Roger and the cruise ship

One day Roger came down to breakfast to find Mum and Dad very excitedly reading a letter.

"Roger," they said, "we've won a trip on a cruise ship." We're going next week."

"Yippee!" said Roger.

Next week came quickly and Mum, Dad and Roger set off for the cruise ship terminal. Their ship was huge. Like a floating hotel. They were welcomed on board and shown to their cabins.

They unpacked their cases and then joined all the passengers for a safety drill on the lower deck. Roger held his hands over his ears as the ship sounded its horn.

That afternoon they stood on the top deck and waved to the onlookers as the ship left the harbour. It sounded its horn again as if to say goodbye. When it was out to sea they all set off the explore the gigantic craft. There was a tennis court, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a cafeteria, several pubs, a casino, a Starbucks, a clothes shops, a chemist's, a hospital, a post office, a theatre, a snooker room, a gymnasium, a video game hall..... Roger couldn't believe how much was inside.

That evening they all had a delicious dinner and went to the theatre to watch the singing and dancing. Then Dad went to the pub and Mum and Roger went to their cabins to sleep.

That night the sea became a little rough and Roger went to Mum and Dad's room because he felt scared. "Don't worry." said Mum and Dad, "It's just a few big waves. It'll soon calm down".

And it did.

Next morning they enjoyed breakfast. Afterwards Mum said she was going to look round the shops and Dad went to the top deck to read his book in the sun. Roger felt bored so he decided to explore.

He found the swimming pool, the hospital, the snooker room, the tennis court. He found several pubs, the theatre, the snooker room and the video game hall. Then, on deck six he came across a door that said "Children's Room". He didn't recall seeing it the previous afternoon, so he pushed the door open.

The room seemed different than the rest of the ship. Kind of old-fashioned. A little girl was riding on a rocking horse. "Hello." she said. "My name's Emily."

Roger introduced himself and together the played on the rocking horse, on the see-saw and in the Wendy House. They read books and drew pictures. They played catch the ball and skipping. Roger stayed for ages before he said "Emily, I'd better be going now."

"Okay", she replied. "Please come again."

Roger left the children's room and set off to find Mum and Dad. They were having a sandwich in the cafeteria. He told them all about the children's room. They seemed surprised. Mum took the ship map from her bag and looked carefully. "There's no children's room here, Roger." she said.

Roger insisted there WAS a children's room and that he'd played with Emily there. So after lunch they all set off to look for the room where Roger spent his morning. They couldn't find it. Roger took them to deck six, and the place he thoght the door had been. There was a door, but it just said "Engine Room - Crew Only".

They asked at the information desk, only to be told that the ship had no "Children's Room".

Roger started to cry. Where HAD he been and WHO had he played with?

Next: The Class Photo