Hornets’ Nest

In the marshes of a faraway land where kind people live on small islands surrounded by grassy rivers where fathers tell wild stories of heroes that braved the wild untamed waters saying that Full-grown man have been eaten whole by the vicious alligators. The mightiest of the villages Warriors have been crippled by the smallest bite of a taipan snake.  Poisonous frogs lay eggs in the grassy waters. Ready to come out and poison the first thing it feels. Bugs and beetles of all sorts make their homes in the soft mud around the rivers. Hornets make their nest in the branches of the low-lying trees hanging precariously over the water.

Izzy is a small girl of twelve years from the village of Ichetucknee and has always believed the tales her father told her of the mighty heroes that have fallen because of the wicked shallows of the waters surrounding her home. Her own father almost perished from the menacing stings of hornets. There were so many bites on him that the healers did not know what to do. The only reason he was survived was from the grace of God. She remembers seeing his pale face and seeing his fingers so weak that she had to spoon small mouthfuls of soup into his mouth for him. She hated seeing her father like that.

Now that he was well again she spent all her extra time with him exploring and canoeing the rivers. She always felt safe with him at her side and knew that he would always protect her. One day her friend Ann came from a neighboring village. Their fathers had business to discuss but after they had finished their work they all celebrated by going out together on a fun canoeing trip. Izzy and Ann in one canoe and their fathers in the other. The day was cool and the birds sing in the low branches of the wilting trees. Izzy and Ann laughed and sang back to the birds in the trees. Looking forward to the wonderful lunch they had packed.

Ann was steering the canoe from the back.  Having never done it before she veered slightly off course and forced their way through the low-lying branches of a tree. Izzy pulled at the twigs clinging to her clothes and hair she snapped a particularly strong branch. Then was confused by a loud buzzing in her ears followed by a sharp pain piercing her arms, legs and everywhere! Thousands of giant hornets swarmed her. Biting at any open skin they could find. Weaving their way into her hair and climbing up the sleeve on her shirt. Their tiny legs walked all over her skin and made her shiver. Ann lay herself down in the bottom of the boat making herself as small as possible. The bees did not bother her as she helplessly watched them pester her best friend.  Izzy’s arms and legs screamed at her as she swatted at the beasts. Fear claimed her and she began to scream.

"This is it" she thought "I am going to get stung so many times I'll  die like my father almost did!"

She screamed again the air was full of the buzzing she feared she would inhale a hornet.  She couldn't think but she could hear her name being shouted at her from a great distance away.  looking up with tears plunging down her face she saw her father and the world suddenly felt very clear. The bees seemed to get quiet and the pain seemed to fade.  He was kneeling up in his boat calling to her. He looked straight at her with intelligent eyes and she looked straight back panic stricken. She knew she could trust him with her life he would not let her down.

"Jump in the water" was his only command.

Izzy nodded and stood up the hornets came back at full force. Their wings beating at the air, creating the loudest thunder storm in all of history! Then before she could think of the poisonous snakes and frogs giant alligators and infested water she jumped. The air was foul of tiny marble felling objects that hurt as she descended. Then the water hit her and dragged her under its depths and away from the vicious marbles. Izzy remained under the water suspended for what seemed like hours. Fearing what the air might bring. Then something grabbed her and hoisted her up. She then found herself trembling in the strong arms of her father. Safe from the hornets and with an affirming trust for her father.

Izzy never forgot that day with the hornets and she always knew she could rely on her father. She came to him for council and guidance many times and every time he helped her get away from the hornet nests of life.

The End