Chapter 27: The Camping Trip, part 2!
MEANWHILE IN THE CAVE...
Vince watched the stranger lit the fire for warmth before tending the wound on his leg. After the boy finished tending the wound he told Vincent that he would go out and find something for him to eat.
Vincent sat alone for at least ten to fifteen minutes and kept hearing the scary sounds from outside the cave. As the minutes ticked by he became scared with wonder if the stranger just left him here all on his own. He sighed in relief when the young chipmunk returned with some berries.
"Here, this is all I could find. This should settle your stomach until morning." The stranger said.
"Thanks." As Vince accepted the berries he noticed some strange looking cuts on the inside of the stranger's forearm. It had looked as if someone had slashed them with a whip or something. It reminded Vince from when he saw those same kinds of marks on his dad's forearms. He is curious to know where this kid had come from and wanted to say something, but decided against it.
Finally, the curiosity was getting to him. "What's your name?" He asked boldly.
The stranger smiled warmly, "My name is Tom."
Vince frowned in confused. "That's funny. I have a brother named Tom, too." He said before putting a few berries in his mouth.
"You must be so lucky to have a sibling. I wish I had one to call my own." The twelve-year-old said solemnly.
"I'm not lucky. Believe me. They're a pain in the butt, especially when they say that they don't want you around." Vince replied remembering the last argument he and Tom had moments before he got lost.
"Sometimes family members say things that they don't mean. It doesn't mean that they hate you, or don't want to be seen with you." Tom said with a reassuring hand on little Vince's shoulder.
"No, I'm a klutz. A mutant. Everyone else is supper smart in my family, but I'm not." Vince pouted. "Lets face it, my dad's a genius, mom is really smart in archaeology, even my siblings are a lot smarter then me. Mary, my sister, maybe a freak sometimes talking about seeing Angels and all, but still she is smarter."
The strange chipmunk smiled knowingly at the child as he talked about his family.
"I wish I could be more like my dad. He can do anything." He finished in a proud, and yet, a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"That he can." The mysterious chipmunk muttered as he smiled. He stared distantly as if remembering something that had happened a long time ago.
"What?" Vince replied in shock.
"Uh, nothing." The older chipmunk stuttered as he came back to reality. He began to ponder for a moment. "I bet you have certain interests though, don't you?"
Vince thought about it and smiled, "I like computers. Once I helped my dad put one together...after I had taken it apart." Vince chuckled sheepishly. "And I like fixing other broken things, like cars. My dad allowed me to help him fix the car last week. Sometimes I like science and chemistry. I sit with my dad, and I watch him do experiments for his class. Sometimes he even lets me pour the chemicals from one Becker to the other." He finishes before taking a few more berries from his hand and popping them into his mouth.
"See you're not a mutant. Your brain just develops differently from the rest of your family."
Vince swallows the mouthful of berries and looks up at his friend questionably. "How about you? Where are your parents?"
The twelve-year-old chipmunk froze for a second, "Ah...They're around!"
"Aren't they going to worry about you?"
"No, my mom knows where I am!" He said with a faint smile.
"What about your dad?"
Again the stranger froze before answering the seven-year-old chipmunk. "He... He doesn't worry about me anymore."
"Why?"
The older kid chuckles and shakes his head before responding. "You're a curious little guy, aren't you? You remind me of someone I once knew along time ago."
"Really? Who?" Vince said before taking the rest of the berries and putting them in his mouth.
Once again the kid chuckles and looked at Vince warmly. "You better get some rest now. It's getting late."
"What about the animals that are making those scary noises." Vince said pointing at the entrance of the cave.
"Don't worry, Vincent. I will protect as if you were my brother." The stranger said as he guided Vince's head down to his lap and stroked it with a nurturing touch.
-----------------
THE NEXT MORNING!
As the first rays of the sun came up a search team, along with Simon, left the campsite to find Vincent. Jeanette and the kids stayed with a few other campers at campsite in case Vince managed to find his way back on his own.
-----------------
Meanwhile, Vincent woke up to the sound of chirping birds. The strange chipmunk was nowhere to be seen. The campfire is now smouldering in it's own ashes. Vincent getting up slowly, he walked towards the entrance of the cave. He becomes very worried knowing he was alone, something he doesn't like very much. When he heard footsteps coming his way, Vincent gasped loudly as a humanoid shape walked up and came into view. He became relieved when he saw his new friend return with some more berries for breakfast. The young chipmunk watched warmly as Vincent ate his berries. Just then the stranger perked his ears and looked out from the entrance of the cave. He focused his sights outside as if he could hear something or someone coming.
"Stay here. I'll be right back." Tom said as he started to run out of the cave.
"Hey, wait!" Vince shouted, but it was to late by the time he got up to catch up to his mysterious friend, he was gone. It was like he simply vanished into thin air.
---------------
Not far away Simon and some members of the search party are trying to call out to Vince and hope that wild animals hadn't got to him first. Just then something caught Simon's eye. A shadowy figure in the bush stood motionless as it stared right back at Simon. That's when he heard its voice inside his head. The words whispered, "this way". Then the figure lifted his arm and pointed down a path nearby.
