FirstLineFiction beta

from Contest #8

'I wouldn't do that if I were you,' she told me the first time we met.  We were both new in town and a mutual friend had introduced us.  We decided to meet in a woodsy park with many walking trails. We were walking down a shaded path in the woods talking when she suddenly stopped.

I stopped in my tracks and turned slowly to the sound of her voice.  "What wouldn't you do?", I asked.

"I wouldn't take another step in the direction you are going, Susan. Look down," she said.  I looked down and saw a long, black, slithering reptile close at my feet. I began to slowly walk backwards towards the sound of her voice taking each step carefully while holding my breath. 

Once I was back on the trail close to her, I collapsed and had to sit down. I had been talking and not paying attention when we happened upon this unknown species of snake. Thank goodness she was paying attention. I sure didn't want to get snake bit or have a heart attack running from the vile, slithering reptile.

She sat down beside me to get her breath as well.  I heard her let it out once I was safe.  We laughed a nervous laugh as we checked ourselves making sure we were both okay.  "Wow, that was exciting now, wasn't it?", she asked.

I replied, "I didn't think it was too exciting!"  I was still trying to catch my breath and gather my wits about me.  "I think we should go back the way we came and perhaps choose a trail closer to civilization!"  She laughed and agreed whole hearted as we turned around and went back the way we came.

We were becoming friends quickly as we had so much in common.  Glenda was as outgoing and imaginative as I was.  I was glad we didn't wear dresses today.  Could you imagine two frightened females running out of a trail with dress tails flapping wildly in the rush to escape?

"I am not usually such a scaredy cat," I said as I was hurrying ahead of her. She just laughed as she watched my feet glide as ice skates do on a frozen pond.  Of course, she was right on my heels. 

Once we reached a clearing at the main trail, we found a bench under a huge, shady Oak tree.  Before I sat down, I looked up to make sure there was nothing creepy or crawly about to fall down onto my head before I sat down.

"What are you doing now?", she asked, looking puzzled at my strange behavior. She looked upwards at the branches expecting to see something invisible magically come to life.  While she was looking up, I had made my way around the tree and was directly behind her.  I found a small twig on the grass and picked it up.  I slowly and quietly touched the back of her leg with it and she did the finest Irish Jig I had ever seen!

It took me almost a city block to catch her.  She was running so fast and so hard.  She was almost at the entrance to the park before I could catch up to her.  Did I forget to mention the fact that I was out of breath from laughing at her? 

When I caught up to her, her eyes looked like a deer caught in a car's headlights.  Her hair was falling out of her carefully prepared pony tail.  I couldn't imagine what I looked like, but it couldn't be any worse than she looked.  

I looked at her and laughed nervously.  She said, "What are you laughing at?  Something slithered on my leg.  Didn't you see it?"

I decided to come clean and face the consequences.  What was the worst thing that could happen?  We would end a nice, budding friendship from blossoming?  Maybe she would grab a stick and hit me on top of my head?  It didn't matter now.  "Glenda, I am so very sorry, but that was me."

"What do you mean that was you?", she asked while still taking deep, lung filling gasps of air.

"When you looked up in the branches, I slipped around behind you and touched your leg with a twig."

"I can't believe you did that right after we ran across a snake!", she screamed at me.  I could tell her demeanor was changing and hopefully it was to the good. 

"I have pulled pranks on people all my life, but this was a first for me!  I have never been scared and pranked all within a ten minute time period!  Hats off to you, my friend!  I think we are going to have a smashing fun time in future endeavors!", she replied.

Did I hear her right?  I was still looking to see if she had a stick or a club behind her back.  When I didn't see a weapon of any kind I maneuvered in her direction and gave her a huge hug.  This was partly in relief and partly from a guilty conscience. 

"I am so relieved you are not mad at me.  I, too, am well known for my pranks!  This will be a great friendship!  Now we have two heads to come up with pranking ideas instead of one!", I exclaimed.

"After all this excitement, I need some chocolate and fast!", Glenda cried. 

"I second that!  I am not sure which I prefer more, the pranking or the chocolate," I replied. 

"Chocolate!", we both said together laughing. 

How can you have a better day than this, I pondered.  A new friend, a couple of pranks, and CHOCOLATE!  Isn't life grand?
   

 

 

 

back to Contest #8