Ducks in Trees

Wow! What a sight!  I stared in numb horror at the statue marking the middle of the forest. The statue itself is nothing special. It’s more a landmark than anything. Barely noticed on most days. What makes today special? Someone has been up to mischief. The large, nondescript stump had been dressed up like a guest for a Halloween party. A bright pink hula skirt surrounded the base while, higher still, a baggy blue Hawaiian shirt hung in a messy drape. Worse still, the perpetrator had centered a garish jack-o-lantern on top of the stump. The over-bright smile was shadowed by garish red circles on plump cheeks. Thick, long fake lashes surrounded wide eyes. The crowning glory was the long blond wig that almost brushed the ground.

My mind spun as I stared at the sight. If I had to look at this thing for one more minute, I might just do something stupid. Like laugh. Or call out for my friends. Why would that be so wrong? We are currently in a massive game of hide and seek. It’s part of the training young ducks go through. Most of the time, it is a good thing to escape from humans undetected. Every few months, the elder ducks call a game of hide and seek. The flock is then compelled to go about their business as quietly as possible. The game goes until someone is detected by a human. This game had been going on for 3 days. It was almost record breaking, just 4 more hours to go to win. Unless someone succumbs to this temptation!

Knowing how weak I was, how close I was to losing the whole thing, I turned away with a shake of my head. The elders must really want to test our self control. That was the silliest thing I had ever seen. I was glad to have escaped without a sound made.

I barely was 20 steps away when I heard it. A young duck, honking and snorting in glee. Hmmm…I wonder who that is? I thought, and then decided to let loose and laugh too. Someone else already spilled the beans.