Holding the books and ready to go out, I took a glimpse of myself in the mirror. “No way I am going to be able to walk around the bushes with this thing on” I chuckled. I was wearing a dress, something not really suggested for such things. No sooner said than done, I changed into something more suitable.

“I’m ready!” I triumphantly said as I appeared from the tent.

***

We entered a very thick and profound wooded path. It was already half morning, but the tall trees kept the Sun from going through them. We were completely covered in obscurity.

“Josh and I are going on the front line” captain Young started to give orders, “Eric and Aaron, you two stay behind. I also need a couple of men on each side. The rest of the group just stay close together in the middle” we created what looked like a human barrier. It was a little over the top, as if they were preparing for a huge battle. As far as I was concerned, all I could see was the magnificent of Nature. The breeze touching the leaves made it like they were whispering unheard stories, their secrets. And the chant of the birds made it all so unique.

“That’s amazing” I whispered keeping my mouth agape and looking around.

“I would keep the mouth closed, honey. It’s full of mosquitos, here” my father couldn’t help but chuckle at my expression after he said that. A chuckle that turned into laughter when I suddenly let out a yelp and bent down. Something really hard crushed against my forehead. I saw Henry Young and all his troop running and in a second, they were above me, with their guns. I could have laughed at their faces, if I wasn’t hurting. They were as scared as I’ve never seen before.

I sat there, on my butt, rubbing my forehead.

“What was that?” I wondered, keeping an eye closed for the pain. “And for God’s sake, keep those things away from me!” I said. The captain nodded and each of them put their pistols and rifles down.

“Ah, look!” my father was holding something. “Now that’s a very curious think. Look at this”

On his hands a round thing similar to a ladybug, but bigger, it was the size of a walnut. Everyone came close to admire the new discovery. I quickly tried to get my notebook to take a sketch of the bug but suddenly, the not so little think flied away with a start and that made the whole group jump at the surprise, especially Eric, who managed to trip on his own foot scaring the hell out of Aaron and Henry which by that time were standing on each side of him. “What an idiot” the captain said under his breath.