Ironhide, Want To Go Camping
Chapter Two
"Socks, 8 pairs….check. Jeans, 5 pairs….check. Flashlight…..check. Sleeping bag….no check." I grimaced as I realized what that meant—I would have to go down into the basement and wade through half the junk down there to find one.
I told myself I was lucky that we even had a sleeping bag as I kept an eye out for spiders waiting to jump on me and sink in their fangs. Dad had gotten the sleeping bags when I was eight for the 'Witwicky Great Outdoors Camping Trip.' Let's just say we don't ever mention those three days and we've never been near a national forest since—though Dad swears the park rangers didn't banned him.
I nearly let out a whoop of joy when I saw my blue sleeping bag peeking out of a cardboard box. A bit of luck—finally. I stepped over a box of my old baby clothes and gingerly picked my prize up. . I tracked my steps back to the stairs and headed to the back yard so I could spread it out and make sure it was good and get rid of any lingering wet dog smells from trip that can't be mentioned.
I had just stepped outside onto the patio when I felt it—something crawling along the outer edge of my hand. I froze. I gulped—please, please don't be a black widow spider. I flinched as it moved up towards my fingers.
"Ahhhhhhhh, GET IT OFF, get it off."
I dropped the sleeping bag and started flinging my hand to get it off and then jumped toward the grass so it couldn't get me. Unfortunately, I slammed into something hard and ended up on my ass. I stopped swippping and rubbing my hand to look up.
"Oh…Hi, Lennox…there was a, a spider-but I've totally taken care of it…"
"So I see."
"Ummm, so what are you doing here?"
"I came to drop off Ironhide for your trip and to pick up Bee. He's going to be staying with me and Sarah."
It was then that I heard the ominous growl-like sound coming from over by Bee's shed.
"Okay, well I'll be sure to take good care of him and we'll have lots of fun—right, Ironhide?" I call out to him, trying to sound friendly.
The growling sound increased slightly and ended in what I could've sworn was a harrumph.
"Alright, well—you'll take good care of Bee, right?"
"Yes, Sam." He rolled his eyes as if I had said something really stupid. He definitely didn't know what HE was getting into.
"MAKE sure you don't take him near dirt roads, muddy areas, or anywhere that will get him dirty."
"I'll make sure he's clean when he comes back."
"That's not what I said-OKAY, listen to me, DO NOT get Bee dirty and DO NOT take Bee to any, I repeat any car wash within fifty miles."
Bee chirped loudly from his shed in protest.
"Do I dare ask why?"
"Let's just say your have plausible deniability options if I don't tell you."
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D-Day. I took a deep breath and grabbed my duffel bags. I strolled out to the driveway, trying not to look too nervous.
"Okay, Ironhide I'd just like to say thanks for doing this."
"I was ordered to by Prime."
"Nontheless, I'm very grateful and… I'm sure Bee's very grateful too.
With a loud roar his engine started and he threw open his driver-side door. I carefully climbed up into the cab. God, he was massive. It brought back a flash of the time I had once attempted to ride a horse at a carnival and fallen off the other side of the horse when I jumped up.
I looked around the cab. It was spotless and dangerous-looking in its gleaming midnight blackness. I suddenly wondered if it was rude to stare. I mean it was Ironhides inside's. I quickly averted my eyes to the outside.
"Okay…so...umm, why don't we head to the school?"
"Affirmative."
I watched the houses and buildings fly by. I was feeling strangely nostalgic. Soon I was going to be in the wilderness with lions and tigers and bears…okay not lions and tigers but I'm definitely sure there are bears and…mountain lions…and wolves…and very evil Chihuahua-hating chipmunks.
The school parking lot looked like a tornado had gone through when we pulled up. I quickly scanned the mass of people and cars and found a group of teachers and parents. I had Ironhide pull up close by them and then had to literally jump out of Ironhide onto the pavement—he looked big but he was definitely bigger then he looked.
"Nice truck." I froze at the sarcastic comment and found the speaker.
"Hi Miles…yeah it is a nice truck—it's not mine though I'm just borrowing it for this trip…"
He just looked at me with his arms folded across his chest.
"So, Miles, how have you been? We haven't had a chance to talk or hang out lately."
"Yeah, dude, I kinda noticed that after you ditched me at the lake and made me walk ten miles home."
"Well, you see…um…well what happened…it…"
"HEY Mr. Witwicky. Mr. Lancaster," I had never been so happy to see our biology teacher in all my life. "Alright, why don't you two load up that pile of tents into Sam's truck. Miles—you go ahead and ride with Sam and make sure the tents are tied down tight and there are no problems. We leave in thirty minutes."
I watched as biology teacher left as quickly as he had come. It was definite now—he purposely wanted to make my life a living hell.
