How 13 came to Be :A Story

How 13 came to Be
                                 A Story

Once upon a time,  all of the numbers, 0 through 9, gathered to have a meeting at town hall. “Welcome numbers zero through nine!” One said, talking loudly so all of the numbers could hear. “The reason I called you all here,” One continues. “Is we have a problem!” The numbers stir in their seats. “A problem?!” Three, the most easily worried number, shouted. “Is the problem serious? It’s serious. It’s about me! You’re throwing me out of town! I-” Three panicked.

“No, three. It’s not about you.” One reusers three. “Oh good.” three sits back down. “The problem is that we don’t have enough numbers.” He continues. “But before we start making new numbers, does anyone have any objections?” One asks. Nine stands up immediately. “Nine is plenty of numbers! Plus, how do we make more numbers?” She demands. “Well, Nine, 9 isn’t very many numbers.” One says carefully, knowing Nine is very sensitive about her amount. “WAHH!!” Nine winned.

“Okay okay.” One says, leaning over the podium, patting Nine’s round head. “We don’t have as many numbers as the alphabet has letters, and we don’t want to look bad in front of the letters.” One explains. “First, let’s start hearing ideas for making new numbers.” He says, speaking into the microphone once again. “Let me have some ideas.”

The room is silent until Three nervously puts his shaky hand up. “Yes, Three?” One asks,  surprised that the usually skittish and quite number is speaking up. “We could pair up numbers, and make extra copies of them in my “Print Yourself” machine.” Three whispers, rushing through his sentence as quickly as possible. “Great! That’s genius! We’ll do that!” One praises. “Since it was your idea, you get to pick your first partner, and we’ll call two numbers together... Two digit numbers! Perfect!” One rambles.

“Uh, okay.” Three says. “I choose you, One. Since I’m so skittish and shy, and you’re so smart,bold, and brave.” Three mumbles. “The it’s settled!” One smiles. “But, what should this number, 1 and 3, be called?” One asks Three. “Uh, I kind of already thought of a name, Thirteen.” Three says.

Days later, numbers lined up at Three’s house, waiting to get copies of themselves. 1 and 3 stepped into the copy machine first, and out popped 13. Everybody cheered and howled. “Thirteen has been born!” 1 shouted, coming out of the machine, holding up the hand of the first two digit number, Thirteen.