Outdoor writing contest runner-up: Down with the crawdads

You can see your reflection in the still water. Not much disturbs the river’s surface as only a few boats are out. The water glides onto the sand, making a dark brown color. Slowly, the sand becomes a gradient of colors from the wet dark brown color to a light golden and dry sand that sparkles in the light. White, gray, black, red, orange, and green rocks are found all along the shore. Wet twigs lay on the ground with a soft coat of sand sprinkled on their rough surfaces. Birds soar high in the bright blue sky. White clouds are scattered gently throughout the picturesque view.

The young children walk along the shore, carrying a bright blue bucket, collecting all sorts of building materials found in nature. The bucket is filled with an assortment of rocks, sticks of all different lengths and widths, pine needles and pine cones that the waves have pushed onto shore for them.

Ellie finds a dead crawdad laying in the sand. A smirk grows on her face as she plots her plan. She grabs the dead animal and very quietly approaches her aunt, placing it on her shoulder, “Aunt Kelsey! There’s something on my shoulder!” she exclaims, trying to conceal her smile as Kelsey jumps and squeals.

“Ahaha, I got you really good!”

“Ellie, that scared me so much!” Kelsey says while trying to catch her breath after the frightful scare.

Ellie and her cousins all giggle at their aunt, running away to continue collecting building materials. Their sun-kissed faces beam with carefree smiles. It’s a type of smile with pure childhood joy, when you don’t have stress from the responsibilities placed on you. All they have to do is, well, be children. Laugh, run, and be creative. The outdoors never fails to make these children happy. Their imaginations run wild, nothing in the outdoors can hold them back from having a good time making memories.

Jack pours the contents of the blue bucket out onto the sand, “I think we should make a bunch of little teepees for the sand soldiers to live in.”

“No, we should make little huts for the water fairies,” Camille disagrees.

“Yeah, I agree,” Ellie nods.

“Ugh, no one cares about your stupid fairies.”

“How about we just do both? That way the sand soldiers and water fairies can join their forces to go to war with the crawdads!” Ellie says super fast, excited about her creative solution.

“Down with the crawdads!” Jack yells.

“I guess so,” Camille says with a frown.

Jacks gives his cousin a hug. “Thank you Camille.”

The three children smooth out the sand for a perfect foundation to build a village. They use their fingers to sketch a blueprint of the village in the sand. They bury the bottom half of the sticks into the sand, lining them all up to make walls for the huts. Jack carefully constructs a teepee, placing all the twigs to support each other’s weight. Pine cones are scattered throughout the village as if they are trees. Small rocks are strategically placed to create a pathway that runs between the houses.

Goosebumps rise on their tan arms as they shiver while the sun sets. The sky is painted with warm colors that fade into the night sky. The adults call the little kids over, asking them to get ready for the night. They brush their teeth and laugh while trying to see who can spit their toothpaste the farthest. Brushing your teeth at home is boring, but suddenly it becomes the most exciting game they have ever played, simply because they are at the lake. Their parents pick up their tiny bodies, brushing the sand off their feet so the tents can stay clean. The cousins loudly exchange animal noises from their different tents to communicate with each other. After what seemed like forever, the children finally fell into a deep slumber, exhausted from the long day of playing in the sun.

–––

Tiny ripples are created in the water, disturbing the smooth glassy surface. Their iridescent wings sparkle underneath the moonlight. The fairies whisper to each other in high voices as they flutter towards the shore. Miniature footprints are scattered in the sand from the sand soldiers marching toward the village.

The sand soldiers stand tall, creating a barricade with their bodies, claiming the village as their territory. The fairies and soldiers have always been enemies. The red crawdads crawl out of the water, scurrying toward the village. The soldiers realize an alliance is needed. Their troops aren’t strong enough to fight off the crawdads on their own. After years of feuding against each other, right now they had a common goal, protect the tiny village made for them. The generosity of the children was too precious, it can’t be destroyed. The fairies agree to the partnership in exchange to share the village. They set aside their differences, using their powers they work together to successfully win the battle.

The sand soldiers and water fairies hold a celebration of their new friendship. They twirl and skip together underneath the moonlight. Sweet melodies fill the village as songs are sung. Laughter is heard while sweet drinks are shared and toast proposed.

Hugs and kisses are exchanged as the two groups say goodbye to each other. The sun is ever so slowly waking up from its night time rest. The fairies flutter back toward the water and the soldiers march away into the sand.

The sun’s warm light beams onto the tents, politely waking up the families. The chilly morning air bites their skin. They slowly climb out of their tents to start making mountain house breakfasts.

The cousins walk along the shore to see what the tide drifted in from the night. They gasp and their eyes widen as they see dead crawdads.

“They won the battle!” Camille celebrates while jumping up and down with her cousins.