Flight of the Four Freakin'Fools
by Lady of Spain

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

A/N: Another Springtime story. This won first Place at the FWAR Drabble This Contest 2016.

Quil was pounding on my door. I opened it, standing in my boxers, and yelled at the idiot. "Jeez, Q, was someone murdered, or what?"

"Or what, is right."

"Come again?"

"We found it. It's perfect. Get in your duds, dude, and come see for yourself."

I yawned in his face. He didn't have to get me outta bed for this. It could've waited—'til I ate breakfast, and combed my hair, and washed up the dishes, but nooooo, he had to come charging in here like Uncle Omni's bull. I had to remind myself, why was he my best friend?

Driving our bikes over to Omni's place, I got a little nervous. The last time we were here, Diablo got loose, and it took us hours to lead the beast back into the corral.

"Where's Diablo," I asked.

"No worries, your uncle's down in the pasture watching him. And ya know what? It's spring, so whaddya think he's doin'? He's munching on daisies, or gettin' friendly with the lady bulls."

"Those are cows, dummy. A cow is a female, a bull is a male. Anyhow, I'm glad he's busy 'cuz I'm in no mood to chase after him all day."

"Whatever. All right, enough of this bull. Follow me, it's right behind the root cellar."

I heard Embry and bad boy, Lahote, horsin' around. Paul brayed, "Well it's about time, sleepin' beauty. Take a look. Whaddya think?"

Quil was right. It was shaped in a perfect "Y".

Embry, the brains of our group had bought a huge inner tube from the vehicular cemetery. Miraculously, it still held its snap. I think it once resided in a tire belonging to a Caterpillar. Anyway, my enthusiasm ratcheted up a notch.

I fingered the tube, admiring its elasticity. "Good job, guys. Let's get the girls down here. We need an audience. No one will believe us otherwise."

"Crap," Paul complained. "You know they'll whine and fuss, and try to talk us the hell out of it."

Embry nodded, taking the rubber band and tying it to the tree. "Exactly. And when they see how audacious we are, they'll be all over us like wasps on a can of pop."

Quil frowned. "Where'd you learn that big word ... audacious?"

Grinning, Embry said, "I read a lot. You should try it sometime. A book's pages are actually printed with words on them. How do you think I won Leah?"

Paul snickered. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure she loves you for that muscle between your ears."

With a head jiggle, Embry razzed, "Jealousy, thy name is Paul."

The day arrived, and I could hardly wait. I jerked on Bella's hand. "C'mon. Ya gotta see this."

Rachel, Leah and Crystal were already standing around our launch pad, looking dubious.

Bella's eyes nearly popped outta her head, her mouth becoming a fly trap. "Are you morons out of your minds? Jake, please, tell me you're not going to do something this stupid. I can see Paul and Quil being dumb enough, but you and Embry?"

Leah glared at Embry, then turned to Bella. "Believe me, Bella, they are that stupid. It's an experiment, gauging their testosterone."

"Yeah, yeah," Paul growled. "See? What I tell ya? The girls just don't understand what it is that makes us tick."

Rachel shoved Paul hard against the tree. "Oh, I understand all right. I'm leaving. I can't watch you break every bone in your body."

"Chelle, don't be like that. I'm not gonna get hurt. Trust me."

Rachel began walking away. "I'll get the bandages and splints ready."

"Wait …" Crystal cried. "I'm going with you."

Running after her, Quil whimpered, "Ah, c'mon, Cris, not you too."

Crystal looked over her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow … if you're still alive."

Leah quipped, "Two down, two to go."

Embry quietly went to her side. "You're not going to leave, are you?"

"What? And leave you fools lying on the ground, bleeding. Someone has to begin first aid."

Quil rubbed his hands together. "Okay, no more chit-chat. Let's get on with it!"

"I'll go first," Paul said. He climbed partway up the tree, and with his arms extended, held on to the band.

"On three," Quil yelled. He pulled back on the make-shift slingshot. "One. Two. Three." He let go, the band snapped, and catapulted Paul clear across the field.

Lahote came running back to the starting point. "Woohoo! A giant leap for wolf-kind."

Quil and Embry went next, then it was my turn. Bella was hanging onto me, beggin' me not to do it.

"Please … You don't have to prove yourself to anyone, least of all to me. Don't, just don't."

"What, and lose face in front of my pack mates? Not on your life."

I wrenched away from her grip, and got myself settled into the slingshot.

Geronimo! On three, I was sprung from the contraption, airborne; flying over the meadow. But then I landed, crash-boom-bang! Leah and Bella came racing to my aid. Damn, my leg was broken, along with my pride. To make matters worse, Diablo was thunderin' toward me. The guys shifted, and the bull, startled by the size of the wolves, retreated. Dodged that bull-et.

Leah had to carry me home like a baby. How humiliating.

That was it. My flying days were over. The initial rush wasn't worth all the pain. Bella wasn't speakin' to me. Leah gave Embry the cold shoulder, and I don't even wanna go into the drama between Paul and Rachel … or Quil and his girl. Needless to say, we four fools found other ways to risk our necks. Can anyone spell leech patrol? It wasn't as much fun, but it kept our testosterone at a tolerable level. At least that's what Embry tells me, and he should know. He reads that stuff.

I remember that day as if it was only yesterday. It definitely gave new meanin' to the word SPRING!

The End