The cat and the parrot part 2. World of dinosaurus. Written by: 10 years old author from Kazakhstan Linar Serik

Zebra’s eyes lit up. "I’ve got it! The 'green man' is the signal on a pedestrian crossing! So, when you see the green man, you cross the road!"

"Correct! Congratulations, here are your tickets."

The heroes were ecstatic. Two hours later, the train pulled out of the station. The ride was only an hour long, but Max grew restless and decided to stretch his legs. He wandered into the next carriage and spotted a familiar face. It was the leader of the crabs.

"I’ve been expecting you," the leader sneered.

"You’re alone and powerless. It’s time to end this!" Max declared.

"Go ahead and try. We are on a moving train. If you use your powers, you’ll put everyone in danger."

Max realized the villain was right, but he quickly formulated a plan. He ran back to warn his friends. By the time they returned, the leader had vanished, but Max spotted his foot disappearing onto the roof. Max lunged and grabbed his leg, but the leader kicked him away and climbed up. The heroes, unable to contain their fury, followed him to the roof.

The battle began amidst a thick fog, crashing thunder, and a torrential downpour. Passengers below watched in awe, filming the spectacle.

"I thought you were heroes who saved people, yet here you are, trying to wreck a train?" the leader taunted.

Max didn't let the words distract him. He executed his plan, leaping onto the leader and pinning him down. The train guards quickly moved in to take the villain into custody.

"We came to the Forest of Darkness to defeat the crabs, and we've won!" Max shouted over the wind. "Time to go home."

"But please... we have to find my parents!" Rico cried, tears streaming down his face as the rain washed over him.

Zebra and Max couldn't turn their backs on their friend. When they finally stepped off the train, the storm vanished, replaced by a vibrant rainbow. But Rico sensed a lingering evil. He remembered seeing a city nearby —this was just the beginning of a new journey.

Meanwhile, back on the train, the captured leader smirked. "I led them here so they could witness the beginning of the end of the world." With a cold laugh, he triggered an explosion, destroying the train so that no one could ever escape the forest.

Chapter 4. Stories in the Forest of Darkness

Rico was practically bursting with anticipation, jumping for joy like never before at the thought of finally seeing his parents. Meanwhile, Zebra watched him, feeling a wave of nervous protective energy. Max was deep in thought, worrying: What if they speak a completely different language? Or worse, what if the monsters already wiped everything out and his parents fled years ago?

But when they reached the outskirts of what looked like a sprawling city, they were all struck with amazement. To their surprise, everyone greeted them warmly, speaking their very own language. Suddenly, a resident pointed at them and bellowed:

"The heroes who saved the world have arrived!"

The King and Queen of the Forest of Darkness broke into joyful laughter. It was clear they wanted to thank the trio for saving the realm. However, the royal castle was still a long trek away. As they walked, the citizens lined the streets, clapping and cheering. When they finally reached the palace gates, the Queen’s eyes locked onto Rico. She gasped—it was his mother! The heroes were immediately ushered into the grand hall for a royal lunch.

"I will tell you everything about your childhood, Rico," the Queen said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I will tell you exactly what happened..."

"We used to live here in perfect harmony," she began. "But then, a sorcerer named Mordoorak appeared. He laid waste to the Forest of Darkness. The entire city was swallowed by a hungry fire that devoured everything in its path. He cornered you, but a brave soul managed to whisk you away to safety. Mordoorak’s true target was always you, Rico. He left our lands specifically to hunt you down and destroy you forever. Your father and I were consumed by worry; we had no idea where you were, if you were safe, or even if you were alive. We felt utterly helpless, trapped in a cycle of grief."

She took a breath and continued, "Eventually, we rebuilt the Forest of Darkness and were crowned its rulers. For years, we traveled across the globe, searching every corner of the world to bring you home, but every effort was in vain. We were about to set out again when a massive crab army surrounded our island. We fought back, and one day, the crabs simply vanished. We were just putting together a new search party to find you—but then you walked through the doors yourself and shattered our eternal sadness."

"It all makes sense now," Rico said softly. He ran to his parents and threw his arms around them in a long-overdue hug.

"My story is somewhat similar," Max added, his voice low. "I lived with my parents in a tiny but cozy house. It wasn't big, but the happiness we felt every second was indescribable. But when I was six, during a simple walk, Kay snatched me away from that warmth."

Max paused, struggling with the memories. "Imagine being trapped in a dark dungeon, starving and missing your home every single day. Kay only saw me as a way to make money. To him, animals were just wild beasts and dollar signs. I slept in a cramped shed where I couldn't even stretch my legs. I spent my nights staring at the stars through the cracks in the wood, feeling like a prisoner. Back home, I had a real bed—like every cat should! And don't think there was a buffet," Max added with a bitter, dry laugh. "My 'five-star' meals consisted of animal leftovers and unfiltered water. When I got sick, there was no help. Kay was so afraid of catching something that he’d stay far away, often forgetting to feed or water me for days. That’s where I learned to survive. At ten years old, I finally escaped and found my way back home after a grueling journey. Fifteen years later, I met Rico."

"So that’s your burden," Zebra and Rico said, stunned by the hardship Max had endured.

"I still can't remember my own childhood," Zebra added, looking disappointed.

Suddenly, the Crab Leader emerged from a shadow in the palace corner. The guards tried to intercept him, but the trio decided to finish him themselves. The leader bolted toward the unknown parts of the castle, clearly knowing exactly where he was going.

"He's getting away! We have to stop him before he causes more chaos!" Rico shouted.

They chased him outside, but suddenly, the sky itself seemed to scream. A massive, scarlet crack split the air between worlds, nearly tearing the planet in half. A terrifying roar echoed, followed by a strange, rhythmic thudding in the absolute silence. Lightning of impossible speed and power struck the earth, shattering the ground into a million pieces. The clouds ignited into a bloody crimson.

The silence was briefly broken by the crackle of a nearby radio—a small flickering sound in the dark—until a gargantuan foot came crashing down, pulverizing two buildings and the radio instantly. Panic erupted. It was clear now: the army from which the world cannot be saved had arrived, awakened from a deep slumber. They began systematically leveling the city.

With every passing second, more warriors of this invincible legion stepped through the rift. The world was beyond saving. Even the heroes who had wiped out trillions of evil crabs stood frozen, staring at the horizon, not knowing what to do...

Taste of scareness and silence

Linar Serik

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