Kickapoo Kicks!

[Kev Allison]

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MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

Chuckling as Mattie grabbed his pants effectively stealing them from him he nodded. “Oh sure so you think.” He reply grinning, “You’ve never seen me running through a forest in just underwear before. Even if it is because I’m being chased by a bear.” He joked grinning as he watched Koda shuffle up between them. So a revenge attack was now off the cars as he snugged in his sleeping back and went to sleep.

“Night Mattie.” He stated hearing the pretend snoring, it wasnt that he believed her but it was nice to just laugh and joke with someone and not have to be deadly serious all the time. It was their holiday of sorts and if they couldnt have fun with it, they shouldn’t be on holiday at all.

Kev was fast asleep when he felt the nudge to his shoulder. He wasnt used to have anyone that close to him as he woke with a start. “Who’s there?” He asked before trying to brush it off as a joke as he yawned not sure of the time. Still dark, a bear was the first thing that went through his head but last he checked bears didnt speak English as he grinned and looked over at Mattie.

“Sure sure...” He yawned stretching a little. “If i’m going outside I’ll need my pants back?” He questioned grinning at her, “Wouldnt want to scare the wildlife too much.” He teased grinning as he sat there for a moment almost debating if he wanted to get out of the warm sleeping bag.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, well, there's a good point." Mattie had kind of forgotten that she's deprived him of his britches and now pulled them from her sleeping bag. "I was keeping them warm for you, that's all!"

Uh huh, right!

Scrambling out of her own bag she grabbed a sweat shirt and her jeans, quickly pulling them on before getting her boots.

"All right, you ready?" Then she frowned. "Koda! The dog was actually snoring! "Some watchdog you are!" She gave him a gentle nudge then grabbed her flashlight and a blanket.

"Let's go do this! And I'll let you sleep in in the morning. I won't bug you until after seven!"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

Kev laughed as he pulled on his pants, “Yeah right, I’ll remember that you know.” He teased though sure it was the first time in a while he had his pants stolen out from under his nose. Kev was looking for his shoes as he found them a short while later hearing Mattie ask if he was ready.

“Ready.” He added grinning as he felt her gentle nudge, “Hey Koda is a great watch dog, any better and he would have alerted you to everything,..” He added laughing lightly as he picked up his light and jacket and headed out to see the stars. Different to staying in Chicago where the stars were usually planes, street lights and car headlights. Not very star like but still it was the sort of stars he was used to after a while of living in the city.

“Wow a sleep in huh aren’t you in a generous mood today.” He joked as he shrugged, “Usually I’m up around five or six so I’ll make sure to wake you if I am. A good nudge or something.” He joked, sure he wasnt that cruel to nudge someone awake from sleep if he didnt have to but then Mattie didnt know that. “Or I might even surprise you with breakfast since you and Koda both snore ... soo much.” He said with a sigh as he laughed and made sure to take a step or two away from Mattie for a moment as he teased her.

“So about these stars.” He said glancing up at the night sky above his head. Strange that it was just a tent covering them from the outdoors as he stood for a second and marvelled at the sight.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"Wake me up all you want," Mattie told him, "but just remember that I have a gun and might not be fully awake! And remember, too, that morning doesn't start until ten anyway!"

She stepped into the cool night air and drew in a deep breath, then looked up, smiling at the sight.

"Wow..." For a moment she just looked, then she nudged Kev. "Come on, let's find that meadow so the trees aren't in the way." They'd have to use the flashlight, just so they didn't kill themselves by tripping over something, but then they would have an unobstructed view of the sky.

"Just keep your eyes down and watch the trail," she urged him, "even when we get there."

It as about a five minute walk, and once there, she laid out the blanket. "Okay, lay on your back, but keep your eyes open until I say." Their eyes would need time to adjust from the light.

Laying beside him, she pressed her eyes closed, softly singing the 'Jeopardy' theme a couple of times, then said, "Okay, now!"

When she opened her eyes she was greeted with the glittering stars and the Milky Way arching across the sky. It was magnificent!

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

Kev thought about the options he had and getting shot wasnt really something he wanted to pursue in life. He had managed to get out of the Navy unscathed and he wasnt too fond of getting shot at all. “Oh I remember that but yeah I’ll maybe only poke you awake at ten thirty just to be on the safe side.” He added grinning at her as he followed her outside into the night.

There was that cool night air that smelled like a fresh new day, the kind of air that by his apartment was usually laced with food or petrol. “Right, the meadow... where the bears life so we can get eaten with no trees to protect us.” He added chuckling as he made sure to use the flashlight before he managed to fall over into a tree.