Simon's heart started beating a mile a minute as he saw this figure guiding him. It was strange, but Simon also knew he could trust this stranger, and turned towards the other people in the group.
"Hey, guys!" He cried out to the rest of the search party. "I have a feeling that he might be this way!"
The other campers shrugged their shoulders. It was then decided that they would split up in two more groups. One team goes in the direction that Simon requested while the other half follows the one they are on now.
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Vincent cuddled himself into a little ball as he tried to wait patiently for his friend to return. When he heard faint calling of his name not too far off, he also recognized one of them to be his dad's. Immediately, Vincent jumps up to run out of the cave. He looked all around till he noticed a group of people coming out of the bush. Vincent became so excited that he nearly tripped and fell as he ran up to them.
"Dad!" Vincent cried as he ran up into Simon's awaiting arms.
"I am so glad you are alright." Simon said, his throat tight.
"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin everyone's vacation."
"Sssh, don't worry about that right now." Simon told Vince, reassuringly. "Right now lets get you back to the campsite, alright?"
Vincent looked up at his Dad and nods. On their way back they caught up with the rest of the search party. Everyone sighed in relieve to see the boy safe and sound. Vincent had been so thankful to be back with his dad, that he almost forgot about strange friend that rescued him.
"Dad. We have to go back." He said excitably.
"Why?" Simon asked with a stunned expression.
"There's a kid back there, and I think he maybe lost too."
"What's this boy's name?" One of the campers asked.
"His name is Tom and if it weren't for him, I'd still be lost. He's a chipmunk, just like us, dad. We have to go back and find him." Vince said frantically.
Simon noticed the same familiar figure that guided him to his son. As if he was the only one to seen the image of the shadowy figure began to clear up from behind a tree. It was Tom, Simon's friend from the Island. Simon smiled as his old friend winked at him then disappears in the shadows. Simon then suspected that this was the 'friend' that Mary's Angel was talking about. He understood that the boy his son spoke of was indeed a Guardian Angel, and an old friend.
Simon smiled, and looked down at his son. "I wouldn't worry about Tom, son. I have a feeling he'll be just fine."
"Are you sure?" Asked one of the other campers.
"Well, he did say that his mom knew where he was. Maybe he went back to her?" Vincent admitted.
"I have no doubt about that." Simon smiled knowingly. He reached down, and picked up his son to begin to carry him the rest of the way to the campsite.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Lets go back to the came and get some breakfast." Simon said as he patted his empty tummy.
"Yeah." Vince said.
All the other campers agreed and left the woods to get back to the campsite where the others awaited patiently for their return.
MEANWHILE IN THE CAVE...
Vince watched the stranger lit the fire for warmth before tending the wound on his leg. After the boy finished tending the wound he told Vincent that he would go out and find something for him to eat.
Vincent sat alone for at least ten to fifteen minutes and kept hearing the scary sounds from outside the cave. As the minutes ticked by he became scared with wonder if the stranger just left him here all on his own. He sighed in relief when the young chipmunk returned with some berries.
"Here, this is all I could find. This should settle your stomach until morning." The stranger said.
"Thanks." As Vince accepted the berries he noticed some strange looking cuts on the inside of the stranger's forearm. It had looked as if someone had slashed them with a whip or something. It reminded Vince from when he saw those same kinds of marks on his dad's forearms. He is curious to know where this kid had come from and wanted to say something, but decided against it.
Finally, the curiosity was getting to him. "What's your name?" He asked boldly.
The stranger smiled warmly, "My name is Tom."
Vince frowned in confused. "That's funny. I have a brother named Tom, too." He said before putting a few berries in his mouth.
"You must be so lucky to have a sibling. I wish I had one to call my own." The twelve-year-old said solemnly.
"I'm not lucky. Believe me. They're a pain in the butt, especially when they say that they don't want you around." Vince replied remembering the last argument he and Tom had moments before he got lost.
"Sometimes family members say things that they don't mean. It doesn't mean that they hate you, or don't want to be seen with you." Tom said with a reassuring hand on little Vince's shoulder.
"No, I'm a klutz. A mutant. Everyone else is supper smart in my family, but I'm not." Vince pouted. "Lets face it, my dad's a genius, mom is really smart in archaeology, even my siblings are a lot smarter then me. Mary, my sister, maybe a freak sometimes talking about seeing Angels and all, but still she is smarter."
The strange chipmunk smiled knowingly at the child as he talked about his family.
"I wish I could be more like my dad. He can do anything." He finished in a proud, and yet, a hint of jealousy in his tone.
"That he can." The mysterious chipmunk muttered as he smiled. He stared distantly as if remembering something that had happened a long time ago.
"What?" Vince replied in shock.
"Uh, nothing." The older chipmunk stuttered as he came back to reality. He began to ponder for a moment. "I bet you have certain interests though, don't you?"
Vince thought about it and smiled, "I like computers. Once I helped my dad put one together...after I had taken it apart." Vince chuckled sheepishly. "And I like fixing other broken things, like cars. My dad allowed me to help him fix the car last week. Sometimes I like science and chemistry. I sit with my dad, and I watch him do experiments for his class. Sometimes he even lets me pour the chemicals from one Becker to the other." He finishes before taking a few more berries from his hand and popping them into his mouth.
