Franklin Fox's Terrible Secret
MINI MINI STORIES
Franklin Fox had a terrible secret.
He was afraid of the dark.
Every evening, as the sun began to set, Franklin would hurry home as fast as he could, glancing around every bend to check that no one was following him.
When his friends invited him to stay, he would make up excuses to leave before sunset.
He always had a good reason for leaving early.
After all, he couldn't very well tell his friends the truth!
He was afraid of strange noises, rustling leaves, and shadows that seemed to move when nobody was looking.
One evening, Franklin was walking home when he heard a little voice.
“Who's there?” said the voice.
Franklin jumped.
“Who's asking?” he called back.
“It's me, Rocco Rabbit.”
Franklin found Rocco hiding behind a tree.
“What are you doing there?” he asked.
“I'm waiting for it to get a little lighter,” Rocco whispered.
Franklin blinked.
“But it's getting darker!”
“I know,” said Rocco. “That's the problem. I'm afraid of the dark.”
Franklin stared at him.
“You ARE? So am I!” he exclaimed.
The two looked at each other, then burst out laughing.
“I thought I was the only one!” said Franklin.
“Me too!” said Rocco.
Franklin grinned.
For the first time, he didn't feel quite so silly about being afraid.
“Would you like to walk home together?” he asked.
Rocco nodded.
And so the two friends set off together.
Franklin still didn't like the dark, and neither did Rocco.
But somehow, it seemed a little less frightening when they were together.
A little something to think about
In this story, Franklin was afraid of the dark but thought he was the only one. Rocco had the same fear, but neither had ever admitted it to anyone.
Sometimes, we worry that others won't understand our fears, when they may be feeling exactly the same way.
The moral:
There's no shame in being afraid. We all have things that frighten us, and sharing our fears can make them easier to face.
Have you ever been afraid to admit something, only to discover that someone else felt the same way?
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