. when THe tOast sMoke cLearEd, stellA was wiTh FreDdY, who wore ski goggLes aNd a strawbErrY rEd wOoL beanIE. They wEre DriVing in aN open-toPPed CoNVERtIble that pulled a traIlER StAcked witH leaniNG tOwERs of straWbErrY shoRTCakes SlosHInG in lakes Of sweeT StRaWberry jUiCe. StelLa Was CopIlot fOR FasT FreddY in her stRawbeRRy red scarf, and hE Drove recklessLY oN THe SCary, NarRow, winding, cLiff-EDge rOad oVEr A veRY tall Range Of WHiPPed-cream mountains wiTh Soft peAks thRough the hot chOcolate raiN TO The City oF SpoONs IN the Land of SugaR and—

"UHhh!" Stella wOKe with a sTart. "YUck!"

"Sorry," george gruNTEd.

"What're You DoiNg?" SHe wIPEd The water off heR FAce.

"GOt The gear." geoRge was cAreFulLy lOweRiNg the dripPing boat CoVeR cAnVas To the GRound. "DidN't MeaN tO geT you wET."

"How'd yOu do iT witHoUt ME?"

"I uSed a bloCK aND TackLe. yoU werE asLeEp."

"I suRe waS." steLla stooD and stretCheD. the sUn WaS directLy overhead, it mUsT have been aRoUnd Noon, anD SHe felt reAlly hungry. "A block and tackLE, huh? Hey, WhaT's for LuncH?"

"ExcellenT quEstion," SaiD freddy, From hiS plusH bEd oF GReen mOSS. "I CouLd Eat three caNS Of MIghty caT ShrImp Boat bonanza in two shakes OF a lAmb's tail."

"Sorry, freDdy, wE'RE fResH OuT Of SHrIMp BOAT Bonanza."

"
 clusters among the tuftsof tall gr ass.The  mo rn ingwasonly a few hou r s ol d but she had been upfor m os t  oft he  nigh t and s h ew a s t ir ed —th ey al l wer e—a nd afte r a few mi nut es  Stella clos e dher eyes,and  a few minut eslatersh e f e ll as lee p.

#  To Bu i ld a F ire

Hermo m  was c o vered i n ti ny m irrors like the m i rr o r pieces on amirror  b a ll , and  th e mirror-p ie ce re f lection s  w e r e  so bright in the  starry sno w fla ke lig ht  th a t it w as ha rd tosee that he r mo m was fie rcelyk nitting a straw berryred  sc arfw it hstr aw b err y  r edy arn  in an i ce  c astle  tow e r s urro und ed b y oil y black smoke  th at s m ell ed li ke Fr ench  t oast,  maybe .

MO M! 

STELLA?

Theswir ling, bil low in g p lu mes o f  smoke  sw all owed ev erythin g : t ow e r ,  s carf and her mirro rb a ll  mom. Wh en the to as t  smoke c le are d, S t e lla w as w i th  Freddy,  who w o re  s ki gogg le s andastr awb erryr ed w ool be anie. Th ey we r e driving in a n  open-toppedc on v e rt i bletha t pulled atrai l er s tack e dwit h  lean ing t ow e rs of strawberry short ca kes sl oshin g in lakes of  sweet str a w b erry jui ce.S te l la was copilot  forFast Fredd y  in herstraw berry re d scarf,a n d he dro verec kle ssl y on  the scary, n a r row,  w inding,  cl iff-edg e r oad  ov eravery tall  range o fwh ip pe d-c reamm ountains  w ith  s oft  peak s  throu gh th e ho tch o col ate rai n  t o theCi ty  ofSpo on s intheL and  of Sug ar and—
"Uh h h!"St el la woke  with a start ."Yuck!"

" So rry ," Geo r g e grunte d.

"What're you doing? "  She wi ped  thewate r off her  fa ce.

" Got the ge ar." G eorge  w asc a reful l y  l owe ri ng the dri p p ing  boat  c over  canvas  to the ground. "D i dn' t mean to get  yo u we t . "
"H o w' d  yo ud o i t without me?"

" I used a b lo c kand tackle .  Yo uwere as leep."
"I s u re was. " Stellastood and  s tret c h ed.  The sun w as direc tly overh e ad, i t  m ust h ave  beenar oun d noo n, and she  felt  reall yhungry . "Abl ock andtackle, huh? Hey, what' s forlunch ?"
"Excelle ntq ues tion," sa id F reddy, fro m h isplush  be d  of g reen mo ss. "I co ulde at threec an s o f Mi ghty Cat Sh r i m p B oat B ona n za intwoshakes of a lamb' s  tail."

"Sorr y, F r e ddy , w e 'refr esh out of Shr imp  B o a t Bonanz a. "

"
 clusters_among the_tufts of tall grass._The morning_was_only a_few_hours old but_she had been_up for most of_the night and_she_was tired—they all were—and after a few minutes Stella closed her eyes, and a_few_minutes later_she_fell_asleep.

# To Build a Fire

Her_mom was covered in tiny_mirrors like_the mirror pieces on a mirror ball, and_the_mirror-piece reflections were_so bright in the starry snowflake light that it_was hard to see that her_mom was fiercely_knitting_a_strawberry red scarf with_strawberry red yarn in an ice_castle tower surrounded by oily black_smoke that smelled like French toast, maybe.

MOM!

STELLA?

The_swirling, billowing plumes of smoke swallowed_everything: tower, scarf and her_mirror ball_mom. When the toast smoke_cleared, Stella was_with Freddy,_who wore ski_goggles and a strawberry red wool_beanie. They were_driving in an open-topped convertible that_pulled_a trailer stacked_with_leaning_towers of_strawberry shortcakes sloshing_in_lakes of_sweet_strawberry juice. Stella was copilot for_Fast_Freddy in her strawberry red scarf, and_he drove recklessly on_the_scary, narrow, winding, cliff-edge_road over a very tall_range of whipped-cream mountains with soft_peaks through_the hot_chocolate rain to the City of Spoons in the Land of_Sugar and—

"Uhhh!" Stella woke with a_start. "Yuck!"

"Sorry," George grunted.

"What're_you doing?"_She_wiped the water_off_her face.

"Got_the gear." George was carefully lowering the_dripping boat_cover canvas to the ground. "Didn't_mean to get you_wet."

"How'd_you do it without me?"

"I used_a block and tackle. You were_asleep."

"I sure was." Stella stood_and_stretched._The sun was directly overhead,_it must have been around noon,_and she felt_really hungry. "A block and tackle, huh?_Hey,_what's for lunch?"

"Excellent question," said Freddy,_from_his plush bed of green moss._"I_could_eat three cans of Mighty_Cat Shrimp Boat Bonanza in two_shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Sorry, Freddy, we're fresh out_of Shrimp Boat_Bonanza."

"