Truthfully, the first two days weren't all that bad.
Bruce found that tracking was
almost as fun as video games, Kimberly didn't mind hiking as much as she thought she would and even Josh and Felicity were getting along.
Not that they were friends. No, far from it. Now they just had a little more respect for each other, and a threat to send them home if they didn't!
On That third day, Josh woke from his tent to the recorded sound of a rooster crowing (It would have been a real one but as Mike explained, the camp couldn't get the permits.)
He propped himself up with his left arm and rubbed the sleep out his liquidy blue eyes.
Joshua staggered outside and was soon joined by the rest of the campers. He looked up. The sky was still pink.
"It must be barely morning," he thought, "Maybe 4:00 or 5:00"
Mike, who was already outside, blew his whistle to signal the campers to find their partners. As soon as everyone was together he started, " O.K., I know you guys were expected two more days of camp but we're going to have to cut it short. The National Weather Association says that there is going to be a big storm so we have to close down for the week."
The crisp morning air was filled with moans. Even though everyone missed the comforts of home they were getting excited about camp, and they were worried about their non-refundable deposits they made for the trip they put a dent in most of their saving funds for the new Brain Smashers game (Except for Bruce of course who had got an advance copy.)
"Don't worry though, your deposits will be returned and the trip will be rescheduled."
After that announcement everyone was noticeably less upset.
"And," he continued, "We're still having the Tracking Games." This got a cheer. Mike had explained that tracking was an activity were you would get put you in a covered jeep blindfolded and drop you in the middle of nowhere with a compass,a map, and some supplies and you have to find your way back. Bruce wasn't very interested until he was told that they did tracking in the army(and since he had a brother in the army this made a big difference).
"Oh, and don't forget. I'm awarding the Jr. Ranger badge today." That got a bigger cheer.
"OK, now all of you go eat your breakfast and get your packs, then lets go go go!"
Mike had never seen anyone eat so fast. The blueberry muffins( all natural of course) were sucked through black holes of mouths. He was horrified and fascinated at the same time. He had never had a more excited group of kids.
After the breakfast tables were clean and backpacks were strapped on every body's backs Mike gathered the campers together for the final announcement before the Tracking Games.
"OK campers, I know you all have been waiting to see who is the newest Jr. Ranger." The kids waited, the air around them almost sizzled with anticipation.
"And the winner is...Bruce!" Felicity and Josh stood, open mouthed clones of each other. They both thought they would win, even though they knew Bruce deserved it more.
Bruce stepped up to receive his membership card. Mike pulled the card out of his pocket and handed it to him. He them picked up a stuffed bear.
"Uh... you get this too. I don't know why." Bruce grinned then blushed and stuffed the bear in his pack.
"OK campers, I know you're used to walking from place to place but since where we going is so far and you need to save your energy for the return..." He pulled a pair of keys out of his pocket and pressed a button. The Jeep let out two shrill cheeps then was silent.
"This is the first Jeep. Two more will be around in a few minutes to pick the rest of you up."
Kimberly bit her lip then voiced the question everyone was thinking, "What if we get lost?"
Mike looked like he had heard this question many times before,"Don't worry about it. We have several mounted cameras around the forest area of the park. Speakers too. You probably won't be able to spot any of them. They are hidden so they won't interfere with the environment. As soon as you get lost we will spot you and contact you via speaker."
Mike hopped in the front seat of the jeep, "I want Dominique, Bruce, Julia, and Josh in this Jeep."
Felicity was ecstatic, If he just forgot about her for one more...
"Oh, and Felicity too."
Darn.
Josh squirmed uncomfortably in the cloth covered seats that looked like they had seen better days. He really wasn't comfortable with being blindfolded.
"And wait for the alarm to go." Mike was saying.
Josh shrugged it off. Felicity was probably listening.
After a couple of minutes of silence the Jeep hit a few bumps, slowed, then stopped.
"OK! All you crazies, OUT!" Josh grabbed his sleeping bag and pack, which he had previously taken off and stumbled out of the Jeep.
"OK you guys count to 30 then take off your blindfolds. When you hear the alarm start tracking!"
They heard the Jeep's tires skid then silence.
One Mississippi, Two Mississippi's, Felicity counted. When she got to 30 Mississippi she took off her blindfold and folded it neatly. Then she stowed it in her pack and looked around. Everyone except for Josh was gone.
"Where did everyone go?" she asked, puzzled.
Josh rolled his eyes, where do you think? They left already!"
"But that's not fair! The alarm didn't go off yet!"
"Get a life!" Josh sneered.
Felicity sat on a nearby rock, more than a little hurt, and waited for the alarm to sound.
About 5 minutes later she heard a blaring "CLANG CLANG CLANG" vibrate through the forest.
She got up, "Lets go."
After walking around for a few minutes she stopped and shook her head, " Wait a second, I completely forgot about the map. Get yours out."
"Why mine?" he complained.
"I said" she repeated, this time more slowly and more stressed, "Get yours out."
Josh removed the pack from his back and opened it.
Wait a second, he thought, this isn't mine this is...
"This is Bruce's pack." he said
"What?"
"I said, this is Bruce's pack." he repeated, "I must have picked up the wrong one and Bruce never got a map. He was in the bathroom."
"But Mike said not to take off your p-" then stopped. Like Josh actually listened.
"It's OK, I have mine." She grabbed it out of her pack then smoothed it out.
"OK, according to this we are here," she pointed to a seemingly random stop on the map, "And we need to be here." She pointed to the campsite.
"No prob," Josh grabbed the map and started to look it over.
"Hey!" Felicity tried to grab it but Josh held it high over her head. This would've worked if it had not been for the fact that Josh had yet to get his growth spurt and Felicity was a couple inches taller than him.She jumped and succeeded in knocking the map out of his hand but she couldn't grab it.
They both watched as it floated out of her grip and into the forest. They looked at each other, at the woods then sped off as fast as they could after it.
10 minutes later they still had not caught up with it. Felicity squatted to catch her breath then thought she heard something.
Gurgle, Gurgle. "Josh, do you hear something?"
He stopped and listened.
Gurgle, Gurgle. "Water! Aww, come on." He ran off with a burst of speed then stopped short.
It was a river,raging forward. A branch snapped off a above tree and fell into the river. I was immediately snapped and the pieces were swept off with the current.
Josh cringed then impulsivly looked up. The map floated above the river than landed across the other side. Josh let out all the air in his lungs with a loud "Woosh".
"That was close!" he screamed to Felicity who was still catching up. Felicity looked exceedingly relived.
Then a gust of wind blew across the clearing the were standing in and blew the map into the river."
"Crud!" Josh dropped his bags and chased after it. "Help me!"
Felicity bcked away, wild eyed, "No!"
He hissed his teeth and chased after it. After jumping in the water twice Josh came up with a soggy mushy blob of paper. He walked oer to Felicity and threw the blob at her feet.
"Great, we're doomed."