The five minute walk was pretty much done with as he nodded as he lay on the blanket with his eyes closed waiting for the okay to open them. Staring up at the sky when he heard her he gasped. This beat the Chicago stars by a mile. “Wow.” He gasped not too sure he didnt sound like a complete idiot as he stared at the sky. “It’s beautiful.” Which it was as he hadn’t seen much like it in a few years.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"It really is amazing, isn't it...you have to come out here to realize what you're missing in the city."

It was magnificent, the deep indigo-black of the sky, sprinkled with the glitter of stars, and the source of the Milky Way's name evident. The concentration of stars and galaxies arched over their heads.

"I can pick out a few constellations," she commented quietly, "we camped a lot and Dad tried to teach us. Cygnus is my favorite." She pointed up. "The Swan, I think it's just so elegant and graceful." Chuckling, she added, "We used to make up our own constellations and stories to go with them. I wasn't very good at it, but Annie was great!"

A bright meteor streaked over their heads.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“It really is amazing, like you say in the city you don’t even manage to see half of what’s in the night sky.” Kev said as he smiled watching Mattie for a moment. The stars shone brightly and at the same time all he could do was gaze at her face watching them. He quickly turned his gaze toward the sky again when she pointed out a few constellations.

“Ah, see we never really camped so I’m more the book guy but this isn’t like any book ive read.” Kev added smiling lightly. He didnt have a bad childhood, far from it really but he felt he lost out on the basics like camping, sure doing it as an adult was great and more so now he could put together what he had read about with the night sky above them. “Did you see that?” Kev said pointing to the meteor as he grinned, “I think you get to make a wish for that.” He added.

Making up stories was what he loved, the facts fitted the narrative he was going for so in truth a story about a specific event was taken on. “So let’s hear your best night time star story.” Kev said grinning, “Pretty sure the big dipper is around here somewhere too.” He added as he tried to point in its general direction.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"The Dipper is right there." Chuckling, she pointed out the large constellation, although it was a little difficult to tell, since at this angle it wasn't 'right-side-up'. "Ursa Major, the Big Bear, although I still can't see it, but then, it's more than just those brightest stars."

"So, you want a good constellation story?" She hadn't thought of those in years, and most of them were silly, anyway.

"Let's see...there once was a little girl who was wild and free, she loved to dance and play, she was always jumping in the stream and climbing trees...she was so young and happy. But then she had to start school, do what she was told, closed up inside all day, forced to learn boring things like math and science...she was told that she would have to grow up and she couldn't play in the water or trees she got real sad ran outside to play in her stream one last time."

It was coming to her has she spoke, and she could feel years of agony slipping away. "The Fates saw how miserable she was, so they pulled her under the water, the threw her up into the Heavens where she could play and be free for all time as a beautiful swan."

She smiled and reached over to take his hand and give it a squeeze, leaving hers lingering there, their fingers just touching.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

Kev stared into the night sky at the constellation that Mattie was pointing at, he wasnt all too sure that he could see it but he’d go with the fact he could make out a few stars here and there. “Yeah I mean I’m not seeing a bear in the sky, I’m more worried about the ones on the ground first.” He teased lightly though sure maybe with enough practice he could see something more than just a few starts to try to draw a bear in between.

Nodding about the story he grinned wondering what Mattie would come up with for it this time. It started off happy and soon turned, school and being inside tended to do that to people. In his mind adult stuff generally took over life and sucked the fun out of the day so he could relate to wanting to run outside one last time. Grinning at the happy ending of sorts to it all as he smiled at Mattie figuring out what she was talking about.

Squeezing her fingers lightly Kev smiled, “And I bet she is still there playing freely for all of time.” He said grinning, “Besides who wants to be stuck inside with all the boring things. Much better to be out here right?” He asked grinning as he smiled. There wasnt anyone he would have rather been in the woods with other than Mattie as he stared up at the sky.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

Mattie smiled and nodded. "Need to get out and away sometimes, huh? I mean, work is mostly outside, but nothing like this...it's so quiet and calm."

It was good not to hear honking horns and sirens! Already, she was feeling the weight of it all draining away -- her mother, house repairs, work, even all that had happened in her past.

Another meteor streaked across the sky and she gasped...that would never get old! "There!" she exclaimed, "that's the children playing in the stars! They laugh so loud that the sound splinters into balls of light!" Okay, she was plagiarizing a bit from Barrie, but it fit! "Look, another!"

She glanced over at Kev and smiled. "Your turn."

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“You’re lucky, i get the office all day every day and maybe some wildlife in the form of a few angry cops now and again.” Kev said smiling as he listened to the peace that was out there. The silence that didnt have any yelling, people in a rush, crashing or sirens. “Believe it or not we even get the venture out to the courts too if we manage to escape.” He joked though really he didnt get to see much of the outside world and making time for it.

