"What do you mean, Johnny's gone?" Johnny Quack was by far our most decorated duck.
"A fox took him out while he was on recon. He heard a suspicious noise and went to check it out. He was on patrol with Conner Quackhead....and well you know how Conner can be." Conner was known as a duck who attracted trouble to himself no matter where he was. "Anyway, Conner was being attacked and Johnny stepped to save him. Conner got anyway with a few bite marks but Johnny...not so lucky."
I sat down. We were so concerned with the encroaching local deer population that we had forgotten to be on alert for predators. On of our best drakes was now lost due to this error. To go honest we had be losing almost a duck a day but we didn't know until now.
Some we thought were just deserters or lazy wanderers that would find their way back. I did not want to be the on the tell the hens about Johnny though. Johnny was a drake they really looked up to. They were not going to like this. Lost in my own thoughts I didn't realize Malcolm was still looking at me waiting for orders.
"Malcolm, I'd hate to say this but I think we need to break out plan Q."
"Drake Michael, pl-plan Q? Are you sure? I really don't think we've ready. We still-"
"Malcolm l don't think we have a choice. Our forces are down by a third. We are being whittled down little by little. Can you think of another option?". His bewildered silent look said it all. "Very well, tell the masses to get ready to execute plan Q."
"Very well, Drake Michael." He nodded his head and I returned his nod. I couldn't let him know, but I was just as worried as he was.
YOU ARE READING
The Duck Job
Short StoryA group of ducks go on a secret mission to reveal the truth about the growing deer population threat. At first, it seems harmless, just a friendly group of herbivores moving in next door. Slowly the duck population begins to dwindle. At first it...
