Rule 54: Do not handle explosives

"Do not handle explosives" Kevin looked up at the group of elders with a nervous look.

"Oh God"

"Ok no one tell Arnold and we'll pick another one"

"I heard you!"

"We're going to die" Poptarts said expressionlessly.

Arnold bounded into the room with a massive grin on his face. "I'm gonna make things explode!" He shouted. Everyone winced and shrunk back from the noise.

"I'm scared" Elder Church said.

"We all are" Elder Davis told his companion comfortingly.

"We don't have any explosives so that's a shame we won't be able to break that rule today"

The elders visibly relaxed in relief.

"Oh no it's ok Connor I know exactly where to get some!"

"Well it was nice knowing you all"

It took a lot to dampen Arnold's spirits and a bunch of exasperated elders wouldn't stop the explosions he had planned.

"You won't have to worry about anything I'll plan it all"

"I'm still worried"

"Just give me a chance. Please?"

Connor looked from the pleading eyes to the elders, most of whom were subtly shaking their heads at him with warning glances, then back to Arnold's bright face. He sighed wondering if he was signing his death warrant. "Ok" he let out a breath.

Arnold bounced across the room and embraced Connor in a bear hug. The troubled district leader was already questioning his choice.

"I'll go start preparing straight away!"

"I'm still scared" Elder Church repeated and the elders all nodded on agreement.

For the rest of the day the elders didn't see much of Arnold. He appeared sometimes carrying non-descript boxes rushing from room to room a perpetual grin on his face.

"What is he doing?" Elder Neeley whispered uncertainly to his companion as they watched out the window from the hut. Arnold was outside arranging all the boxes into an even formation on the ground before collecting them up and re-distributing them again.

"I have no idea" Elder Schrader replied.

He paused to ponder the formation several times before once again jumbling the boxes. Still not satisfied, he did this many times before settling on a pattern similar to one of the very first he had set up.

"I still don't know if I want to find out"

"We don't want to hurt his feelings"

"Yes I'd rather suffer grevious bodily harm than hurt his feelings"

Elder Schrader shrugged, "I'm still curious"

Elder Neeley sighed beforw admiting, "Me too"

"I'm pretty sure this breaks all number of health and safety rules" Connor began in his district leader voice which almost caused Poptarts to tune out straight away.

"That is the point you know. Relax, I'm sure he has it under control"

"Elder Cunningham plus explosives does not equal control"

"But he looks so excited, I haven't seen him as alive as this since Mafala told him he wouldn't give him his AIDs even if he had touched Nabalungi"

"As long as Kevin keeps his eye on him then maybe no one will lose any limbs"

Later that day, the elders all sat round for lunch. It was preparation day so there had been no proselytising and only Arnold was hard at work.

He shovelled his food down at breakneck speed and had cleared his plate before Elder Michaels has managed a second mouthful. He shot out his seat to leave and headed back outside to complete his project.

"Maybe someone should go and check he's ok" Elder Zelder suggested to a silent table.

"I'll go" Kevin offered following Arnold out the door.

"Hey buddy!" Arnold called as he saw his companion approach, "Do you wanna see what I'm working on?"

"Yeah I would" Kevin moved towards Arnold and attempted to peer inside one of the boxes.

"Well tough you can't. It's a surprise, even for you" Arnold beamed, completely thrilled with himself.

"You're not doing anything dangerous are you? Connor will be mad if you blow up the hut, there'll be so much cleaning" he joked with a smile which faded as he saw Arnold's expression.

"You don't trust me do you?"

Kevin made the mistake of stuttering as he tried to decline.

"I knew it! You think I'm actually going to blow something up don't you?"

"I'm just concerned" Kevin attempted to save himself, "I don't want anyone to get hurt is all"

"I'm doing fine by myself" Arnold stuck out his chin in defiance and turned back to a box indicating that the conversation was over.

"I trust you Arnold, just don't do anything I wouldn't do ok?"

"What wouldn't you do?" Arnold smiled slyly his back still turned to Kevin.

"Watch it" he said as he returned to the hut.

"Well?" Connor asked as soon as he walked through the door.

"What?"

"What's he doing?"

"I don't know"

"Didn't you check?"

"He didn't want me to"

The elders all sighed exasperatedly. "Kevin we sent you out there to check he wasn't going to hurt anyone"

"And I don't think he is"

Connor raised an eyebrow unconvinced. "Maybe I should go and see-"

"No!"

Everyone was surprised at Kevin's tone. "Let him do this, he'll be fine. I think it's going to be a good show"

Connor softened as he saw the reassurance and adamancy in Kevin's face.

"I'm still scared" Elder Church said.

Darkness had now fallen upon the village and the elders were all gathered in the centre. Arnold was standing in front of them the boxes behind him feeling every inch the showman.

"Welcome gentlemen and lady" he smiled at Nabalungi who had come along too. She smiled back causing Arnold to blush. He giggled and she giggled back, the moment was intensly sacharine. He had to pause while he remembered his train of thought.

"That's disgusting" Elder Neeley whispered to his companion.

"Jealous much" Elder Schrader whispered back.

"Why would I be jealous? I have a girlfriend"

"Ah but she's not here to giggle with you now is she?"

"Shut up"

"As I was saying" Arnold managed to continue, "Today we had to make things explode so I thought we can't actually make things explode, well we can which is what I'm gonna do now, but I mean like bombs and stuff, we can't explode that, well we could but-"

"Get on with it!" Poptarts called from the back of the crowd.

"So yeah, I'll just light the fuse"

Kevin became aware of Connor's hand gripping tightly to his own as Arnold neared the fuse which spread out to all the boxes around it. As he lit a match Connor squeezed tighter.

"Hope you all get the planets you wanted" Elder Davis said with a light hearted tone that didn't match the serious expression on his face.

They all watched in anticipation as the end of the fuse caught fire and slowly made its way towards a box. Arnold backed away to join the group and they waited.

Suddenly a burst of light shot out from one of the boxes with a whooshing sound and exploded in the air.

"Fireworks! You genius Arnold!" Kevin called over the whizzing and popping of the display which had now begun.

Arnold grinned sheepishly and went to stand next to Nabalungi to watch together.

They continued to watch the bright lights explode in the sky. Nabalungi gasped and voiced her excitement several times. Arnold watched her animated face light up every time a rocket burst, his arm was around her waist holding her comfortably close.

The boys where all staring rapturously at the sky unable to take their eyes off it. Arnold truly had outdone himself and every flash of colour drew an 'ooh' or 'aah' much to his delight.

Poptarts moved admist the group to stand next to Elder Church. They stood very close to each other gazing in wonder at the bright colours unwittingly inching closer until their little fingers were barely grazing. Soon, without either of them realising, their fingers became loosely entwined together. Chris looked to the boy standing next to him whose eyes were fixed in the sky his mouth slightly open and smiled.

Despite being almost certain earlier that Arnold would kill them all, he couldn't be thankful enough.