Mattie gave him the perfect reason to just make the time he had always put off. Kev glanced up to where Mattie pointed as he grinned, listening to her story about the stars as he grinned at her. “Wow there’s a lot of laughing going on there tonight then.” He added grinning at her as he tried to come up with a story about the stars.

“So in a Galaxy far far away, there is a star called Antares or the heart of the scorpion.” Kev began grinning, “The sky was filled with things to do, places to wonder and look until one day Orion came to hunt him. Like most things once hunted they run and hide until the danger has gone. This time however the Scorpion had a heart.” So yes he was loosely basing his story on truth and tales and something of a mix in between but then he couldnt exactly say he was great at making up stories about the stars.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, Scorpius!" Mattie nodded as her eyes swept the sky. "I hadn't thought about Orion hunting anything but Taurus, but it makes sense that a hunter, well, hunts! That's a good place to hide, too, up there where people have to figure out what you are, and only if they can actually see you through all the city lights."

Then she glanced sideways at Kev and grinned. "So, they let you out sometimes? I'm surprised they don't make you wear an ankle monitor so they can hunt you down when they want to. Although I guess they could just send Orion after you!"

It was so peaceful and nice here, and Mattie thought that she could just stay out here forever. "When I was a kid, sometimes I felt like I was born in the wrong era, that I would have been better suited for the Old West, with horses and stuff....but I guess there weren't any lady sheriffs, and I'd miss indoor plumbing and AC! Dunno, maybe this would get old and boring, too, after a decade or so."

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“The city lights seem to spoil all of this, you don’t even know it’s up there unless you get out into the fresh air once in a while.” Kev said as he stared at it, it was a perfect night and sure his story was awful but then again when it came to the stars they all had their own little stories. Their own way of existing up there without a second thought on it.

“Oh they have their ways, you know that place everyone knows everything and where you are. Ha they track you down with a bow and arrow faster than let you eat lunch.” Kev joked, it wasnt that he figured people wouldnt do it if they could but an ankle monitor was a good thing he figured. Especially for the judges that decided to avoid you without telling you the general vicinity.

“You’d want to live in the old west?” Kev asked grinning, “I mean AC and plumbing is great but sure getting back to basics. No internet, no phones unless you wanted to send a telegram but I work with paper all day so writing a letter isn’t too difficult.” He added grinning. “Would be a good time to live in, me I want to go back to the eighties for the clothes.” He joked though there were a few times he wanted to go back to just to see what actually happened.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

"Eighties?" Mattie laughed. "Oh, I can just see you in those bell-bottoms, with a mullet, channeling John Travolta under the glitter-globe! Or was that, like, the late seventies? Anyway, I think you'd kill the Urban Cowboy thing! Or maybe...what was it? 'Footloose'...or "Dirty Dancing'?" Again, she laughed. "But don't think you're going to catch me pulling at 'Flash Dance'! I'm getting too old for that sort of thing, and I'd scare away the audience."

Sighing, she shrugged. "I think I could do without phone and internet...sometimes it would be nice not to be so instantly contactable...not to be contactable at all." She chuckled a little. "Just...make plans and meet. But then, I wonder how people did it back then, selling just about everything then packing up the rest and moving west, knowing it would take months to get any correspondence...and you'd never see family again. Like now, when they talk about people going to Mars. Part of me would do it, but I think most of me wouldn't...I'd stay here with Koda...and other friends."

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

[googlefont="Oswald"][googlefont="Allura"][googlefont="Abel"]

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“Hey don’t knock the eighties, it was a great decade.” Kev said with a grin, “still got those bell-bottoms and I can grow back the mullet.” He offered laughing as he shrugged about the urban cowboy, then again Travolta, who couldnt resist that guy. The Saturday Night Fever movie was one of the greatest ever. “No one is ever too old for Flash Dance, trust me a few drinks and you’ll be channelling Flash Dance and Footloose all in one.” He joked grinning, then again a night out and alcohol usually he thought he was the worlds best dancer.

“Yeah, take a step back from it all. Then again it makes you wonder how people lived twenty years ago when mobiles weren’t a thing and email hadn’t been invented. Having to walk all that paperwork across town or check actually paper files.” He said with a sigh, technology made things easier in some ways but invaded life in others. Getting rid of it for a while was nice, just to switch off from the buzz of life and leave a phone at home. It was a great feeling.

“Wait you want to go to mars?” Kev asked a little surprised, “Sure I mean why not but then what is something goes wrong, it’s mars not earth and yeah it would mean moving away from an entire life you know.” Kev said as he wondered if mars would be a good place, knowing his luck he would be stranded there with a serial killer or something but then space appealed a little but what was out there. He wasnt sure he wanted to find that out.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI