Snack Food Hero

Chapter 16: What's that Smell?

His racing heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he turned around, certain he would be looking into Rainbow's eyes as she fell off the bridge.

Instead, Bash found himself holding one of Rainbow's feet and Duncan holding the other foot. Together they lifted her up, but she screamed again when they touched her left arm.

"Don't," she said, catching her breath. "Don't touch my arm, I think it's broken."

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Bash heard it first: the sound of some other life evidenced by a small avalanche of rocks and then footsteps running. He stopped and held the group back with both arms.

They silently looked over his shoulders but heard nothing.

Duncan laughed.

Lance chided Bash: "Don't get finicky, now."

They walked down into the woods along a dirt path. Still near the top of the landscape, Bash looked across the expanse of trees and mountains. The vague light source beyond the mountains was so dim, the entire place appeared black and white. Through thick trees below, a dark, almost black river carved its way into the mountains.

At the bottom of the hill, tall trees curved overhead, blocking nearly all light from their view. They held each-others' arms and hands and walked in a close huddle.

Then they all heard a quick pitter-patter of footsteps that did not match the pace of their slow-moving huddle. Then they heard a snort, loud and careless like a pig at home paying no mind to manners.

The cautious group stopped and listened to the still of the place.

Bash's nose offended him and he realized he was smelling the sulfuric, sardine-like smell of urine.

"What is that?" He asked.

The only reply he received were sobs.

"Who is that?" Asked Bash.

In the darkness, they heard a thud and someone yelled, "Duncan fell!"

Through his sobs, Duncan confessed from where he laid on the ground. "I just wanna go home! Shirley's making my favorite tonight, chicken spaghetti, and now I'm gonna miss it!"

"We'll get home, don't worry," said Bash.

Rainbow said, "Chicken spaghetti leftovers are even better!"

Duncan blew his nose loudly and said, "Thanks guys."

Lance asked Duncan, "What did you just blow your nose on?"

From the darkness came Duncan's alarming reply: "I don't know".

Suddenly a light shone in Bash's eyes and he shielded his face. The whole group lit up in the blinding spotlight and they cowered against one another amid commotion. "What is that?" "Who is that?"

Then they heard the snort again and Bash felt Rainbow shaking against him. He forced himself to walk in front of the group to shield them from whatever this was.

If it was what he thought it was — a wild, horned boar that was smart enough to use a spotlight — any courage he showed from then on would be fake.

Spotting the large dark spot on Duncan's pants in the light, Lance said, "Did you pee yourself, Duncan?"

Duncan yelled, "Shut up!"

Bash tried to shield his eyes from the light and look beyond it at the same time. A look of determination came over his face that he hoped would appear intimidating, but the truth was that he was doing his very best not to end up on the floor in a heap of self-pity and urine, just like Duncan.