"See you're not a mutant. Your brain just develops differently from the rest of your family."
Vince swallows the mouthful of berries and looks up at his friend questionably. "How about you? Where are your parents?"
The twelve-year-old chipmunk froze for a second, "Ah...They're around!"
"Aren't they going to worry about you?"
"No, my mom knows where I am!" He said with a faint smile.
"What about your dad?"
Again the stranger froze before answering the seven-year-old chipmunk. "He... He doesn't worry about me anymore."
"Why?"
The older kid chuckles and shakes his head before responding. "You're a curious little guy, aren't you? You remind me of someone I once knew along time ago."
"Really? Who?" Vince said before taking the rest of the berries and putting them in his mouth.
Once again the kid chuckles and looked at Vince warmly. "You better get some rest now. It's getting late."
"What about the animals that are making those scary noises." Vince said pointing at the entrance of the cave.
"Don't worry, Vincent. I will protect as if you were my brother." The stranger said as he guided Vince's head down to his lap and stroked it with a nurturing touch.
-----------------
THE NEXT MORNING!
As the first rays of the sun came up a search team, along with Simon, left the campsite to find Vincent. Jeanette and the kids stayed with a few other campers at campsite in case Vince managed to find his way back on his own.
-----------------
Meanwhile, Vincent woke up to the sound of chirping birds. The strange chipmunk was nowhere to be seen. The campfire is now smouldering in it's own ashes. Vincent getting up slowly, he walked towards the entrance of the cave. He becomes very worried knowing he was alone, something he doesn't like very much. When he heard footsteps coming his way, Vincent gasped loudly as a humanoid shape walked up and came into view. He became relieved when he saw his new friend return with some more berries for breakfast. The young chipmunk watched warmly as Vincent ate his berries. Just then the stranger perked his ears and looked out from the entrance of the cave. He focused his sights outside as if he could hear something or someone coming.
"Stay here. I'll be right back." Tom said as he started to run out of the cave.
"Hey, wait!" Vince shouted, but it was to late by the time he got up to catch up to his mysterious friend, he was gone. It was like he simply vanished into thin air.
---------------
Not far away Simon and some members of the search party are trying to call out to Vince and hope that wild animals hadn't got to him first. Just then something caught Simon's eye. A shadowy figure in the bush stood motionless as it stared right back at Simon. That's when he heard its voice inside his head. The words whispered, "this way". Then the figure lifted his arm and pointed down a path nearby.
Simon's heart started beating a mile a minute as he saw this figure guiding him. It was strange, but Simon also knew he could trust this stranger, and turned towards the other people in the group.
"Hey, guys!" He cried out to the rest of the search party. "I have a feeling that he might be this way!"
The other campers shrugged their shoulders. It was then decided that they would split up in two more groups. One team goes in the direction that Simon requested while the other half follows the one they are on now.
------------
Vincent cuddled himself into a little ball as he tried to wait patiently for his friend to return. When he heard faint calling of his name not too far off, he also recognized one of them to be his dad's. Immediately, Vincent jumps up to run out of the cave. He looked all around till he noticed a group of people coming out of the bush. Vincent became so excited that he nearly tripped and fell as he ran up to them.
"Dad!" Vincent cried as he ran up into Simon's awaiting arms.
"I am so glad you are alright." Simon said, his throat tight.
"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin everyone's vacation."
"Sssh, don't worry about that right now." Simon told Vince, reassuringly. "Right now lets get you back to the campsite, alright?"
Vincent looked up at his Dad and nods. On their way back they caught up with the rest of the search party. Everyone sighed in relieve to see the boy safe and sound. Vincent had been so thankful to be back with his dad, that he almost forgot about strange friend that rescued him.
"Dad. We have to go back." He said excitably.
"Why?" Simon asked with a stunned expression.
"There's a kid back there, and I think he maybe lost too."
"What's this boy's name?" One of the campers asked.
"His name is Tom and if it weren't for him, I'd still be lost. He's a chipmunk, just like us, dad. We have to go back and find him." Vince said frantically.
Simon noticed the same familiar figure that guided him to his son. As if he was the only one to seen the image of the shadowy figure began to clear up from behind a tree. It was Tom, Simon's friend from the Island. Simon smiled as his old friend winked at him then disappears in the shadows. Simon then suspected that this was the 'friend' that Mary's Angel was talking about. He understood that the boy his son spoke of was indeed a Guardian Angel, and an old friend.
Simon smiled, and looked down at his son. "I wouldn't worry about Tom, son. I have a feeling he'll be just fine."
"Are you sure?" Asked one of the other campers.
"Well, he did say that his mom knew where he was. Maybe he went back to her?" Vincent admitted.
"I have no doubt about that." Simon smiled knowingly. He reached down, and picked up his son to begin to carry him the rest of the way to the campsite.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Lets go back to the came and get some breakfast." Simon said as he patted his empty tummy.
"Yeah." Vince said.
All the other campers agreed and left the woods to get back to the campsite where the others awaited patiently for their return.