It was a snowy afternoon, and Mr. Branstetter’s kindergarten class was ready for the great sled race. Five eager students—Jake, Emma Rose, Aiden, Viviana, and Abraham—stood at the top of the hill, their sleds pointed down the steep, icy slope. “On your marks, get set, GO!” shouted Mr. Branstetter. With a chorus of excited screams, the kids took off, sleds zooming down the hill. Jake, who had been bragging all day about his “super-fast” sled, immediately leaned too far forward, causing his sled to wobble wildly. “I got this!” he yelled, just as a small bump sent him airborne for a second before he landed back on track.
Aiden and Viviana were neck and neck, laughing as they zoomed side by side. But then Aiden, trying to steer with his hands, accidentally steered his sled directly into Viviana’s. Instead of crashing, they both ended up sliding together, spinning like a giant snow twister. “We’re a tornado!” Aiden shouted, arms flailing as they whirled down the hill. Emma Rose, meanwhile, was zooming straight ahead, her eyes locked on the finish line. Just when she thought she had the lead, she hit a patch of ice, and her sled started sliding backward! “I’m going the wrong way, but I’m still in it!” she giggled, turning around to wave at the others.
As the finish line came into view, the race took an even sillier turn. Abraham, who had been quietly coasting along, suddenly found himself gaining speed. “Watch out!” he yelled as he slid right between Aiden and Viviana’s spinning sled, creating a three-way snow spiral. At the last second, Jake, still wobbling like a penguin on ice, zoomed in from the side, joining the madness. In the most ridiculous moment of the race, all five kids, spinning, sliding, and laughing uncontrollably, crossed the finish line at the exact same time. Mr. Branstetter, doubled over with laughter, declared, “I don’t know how, but it’s a tie! Best finish ever!” The kids cheered, collapsing in a pile of snow and sleds, already planning their next race.
