The following story is about a quokka who has a liking for junk food.

Eighteen kilometres off the coast of Freemantle WA is a small island named Rottnest.

Rottnest is known for its white sandy beaches and relaxed lifestyle.

But the islands main claim to fame is the quokka who has been described as the ‘happiest animal on earth’

Normally only about 150 people call Rottnest home but in peak tourist season that number can swell to 15,000 or more.

Which is good for the western australian governments tourism dollar.

But not so good for the quokka.

Deep in the hinterland a mob of quokka’s are minding their own business digging in the dirt searching for roots and grubs.

Amongst the mob live a family of four mum and dad plus their two sons Mokka and Bokka.

They are just loafing around enjoying the sun while they digest their greens when they are confronted by an old grey kangaroo ‘Why don’t you all go to the coast and check out the action?’

There are a lot of tourists there who like to feed all the native animals’

Mr and Mrs quokka have heard about the tourists,but there is plenty of food right outside their front door.

So why travel all the way to the coast?

But the kangaroo is very persuasive and Mokka and Bokka are excited about seeing the beach for the first time.

So the family of quokka’s pack their bags and head off for an adventure to the coast.

After three days of trekking through rainforests and dangerous terrain the quokka’s arrive on the coast sweaty and exhausted.

They cant believe how many people are out and about so they huddle together beneath a park bench while they catch their breath.

They notice other quokka’s running among the tourists and they seem friendly enough.

So Mokka works up some courage and walks toward a lone tourist while his shy brother stays behind with his parents.

‘Be careful Mokka ‘his father calls out’It is a dangerous place out here’

But Mokka isn’t listening he is busy checking out the sites.

He jumps and hops all the way to the waters edge.

He dips his paw in the water and does a little dance of joy.

Mokka waves to his family to come and join him but they are still wary of all the hustle and bustle.’Come on Bokka the water is fine you will love it’

But Bokka looks away and hides behind his parents.

But someone is interested in getting to know Mokka a tourist has followed him onto the sand’Come here little quokka and give me a selfie and i will give you a hot chip’

Mokka doesn’t know what a hot chip is but it does sound mighty tasty so he climbs onto the lap of the tourist and is told to cheese.

Mokka doesnt know cheese is either but he smiles for the lady and is given his reward.

He holds the little morsel in both paws and has a little taste’Yum not bad but it could do with a little salt’ so Mokka dips the chip into the ocean and swallows it down in one bite.

And with that first bite Mokka gets a taste for junk food.

He runs back to his family to give them the good news but they don’t want to know.

His father offers him a juicy leaf to munch on but Mokka has had a taste for the good life and he wants some more.

Later that night after his family has fallen asleep Mokka sneaks away for some more fun and adventure.

He smells the air like a dog hoping to pick up the scent of  hot chips and he follows his nose to a rubbish bin one hundred metres away.

Mokka dives right in and demolishes chip after chip until he cant eat no more.

He lays on the grass digesting his meal Mokka is as happy as a quokka can be.

Over the following weeks Mokka wanders the streets looking for hand outs from the tourists or going through the bins looking for scraps.

It is now over six weeks since Mokka has seen his family and he doesn’t really miss them because he is too busy cultivating his new lifestyle.

He is scratching his ever expanding belly while chewing on a dim sim when he is approached by another tourist’Excuse me but are you a quokka?

Mokka looks at the holiday maker like he is a complete idiot’Sorry i didn’t mean to offend you but i thought that quokka’s were small you look more like a wombat’

Mokka mutters a few choice words  that would make his mothers hair curl and the bewildered tourist wanders off.

Not only is Mokka the same size and shape as Eric Cartman he also has the temper to match.

Three hours later Mokka is slouching along feeling sorry for himself when he notices a fresh golden chip sitting in the middle of the boardwalk twenty metres away.

His eyes light up and he sprints as fast as his growing body will take him.

Squawk squawk squawk Mokka looks up to see a seagull swooping down toward the chip

‘I am telling you now Mr fucking Steven Seagull but there is nothing on this earth faster then me when it comes to taking down a hot chip’

Mokka and the seagull collide in mid air and for a moment time stands still.

The seagull claws and pecks Mokka until he starts to bleed

Mokka is struggling to stay in the fight and the seagull goes in for the killer blow.

But with the power of ten quokka’s Mokka stands his ground,grabs the seagull by the balls and squeezes tight.

And with a high pitched squawk the seagull flies away tender and defeated.

Meanwhile Mr and Mrs quokka have set up camp five hundred metres inland while they wait for their wayward son to come to his senses and return to his family.

Bokka can his his parents distress so he makes his way toward the coast.

He is determined to bring his brother back he will carry him if he has to.

But when he arrives at the beach Bokka knows that he wont be carrying Mokka anywhere without a block and tackle.

Mokka is now so big he is barely recognisable as a quokka.

Mokka is laying on his back surrounded by empty pizza boxes and fast food wrappers.

In his hand he holds a sign that reads’Will give selfies for food’

As he looks at his brother Bokka can feel his blood beginning to boil.

He scares off the tourists grabs hold of the sign and rips it into a thousand pieces.

Mokka knows that he is in bad shape.

But he  would do anything for a taste of sugar salt and saturated fats.

His eyes mist over as he watches Bokka fighting off the tourists carrying tasty treats.

‘Why is it that everything that is bad for you can taste so damn good?”

For over a week Bokka doesn’t leave his brothers side

He hand feeds Mokka fresh leaves and grass.

Everything that a quokka needs to stay fit and healthy.

Thanks to his brothers help Mokka is now back to his normal self.

He has returned home to his family deep in the heart of Rottnest.

And is enjoying life far away from temptation.

Thanks for taking the time to read one of my stories and if you could please think about making a donation so that i can realize my dream and become a fulltime writer. Thanks again Steven.

THE END