Lilguppee beta'd this one -- but the horrible parts are all mine.
I make no money from these stories. The characters belong to Petfly.
The guys encounter a frightening horde on a camping trip. Rated G
Crowswork
They were coming again. Blair could hear the aimless crashing through the underbrush. He considered hiding, but it would do no good. They would find him.
Everytime he and Jim went camping or fishing, something bad happened. But nothing this awfu... ever.
The last time they came, the two men were asleep. Jim heard them and shook his guide awake. They crawled from the downy warmth of their sleeping bags, and into the chill of pre-dawn, wearing only their boxers. Then suddenly the calamity was upon them.
Bloodcurdling screams echoed through the silent dawning forest. Blair backed away, and stumbled over the stones of the fire ring, and fell. At Jim's enraged shout the screeching horde had vanished into the foggy tree line.
Jim pronounced Blair's ankle to be broken and called for help. It was then he found out they were stranded. Marooned by a landslide. For the first time, since Blair had known him, Jim looked afraid.
No, he looked terrified.
And now they were coming back. Blair looked over at his sentinel and knew he was awake. Knew that he had been listening to their approach, for far longer than his guide.
They were ready. As ready as they could be to face this nightmare. They had remained huddled in the tent for hours, fully dressed, resting but alert. Now, Jim pulled on his boots.
He looked over at Blair and said grimly, "We just have to hold out a few more hours, Chief."
"Simon promised he'd send help, right?" Blair tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice.
"Soon as they clear that mudslide that has the road blocked." Jim tipped his head and Blair knew he was listening. To them. "Come on, Chief. We can't just sit in here. Sooner or later -- they'll come in after us."
Jim helped him put on his boot and stand. Unzipping the tent flap, he took a deep breath and with Blair hopping at his side, he went out to face them.
"Should you girls be here alone?" he growled at the twenty plus small figures, dressed in identical yellow rain slickers and hats.
All the girls started talking at once. "Mrs. Coney and Ms. Harper are still asleep..."
"...so is Judy... I mean Ms. Goldfarb. They were real tired..."
"...and so we came to see if we could help you..."
"...and Judy says we should apologize to Mr. Sandbar for breaking his leg..."
"...and she said he was cute..." At this two dozen nine year olds started to giggle hysterically.
"...and Ms. Harper said Officer Jim was one hot hunk of man, but I don't think we were supposed to hear that..."
"...and Judy told us never to just walk up on people who are sleeping, cause they might not be dressed..."
"...but how could we knock on your door? It's made of tent..."
"...I know we were s'posed to go to a regular camp, with bathrooms and cabins and stuff... but camping in the woods is fun too..."
"...and we have Officer Jim to per-tect us..."
"...and now you two don't have to be all alone, either. Isn't that lucky?"
With one arm supporting his friend, Jim backed away from the onslaught of high-pitched voices and bubble gum scented cosmetics.
Blair knew something had to be done. The Guide must protect the Sentinel. "Girls. Be still for a minute." He used his best teacher's voice. "Jim, let me sit down and go wake the ladies."
As Jim walked away he heard the deep voice of his guide ask, "Who wants to help me make breakfast?"
Seconds later his hearing was assaulted by squeals of, "ME... ME!"
When Jim returned from the bus with the weary troop leaders, Blair had the girls collecting firewood, with strict orders not to leave his sight.
The exhausted women had tried to stay awake until help arrived. They had signed on to take the girls to a summer camp, and knew next to nothing about wilderness survival. The trip to see the volcanic lake was an impulsive side trip that trapped them in the deep woods, alone, or so they thought.
Until the girls encountered Jim and Blair. And their boxer shorts.
Blair told the women to relax as he and the girls fixed a tasty breakfast of herbal tea, Cornflakes, Hershey Kisses and peanut butter cheesy crackers. Then he told stories that kept the girls rapt until afternoon.
Simon arrived, and Jim wondered what the Captain would do if his best detective were to kiss him on the mouth. He decided not to risk it. The girls, after much hugging and petting of Mr. Sandbar, were reluctantly herded back to their bus and Blair was carried to an ambulance. Jim and Simon threw the tent and gear haphazardly into the back of his Sweetheart, and followed the ambulance.
Later, when Blair hobbled out of the hospital on crutches, his lower leg in a fresh cast, they almost threw him into the truck and sped toward the relative safety of the most dangerous city in America... Cascade.
ThE End