It's So Exciting! By: Charles Petersen When I woke up this morning I knew that something was going to happen today. There was just this excitement in the air that caused me to think, watch out world here I come! (this was very abnormal, if you haven't noticed yet I'm usually just a little bit tired in the morning.) I jumped out of bed, put my robe on, and ran upstairs. Yes, yes it was true, it's a snow day, no school, ha ha ha ha ha ha! What luck now I had an entire extra day to finish that big book report due tomorrow! I opened up the fridge and took several left over pieces of Fazzari's pizza out, another contribution to this great day. I heated them up and then ate them while watching The Price is Right. My Mom walked in and told me, "I had better get to work on that book report now so that I wouldn't run out of time at night." I responded, "Yes but there are three feet of fresh snow out there that require my immediate and undivided attention." "Okay, but its not my fault if you flunk English." After finishing the pizza, I pulled on my snow bibs, coat, gloves and boots and clunked outside. I took our big snow shovel and started to build a wall of snow, five feet high, at the front of our driveway. Once I had my wall prepared, I proceeded to take the snow from behind my trench and packed it into ice balls. The key to having ready ammo was to make sure it was both accessible and well hidden. If I was forced off my position I didn't want the invaders to have my supply. Therefore I figured out a way for me to easily get at my supply of ammo but also have the ability to destroy it by knocking a snow shelf down on top of it, to render it useless. I knew that the kids of the neighborhood would be out any second now and I needed every advantage I could get. After I had packed a good fifty balls, I built little parapets on top of my wall for extra protection. I proceeded to build a triangle of snow in front of the MLA (Main Line of Resistance) for a point defense. This would allow me to get off a few good shots before being forced over the wall. By this time I could hear other kids working on their fortifications, getting ready for the onslaught we were all sure would come. Now that my defenses were up, I decided to catch someone else while they were still off guard. If I could take a few prisoners they would definitely help me in the defense of my position. I ran inside and picked up my backpack, which I filled with snowballs for a ready supply. First I needed to take out my neighbor so that I would be close enough to run back to my MLA and also get someone to guard my base while I attacked elsewhere. I crept along the fence and abandoning all semblance of stealth, yelled, "Baanzai," and ran like a jackrabbit, iceball in hand directly at Kevin. I got a shot off at his chest which hit him hard. He yelled, "Holy crap," and turned to face me. Before he could throw a snowball I leapt out and tackled him throwing him to the ground. I said, "Say mercy," while I white washed him deep into the snow. "Mercy, mercy," he screamed. I took his head out of the snow. "Now you're on my side, got it." "Yeah sure," he responded, "what you got up?" "The whole system, nobody's gonna get past us without a big fight." "Okay, I suppose you should go get another prisoner while I defend." "That's my plan at least, let's get started." We ran over to the fort and I explained all the details of my plan. The next person to take out would be my other neighbor so I started off in his direction. It wasn't going to be nearly as easy this time because he probably already had some stuff up and might even have a prisoner already. Once I neared his driveway I decided on a rear assault. I would come up from behind and surprise whoever was there. I crept through my back yard and into the rear of their driveway. Now, being especially careful, I crawled across the snow and leapt at the back of John's legs. He fell down with a scream which was quickly muffled when I forced his head down under the snow in a horrendous white wash. This time I didn't even have to say it, he screamed mercy after only a couple seconds. "You're coming with me," I declared. "Man, how did you do that, you must have cheated cause I had my best fort ever built." "Watch and learn today. Now you're gonna be attacking with me, I've already got Kevin back guarding our base, so we had better go check on him." When we got back to our base, we discovered that Kevin had taken another prisoner, Jim, who had been trying to attack us. With four people we still were a little bit vulnerable but it was a good start for this early in the game. Best of all, I was the one winning, something I had never done before and this was awesome. "I'll go with John and Jim while you hold down the fort again. We're goin' after the Johnson boys which means this ones gonna be a bit more difficult." "Man," said Jim, "Those two always win, lets go teach them a lesson (or be taught.)" We set out towards the other side of the culdesac when suddenly I felt this huge thud from behind. I was forced down but then I let out all of the straps on my backpack and stood up to face my assailant. It was Chris from behind my house. He didn't have anything in his hand and I still had two iceballs. He bent down to get a snowball when I threw and hit him in the head. I threw again and got him in the neck, after which I yelled, "Baanzai" and then leaped, forcing him down into the snow. He yelled, "Mercy," so I let him up to breath. I then turned to see how the rest of us had fared and, luckily there had only been one other, Carl, who had been dealt with easily by Jim and John. "A word of advice," I said to Chris, "never, ever attack a superior force, got it?" "Yeah sure. Where you guys off to anyway?" "The Johnson boys, we're gonna teach 'em a lesson." "Okay but don't forget your own advice, they probably outnumber us already." "Oh, I forgot about the other important point. If you got me, you can take out twice as many." "Yeah. Right." We moved out, five strong, towards the Johnson's house. I decided we should split up into groups of two with one point man, me and John in one group and Carl and Chris in another with Jim at point. Jim would go out in front of their fort to create a ruckus while each of our groups came up from the side. The key was that we both get there at the same time and that everyone else's attention is on Jim. While we got into position Jim got right out in front of their fortifications, just out of range, and started to build a small stockade. Every once in a while he'd throw a snowball to keep 'em on their toes and to draw all attention from us. After five minutes or so both teams were in position and I made the signal. Jim sprinted towards their trench and ran head long into a hail of snowballs. He then pranced around, all the time getting hit, and yelled, "Is that the best you can do?" All this time John and I had been sprinting as quietly as we could towards the right side of their trench. We were suddenly upon it, John dove in and took out one kid while I ran on another yard and dove into another. I yelled, "Say mercy or else you're really gonna get it." The kid finally said it, utterly terrified, allowing me to go on. I felt someone come down on top of me but luckily John pulled him off before he could do anything. Leaving him to John I raced ahead into another, who I threw over the wall for Jim to get. Again I raced on into another guy who I was about to throw into the snow until he yelled, "Charles, it's me, Carl." "Oh," I said, "I guess I didn't notice you, is there anyone left?" "Nope, we won!" "Ha ha, this is awesome! We've won! Yeeeesssssssss!" "Yeah, but the day's over," said Jim, looking up at the sun. "Well, let's just pray for snow tomorrow." Knowing there wasn't enough daylight to do anything else I walked home. When I got home I peeled off all of my snow gear and sat down to a nice warm meal. I then walked downstairs to do that stupid book report. Later that night I realized that I had been so busy that I had completely forgotten about lunch! Yep, definitely the best twenty-four hours of my life!