The Friendly Monster's Sunny Day

Lily loved exploring the meadow behind her house. One warm afternoon, she spotted something strange near the orange tree. A funny creature shambled about, moving slowly and groaning softly.

"Are you a zombie?" Lily asked, not scared at all.

The creature nodded sadly. "Yes, but I'm a friendly zombie. I just feel tired all the time."

Lily's grandma had told her about vitamins that give energy. "Maybe you need some healthy food!" Lily offered the zombie a sweet orange from the tree. "Oranges have vitamin C, and that makes you strong!"

The zombie's eyes brightened as he ate. "I do feel better! Thank you!"

Suddenly, a big bull came charging out from behind the bushes. The zombie looked scared, but Lily stood her ground.

"Mr. Bull!" she called. "Why are you running so fast?"

The bull stopped. "I'm not scary! I just want to go swimming in the creek, but everyone runs away from me. They think I'm mean because I'm big."

Lily smiled. "Would you like to swim with us?"

The bull's face lit up. "Really? You're not scared?"

"Nope!" said Lily. "Grandma says true friends see with their hearts, not their eyes."

The zombie, whose name was Zippy, and the bull, whose name was Benny, became best friends. Every day, they would meet at the orange tree. Zippy would eat oranges for vitamins, Benny would let them ride on his back, and they would all go swimming together in the cool creek.

The other children in town soon saw that Zippy wasn't scary at all, and that Benny was the gentlest bull they had ever met. They learned that what someone looks like doesn't matter – what matters is how they treat others.

Lily had discovered something wonderful: sometimes the best friends come in the most unexpected packages, and a little kindness can turn lonely monsters into the best companions anyone could ask for.