Kickapoo Kicks!

[Kev Allison]

Kev grinned at her as he listened, he was about to make some comment about green tights and flying when he was surprised to hear she had a son. He knew about her sister but a son? He stayed quiet as he listened to her talk about the original being her favourite. He had seen Peter Pan and read the book, he always fancied a life a pirate or taking one on but the navy was about as pirate as he was.

“That is a lovely thing, it’s nice that you could share your enjoyment for the book.” He said smiling, “I didnt know you had a son.” Kev said not sure if he should ask what happened or if he should just leave the subject alone and let Mattie tell him herself in her own time. Kev decided for the second option as he nodded, “Yeah, pirates and Indians is always fun and if he had company too then I am sure he will be happy.” Kev said still amazed by what she had said.

Not that she had a son but the fact he realised how little he knew about her but they were camping together. “I’m glad its getting easier but I’m sorry.” He said as he nodded about the fire and grinned. “Sure, I mean flaming hot cheetoes are a here thing I’m afraid, we’ve got to keep warm somehow.” He joked watching her try to lick away the power on her cheeks.

“Woah hay, don’t steal my toxic dust.” Kev teased as he shook his head, “Oh no, so leave me to get caught for the cheetocide of a cop... great I can see that going well for a lawyer too.” Kev joked as he leaned over to her for a moment. He kissed her cheek lightly for a moment before licking away some of the power as he laughed. “See you can live to tell the tale too, no running off on me now.” He joked.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Well, see, this way we'd both glow in the dark so we don't disturb each other at night, right?" She grinned, opting to leave the more personal topics for later...somehow, that just seemed more appropriate for the dark, but she was wanting to let him know what he was getting into, provided anyone was getting anything!

"Anyway, we get to eat soon, these super-nutritious hot dogs laced with chemicals, but hey, catsup is tomato, so, vegetable!" Laughing, she stuck a hot dog on a skewer and handed it to him, then fixed one for herself and held it over the fire.

"Funny, isn't it, we come out here to the woods to be in pristine nature, and bring junk food to eat. But hey, camping and junk food are made for each other!"

Pancakes, hot dogs, beer...that was camping, and it was a sort of ironic that the foods that were easy to make were not exactly the most healthy.

"What do you take on your dogs?"

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

“Oh nice plan, we can become out own night lights plus when we get up we can see where we’re going rather than falling over anything.” Kev added laughing, well he knew that people had a past and he was no different. His family might not be the most conventional and sure he wasnt exactly the ‘successful’ son his father wanted which made for an interesting time. Letting someone in on that madness was a leap of faith.

“Oh but without the chemicals what would they taste of? Catsup is a fruit group and counts I am sure of it. Same with relish and onions and even gravy because really it’s all healthy.” Kev said grinning as he took the hotdog handed to him as he held it to the fire. Honestly there wasnt any better food that that done over a fire.

“They are and really it’s not junk food its camp food. We can’t go around eating salads and besides it’s cave man food for putting on the fire. We can’t go around boiling hotdogs in the forest like we would at home. Nope cave man food all the way.” Kev said chucking though healthy and camping, no it didnt really go well together.

At the mention of what he took on his hotdogs he smiled. “Whatever going but has to be catsup.” He said with a grin, “How about you? If you say salad then we really need to teach you the rules of camp food.” He teased grinning.

Mattie Chappel,

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, you're going to teach me about camp food?" Mattie laughed, then took a bite of her hot dog, munching as she contemplated. "Well, I guess it has mustard on it, right?" She indicated the food she was holding. "Sometimes I like chili on mine, too, but then you really have to use a fork to eat them, and that sort of defeats the purpose, right?"

She shrugged, breaking off a bit of dog to feed to her dog, then chuckled. "Salads are for home when you need to be responsible...or maybe work when you're pretending to impress your co-workers, right?"

Grabbing a couple of Cheetos, she poked them in around her hot dog, then raised an eyebrow. "Cheetos on your hot dog adds a little texture!"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev laughed and nodded to her. “Oh sure I will, me and camp food are best friends. How do you think I’ve survived this long?” He teased though sure it wasnt like he didnt cook but then well he didnt have much reason to cook for one and working the hours he did. Yeah who was he kidding, he had more ping meals and pizza than was probably healthy.

“Yeah it’s not really finger food if you need a fork for it but you know the more you can get on a hot dog... the better at times.” He offered grinning as he watched her break some off for Koda as he grinned. “Exactly and salad is ninety percent water so if you drink enough of that then you’ve eaten a salad already. Besides the best salads come with all the unhealthy stuff too, like a size of pizza, or fries and chips or lasagne.” He added as really the salad was the side dish to all of that.

Kev watched Mattie put the cheetoes around the hot dog as he laughed and nodded. “Nothing like more texture.” He said as he took a couple and tried to stick them to the top of his hot dog. “And now we have the newly formed stegasorus rex.” He teased waving it at her as he chuckled.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, my gosh! You could market that for kids! They'd love to think they're eating dinosaurs." Mattie laughed and shook her head. "Man, I mean you can use carrot sticks and stuff and fake them into eating 'good' food."

