Reality

The Chico and Sno ^  Show

 

A "Cape Summerland" story

 

(The new generation)

 

By Thelma Mary Caroline

 

 

"Attack of the flying Spigs"

 

 

They finally saw their first spig.  They could have had a better name, really, but what can you do?

 

The group huddled around it, the tiny thing.  Probably it was just a baby.  It was a different color than the spigs they had heard about, blotches of red and green, some stripes.

 

"It looks ridiculous," Elle Jae said.  "Like it's ready to celebrate Christmas."

 

Laken shrugged.  "So it's a Christmas spig.  So what? 

 

"Just sayin'."

 

"We ought take it home," Laken continued.  "Maybe have spig for dinner one of these nights."

 

"Oh, look!" Chico cried suddenly. "Spickens!"

 

"Now, those are some bazziar(sp) animals," Casey said, wiping his brow.  "Whoever saw a blue chicken before?  But come on, let's get the pig inside so we can get out of this heat.  We're probably all going to end up with skin cancer."

 

"I doubt it," Sno said.  "We're all in perfect health.  Not so much as a sunburn, or cold.  Either this planet has the perfect conditions, or something here has healing properties."

 

"It's the spazzle berries!"

 

Everyone stared at Chico.

 

"What?  I thought it was a good name!"

 

"Yeah, you're a spaz all right," Dan spoke up.  "You should stop eating so many of them."

 

"What?  They're good!"

 

And everyone agreed.

 

"Look," Dan said, "we'll talk about it after dinner.  For now let's get this spig inside.  Or leave it.  Or something."

 

They quickly got the tiny creature into the safty of the barn, and rested.  Except Chico, who ran in the field gathering spickens.

 

Suddenly she came into the bunk house, rolls of sweat tumbling down her face.  She panted hard, unable to catch her breath.

 

"What ... what's wrong?" they asked.

 

Laken bolted out the door, to see what it was, and Elle Jae followed.  As they turned the corner, they stopped in disbelief.

 

"Oh my."  That was all Elle Jae could say.

 

"Spigs.  Christmas spigs."

 

The were everywhere, flying it seemed, eating the ground bare. 

 

They tried to chase them off, the two girls tried really hard.  But it wasn't working.

 

Small blue winged creatures covered the whole ground.  They attacked anyone who came too close.

 

Outside was too hot anyway.  The ten of them gathered in one of the bunk houses, beating the creatures with a broom to keep them out.  Only Chico didn't mind the creatures.  She held one on her laps.

 

"I hate chickens!" Dan said.  "I almost got killed by one once."

 

"They're not chickens," Elle Jae said.  "They're schickens."

 

"They aren't either."

 

Everyone looked up at Sno.  On her lap was a book the original pioneers had written in.

 

"They called them Prarie Demons.  Every year they would eat everything in sight.  But the book says there were only a few hundred of them."

 

"There's thousands of them outside!" Casey said, pointing to the window.  "There's not going to be anything left."

 

Laken nodded.  "It's a plauge.  The weather conditions must be just right."

 

"I like them!" Chico said.

 

"How long will it last?" Casey asked, looking to Sno.

 

"Probably until there's nothing left to eat.  The book says about a month, but I can't imagine there'll be enough to eat."

 

"So we just sit it out?"

 

"Yeah.  We don't have much of a choice."