After a couple of weeks, the pod in the corner of the newspaper office starts to move. The entire newspaper team sat and stared at the object in the corner of the office. It had been hanging there motionless since the day Mary disappeared but now it wiggled and shivered. After a few minutes, the swaying turned into a jerking movement.

"I don't know about this…" Rocko whispered. "What if it's some kind of animal… that eats bugs??" And with that, Rocko took off running. He didn't get far before he tripped and started rolling. He rolled right through Ricky and the ant troop like a bowling ball.

"Strike!" Matty said, as the ants went flying in all directions. "Sorry about that," Rocko said to Ricky, reaching out his hand to help him up. "I didn't mean to bowl through you like that."

"It's cool," Ricky said. "We're warriors. It takes more than a rolling centipede to hurt us. Right men?"

"Right, Sir!" the ants barked back. But Rocko noticed a couple of ants rubbing the top of their heads.

"Hey, look!" Cindy yelled. The pod was splitting open.

And then, right before their eyes, the most beautiful butterfly magically emerged from the torn pod. Everyone was amazed by the display of orange, red and purple. Nobody moved and nobody spoke. They just stood there with their mouths wide open.

"Hey everyone, vacation's over!" the butterfly announced. "Did you miss me?"
And as soon as the butterfly spoke, the mystery was over.
"Mary, is that you?" José asked. "What happened to you?"

"Well, it's a long story. I suppose I should have told you all before I went into the chrysalis." Mary started. "But it happened rather quickly."

"I'm sorry I almost punched you," Jake confessed. "But I didn't know it was you inside that thing!" And Jake told Mary about the close call.

"Yeah Jake, that could have been bad," Mary said, "Thanks for not punching me," then Mary reached out and jabbed Jake in the arm. Everyone laughed while Jake backed away from Mary, trying to look brave.
"So what have you guys been up to, besides trying to punch me?" Mary asked.

"Oh Mary," José started. "You would not believe everything that has happened. We have already put out two editions of the Fly on the Wall Journal. We've added puzzles and ads and even the bees are involved now!"

"Wow, that's great! I hope there's still a job for me here," she said, a little worried.
"Well, now that you can fly,
I think you should be a reporter like me," José
suggested.
"Great idea kiddo," Cindy said.
"Thanks grandma," José joked back.

"I… think… that's a good idea…" Queen Sarah joined in, landing near the group. The gang was so excited to see Mary that nobody noticed Sarah's return. "I have a new story idea for you. There's something going on at the lake. Hundreds of humans are gathering around the water," Sarah announced her scoop.
"Well, it sounds like we have our first story to investigate together, partner," José said, hovering over the branch waiting for Mary to join him.

"Sounds good! Let's go!" Mary's colourful, new wings flapped slowly as she took her first flight as a butterfly.

The new reporting duo flew away together, and the Fly on the Wall Journal team was now complete.

The End.

Written by Cathy Sewell, Illustrated by Blaise Sewell, Donated by The Curriculum Closet (www.curriculumcloset.com)