Jake's Tree House

It took almost a full minute for the cheering and applause to wind down, and when it did, I raised the megaphone to my lips and asked the inevitable question. "So, who wants to join Jake's Tree House?" What followed was an incredible rumbling of the earth as over one hundred fourth and fifth graders nearly trampled us, begging to become a member of our club. All sorts of boys and girls were crowding around us and pleading to be picked. One boy even jumped on Ted's back and began rubbing his hand back and forth though his blond crew cut. "Please, Jake, I want to join your club so badly," one of my friends from school cried out as he tugged on my arm and jumped up and down. "I'll do anything to be in your club, Luke," another boy shouted as he literally pushed and shoved through the crowd to get Luke's attention. "Oh, pretty please, Mal Mal, I'll even do your homework for a year," one girl screamed as she yanked on Mallory's shirt sleeve and begged to join our new club. I was barely able to get the megaphone to my mouth before someone yanked it away from me. "Please, everyone, just calm down and let me explain what you have to do in order to get picked for the club." "Yeah, what's this test you wrote about in the flyer?" one boy asked who was standing nearby. Another boy chuckled. "I'll bet you have to get twenty smacks on the butt with a tennis racket or something like that." I laughed out loud upon hearing that. "Actually, that's a good one, Joey, but no, we won't be smacking anyone's butt." More giggles sounded from the crowd. "To become a member of Jake's Tree House, you have to eat a live worm and swallow it down your throat for at least a minute." "What?" a girl nearby screamed, her face taking on a look of panic. "I'm not eating any slimy worm." "Dudes, I'll do it right now," a boy named Andrew shouted. "In fact, I'll eat ten worms and I won't puke them up, either." "I'll do it as well," Ryan Landers insisted. "I can swallow twenty worms and I'll even chew them in my mouth, too." One of the nearby girls practically fainted upon hearing that while another one simply hissed at Ryan and smacked him on the arm. "You're disgusting, Ryan." While many of the girls and boys were talking excitedly about whether or not they could take on the daring feat, Luke and Cole began passing out more flyers that informed everyone of the test this coming Saturday. It basically said that anyone who wanted to join Jake's Tree House would need to eat a live worm this Saturday at 1:00. Silence fell all around us as Luke and Cole continued to pass out the flyers to everyone and they began reading them. Apparently, none of the kids thought we were for real at first, but now the proof was in the pudding.