Sandy Supposes....

Scavengers

Camping Trip
June 15th Prompt


Scavenger Hunt!
What ten items do you send the kids to search for in the nearby woods?
Andre is with them - I mean, what could go wrong! Right?

         

         

         Who doesn't enjoy an evening scavenger hunt? It's an excuse to play with a flashlight. There are a few spooky shadows to get the blood pumping. Shadows may be created. No fear of sunburn. Feed a few bugs. They'll feast on you no matter what you do. Play hide and seek as you search for treasures.

Andre is pacing. He's never participated in a scavenger hunt. The most he's ever searched is for a comfy spot to chill and a refreshing brew to quench his thirst. Clutching the scavenger list he recalls tests in his past. He never did well with expectations.

         With a wild-eyed glance in my general direction, Andre permits himself to be tugged into the deepening dusk in the forest. He winces as a flashlight beam stabs his cornea. The children are all chattering at once.

         The first item on their list is a lightning bug. Andre has never seen one. Would it zap him? He staggers and soon stumbles as the kids leap about snatching and swiping at teeny tiny specks of glowing light. After a few collisions and bruised toes the newly captured lightning bugs buzz within their glass jar prisons. Mark number one off the list. No one received an electric shock.

         The second item on the list required an eagle eye to spot, a feather. As far as Andre knew birds just didn't leave their feathers lying about for anyone to snatch. He offered to climb a tree and act as a scout. Sure enough he discovered what be believed to be an abandoned nest out of reach of the kids. As soon as he reached into that lopsided mound of grass and twigs something sharp pecked his hand. Forced to defend himself, Andre let go of the branch he perched on and swung wildly. When he crashed to the ground, the kids cheered. He clutched a fistful of fresh feathers.

         The kids didn't need Andre's assistance to find number three on the list. They found plenty of mushrooms. Some of them wanted to taste their spoils, so Andre confiscated all of them.

         Number four proved to also be easy to scrounge. Green moss blanketed many of the tree trunks before it became missiles to fling at each other.

         With the fifth item on the list the explorers trained their flashlights on the ground. They heaved and kicked aside rocks to unearth worms. Andre spent a few minutes hopping and stifling curses only to experience writhing, muddy worms thrust in his face.

         Since many of the towering trees were evergreens item six lay scattered underfoot. Several pine cones became squashed as little feet stomped.

         A flurry of sword fights broke out as number seven landed in the clutches of the scavengers. Andre tried his best to fend off multiple pokes and jabs from the wielded sticks. He resorted to swinging a stick of his own. Pirate attacks proved to be great fun.

         Number eight's search ended the battle. Would they find garbage out here in the woods? A pile of something glinted in the circles of light. Aluminum beer cans had been discarded at the base of a maple tree. The lure to crush them proved too much to ignore. The kids clomped along with beer can footwear. Andre squinted and held a hand over one eye. He became the victim of an impromptu game of kick the can.

         Oh, number nine on the list could be seen scattered everywhere. It had been tripping Andre no matter where he stepped and it lurked in a range of sizes. He had to dissuade a few of the kids from adopting boulders. In the process he became the pack mule for an armful of rocks. His fellow scavengers were feeling tired.

         Andre had no idea what to claim as number ten. What would be a surprise treasure/scavenger's choice? He already juggled rocks that he dare not drop. He herded the kids back to the start of their excursion. In the lead he pushed through hanging branches that snagged his fur. Something sticky enveloped his face, but he had no free hand with which to brush it away. Out of the gloom of the trees, the kids pointed and stared.

         "Ooo, look at Andre. That's one huge spider. Will it eat him? Quick, it's moving!"

         Andre shuddered. A spider? Rocks flew through the air as he squirmed and swiped. This was not the surprise he wanted.

( 773 words minus the 22 of the prompt )