Framed!

Framed!

Maggie sat up and listened intently.

"The coast is clear Miss Puffins," she said to the rag doll in her arms.

They made their way down the dim hallway to the kitchen. All day the house had been filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies. Mom said they were for her older brother Billy's birthday party.

Four year old Maggie's sense of fairness was slightly underdeveloped. Why should her monster brother get all of the cookies just because he was turning six?

She looked for anything that might help. The cookie jar was up on the very top shelf above the cupboards. There were chairs, sofa cushions and a table. She might need a couple of Dad's big books.

Reaching up, she put Miss Puffins on the counter and then went to work. Ten minutes later, Maggie was ready for the ascent.

In moments she was almost there. The cookies were nearly hers! All she had to do was get from the table to the counter.

Reaching over with one leg, she pushed off the table. She made it!

Victory was short lived as she heard the salt shaker on the table fall over and roll towards the table's edge. It was too late to do anything other than hold her breath.

After an eternity, it reached the edge, teetered for a moment and then fell over the side. It hit the floor with a loud crash.

Maggie had to think fast. Her first instinct was to frame Billy but he was asleep.

She heard a door open and steps coming down the hall.

"What's going on here? Who made this mess?" asked Maggie's mom.

Without a word, Maggie slowly lifted her arm to point at Miss Puffins sitting on the counter with a cookie in her lap.

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