Of course, that wasn't really fair to kids, and since she didn't have any, she'd rather work on creative desserts!

But dessert was for later, around the campfire, and it was a couple hours later that they were in the dark, drinking hot cocoa with the little mini-marshmallows and staring into the fire. The night was just on the edge between cool and cold, but then, that was another camping requirement...cold nights.

"So, do you have any ghost stories?" she asked Kev, glancing over at him, "or just courtroom horror stories?"

Kev Allison,

(Jumped us ahead some, hope that's okay)

[Kev Allison]

Kev laughed and nodded, oh if he had a spare million dollars and enough time he could maybe make that adjustment. It wasnt totally out with the possibilities but all he could do was laugh. “I was a kid once, no way you can fox a kid into eating healthy it just isn’t possible.” Well yes he might have been a very fussy kid with food when he was five, now he’d eat just about anything.

The darkness of the night against the camp fire sitting drinking hot cocoa, he couldnt imagine ever going back to work behind a desk. Usually the only light he saw that this time of night was a street light or a desk lamp. Neither of which were as good as this was.

“Ghost stories, now you’re asking... I know a few and of course court room horror stories plus a few ghost stories for the courts too.” He said grinning at her. “Legend has it if you’re in that building in the early hours of the morning you can hear the chains rattling of the prisoners who died there. Specifically one around 1895.” He began as he took a sip of his cocoa.

“But then could be a little too scary, would hate to give you a sleepless night over it.” He teased, “How about you, any ghost stories?” He asked curious as to what she might come up with or if he would be the one terrified to sleep until it was day light.

(No worries at all)

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Ghost stories?" Mattie raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Just real stuff, you know...from being a cop all these years...don't know if you can take it, though."

She hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "We all hate when something happens with kids, so I guess those stick with you the longest...I responded a few years back to a house...A young girl named Lisa was alone one night while her parents were at the opera...she was fifteen, old enough, and being a kid she hated opera..."

Who didn't, for the most part? Mattie grinned.

"She had a dog, though, to keep her company...and sort of a watch-dog, too. The night we were called, Lisa got woken up by a dripping sound. She got up and went to the kitchen to make sure the tap was turned off. As she was getting back into the bed she stuck her hand under the bed, and her dog licked it.

"The dripping sound continued, so she went to the bathroom and made sure the tap was turned off there, too. She went back to her bedroom and stuck her hand under the bed, and the dog licked it again.

"But the dripping continued, so she went outside to make sure all the faucets were turned off. She came back to bed, stuck her hand under it, and the dog licked it again.

"The dripping continued: drip, drip, drip. She was kind of annoyed, she said. This time she listened more closely and located the source of the dripping — it was coming from her closet!"

Mattie lowered her voice and leaned in for dramatic effect.

"She opened the closet door, and there found her poor dog hanging upside down with its neck cut. Written on the window on the inside of the closet door was, 'Humans can lick, too!!!'

Laughing, Mattie leaned back, giving Koda's ears a brisk rub. "Don't worry, pal, it was just a story!" Then she looked at Kev. "Or was it?"

With that, Koda slinked over to the man and rested his head on Kev's knee.

"Traitor!"

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

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

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

Kev laughed as he nodded to her when she spoke about the ghost stories she knew. “Oh bring it on, I can take it trust me.” He added though really given she was a cop he wasnt entirely sure he wanted to know a lot of them. Just because it was better to be able to sleep at night and not worry about friends and colleagues that were out on the job, then again some could be funny he guessed.

Listening intently to the story Mattie was telling he had a million and one ideas of what could happen to a fifteen year old left alone in a house while the parents were out. Parties, burglary, murder oh the list was completely endless. Then the dripping sound had his attention entirely, the dog was there to protect her so unless it was some awful story about how the dog was a hero and saved her. Only awful because he could only imagine the fate of said dog.

Nope that would break his heart. As the story progressed and Kev got further and further into it until the dripping part from the closet. He could feel his skin break out in goosebumps, it had to be a burst pipe he thought. Then Mattie lowered her voice and true enough he was done for. Kev could have curled up in a ball and cried.

They were in the middle of the woods, it was dark and a story like that had just turned him entirely pale. “I... woah.... that’s just. Please tell me that was a story?” Kev asked a little afraid of her answer as he saw Koda slink over to him. Sure he might have just patted Koda’s head had he not been terrified but instead he hugged Koda deciding that if he was terrified then so might Koda be.

Kev could still feel the shivers down his spine, the kind that made a horror movie under a blanket with a flashlight and popcorn look like an incredible alternative to be scared stiff in the middle of a park. “Please tell me that wasnt true... the kid... and who was under the bed... and that is the most terrifying thing I’ve heard.” He said still not entirely getting his colour back in his face.

Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

Laughing, Mattie shook her head. "Of course it's not true, it was one of Dad's old stories. Annie and I always checked under the beds after that!" Then she frowned as she looked at him. "At least I think he made it up. Poor dog, huh?"

She glanced at Koda, who let out a low whine and scooted closer to Kev.

"Oh, I see how it is! I think you two can sleep together tonight! Remember who has the gun!" She grinned. "Oh, right, one tent..."

Well, Koda could sleep between them and keep them both warm!

"So, um...we've done dinner and ghost stories, so what's next? Sing 'Kum-by-yah' or make S'mores?"

[Kev Allison]

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

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“Think it’s made up, oh I’d want confirmation on that and yeah I’m checking under the beds after that too. No way I am closing my eyes now without doing that.” Kev said grinning though it was truly terrifying. There were a lot of things in life he could choose to be scared of but that really took the biscuit. “Yeah poor dog and poor human too, I dont think I’d have ever slept again.” He still might not after that as he watched Koda.

Yeah poor dog he thought as he nodded. “Yeah we’re best of friends now and good point.” Kev said as he laughed about the one tent thing. “Then again sorry Koda, you’ve got really sharp teeth and all but I’ll take my chances with the lady who has the gun... as long as she doesn’t shoot me.” He joked as he grinned at Mattie for a moment.

“I’m going to skip right to S’mores... what’s more camp fireish than S’mores? Besides we can all share those, well most of us sorry boy.” He said as he patted Koda’s head. “We’re letting you share the tent too so we’ll keep you safe from the creepy forest creatures.” He joked grinning.

Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Kev Allison]

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

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“Skunks... is he liable to do that because sharing a tent with a skunk... no way.” Kev said grinning as he laughed, yeah he had heard how bad that smell was and he wasnt about to want that anywhere near him. Or the bath of lemons and tomatoes to get the stink off either. “Don’t worry we’ll sneak you the packet.” He pretended to whisper to Koda as he grinned.

He was glad to hear there wasnt any under the bed, he liked to think he didnt scare easily but that story had him considering running right back to street lamps and coffee. Never sleeping again and making sure he had things under his bed that could keep people from living under there. “Yeah I’m glad it’s just ground or there’s no way I’d be sleeping tonight.” He sated grinning.

Catching the marshmallow that was tossed to him he pulled a little piece off as he held it out for Koda. “It’s bonding.” He said grinning, “You can share mine too if you want?” He teased grinning at Mattie for a moment.

Tag: Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI

[Mattie Chappel]

(Sorry, stupid me, I was trying to clean up what I'd posted as Kelle, and forgot that it wouldn't go in the same place...sorry!)


"I think he likes most of the creepy forest creatures," Mattie declared with a laugh, "but I hope he doesn't find any skunk friends!" As she started gathering what they would need, she glanced at the dog. "And Uncle Kev is right, no chocolate for you, but if you're a good boy maybe you can have some graham cracker."

Laughing, she set out what they would need, then grabbed the sticks they had used for the hot dogs...they would work just fine for the marshmallows. "One good thing," she commented to Kev as she shoved marshmallows onto the sticks, "with camping, there is no 'under the bed'! Just the ground, right?"

Then she called, "Catch!" as she tossed a marshmallow at Kev. If he missed, Koda would be happy to clean up!

[Mattie Chappel]

Catching the marshmallow that was tossed to him he pulled a little piece off as he held it out for Koda. “It’s bonding.” He said grinning, “You can share mine too if you want?” He teased grinning at Mattie for a moment.

"I have my own!" Mattie grinned then shrugged. "But sure, we can share, I don't really think you have cooties!" She handed him a stick already loaded with a few marshmallows, then held her own stick over the fire, watching as the white treats browned.

"So, um, you want to get the graham crackers and chocolate, and we can set up an assembly line?" She looked at Koda. "Don't worry, you'll get one, but no chocolate...and you have to wait for it to cool, no burned doggy tongues!"

She held out her roasted marshmallows so that Kev could sandwich them between layers of cookie and chocolate. "Oh, hey, we could do the thing with bananas, too, if you want, or save that for tomorrow...I mean, sure, bananas are fruit, so it's good for you, but isn't 'Graham' a fruit, too?" She gave him a wink.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

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

MIND YOUR MANNERS

and tell the truth

“Fine if you have your own.” He said pouting a little at her as he chuckled. “Aww thank you, I can assure you I am cootie free so far as I know.” Kev took the stick handed to him already loaded with a few marshmallows as he held it over the fire carefully. There wasnt anything worse than a char grilled marshmallow.

“Oh it, one assembly line coming right up.” Kev said grabbing the crackers and the chocolate. Oh this was turning out to be the best camping trip he had ever been on. One of the few recreational ones he had ever been on too. The Navy trips usually combined rations and water and there was no such thing as smores as he grinned watching the marshmallows toast.

Sandwiching the marshmallows in the cookie and chocolate he passed it back to Kelle as he grinned. “Oh bananas too, fruit and good for you, yeah we can do that. Unless you want to save that to tomorrow?” Kev asked her wondering what she wanted to do. “Besides there’s enough goodness in a banana to cancel out all the sugar and chocolate we’re eating right. One good, one bad the scales of life are balanced.” He joked.

Mattie Chappel

SWANSKI