Acquistioner’s Entry 13: An Ending and A Beginning - I Choose The Life Of An Acquisitioner
“You’re gonna be hungry before we get back.” Karl says trying to sound back in control.
“It’s your fault. I had to do something to occupy my time while you were doing your little snake charming routine. I think that means I get your sandwich.” I say smiling and trying to sound upset.
“So, I take it that means you like my sandwiches?” Karl teases back. “I told you they’d grow on you.”
Rats, trapped again. Karl is really quick with the comeback. “Oh, I guess they’re okay if you’re in the middle of the jungle…starving.” I say but I know I’ve lost this round.
Changing the subject, “So what happened? First, I’m inching across a deep gorge. Then total silence. Then I see you staring at the snake.”
“After I made it across the log, getting up was pretty clumsy. I knew you would have the same problem so I was backing up slowly to get out or your way. The next thing I know I’m flat on my back. I heard the hiss and I felt enough on my way down to know that I just tripped over a Slider.” Karl says shuddering slightly at the memory.
“The good news is Sliders are slow responders in the relative coolness of night. The bad news is I smacked this one hard enough to get its attention. Fortunately, I think it was just as confused as I was about the situation.
We both decided to lay low until we could figure it out. Luckily you were there to bail me out!” she says, her large eyes looking at me appreciatively.
“By the way, you might want to let that Slider out before he starts getting feisty.” Karl says as she flashes me a grin.
“What’s gonna happen when I open the stuffocator?” I ask.
Karl responds, “At this point, nothing. Wait a few more minutes and things get exciting.”
I walk to the edge of the clearing by the base of one of the massive trees and open the ball end of the stuffocator. The massive snake drops out. When it’s in the stuffocator it seems to weigh no more than a couple of pounds. But the short trip to the ground transforms the snake to its full glory and it lands with a solid thud. Finn’s going to have to explain how this works when I get back.
As I walk back to Karl she asks, “Are you ready to go?”
“Sure.” I say. “Do you want to be first across the gorge?”
Karl just smiles and grabs a rope that was inconspicuously hanging among some vines. With a graceful thrust of her legs she sails across the gorge and lands lightly on the other side. Smiling, she swings the rope back my direction and says, “Your turn.”
I grab the rope and thrust off like Karl but my landing looked more like something out of the 3 Stooges. Karl pretends not to notice and we start our trek back to the beach.
It dawns on me that my first mission is coming to an end. A couple of days and a few plane rides from now and I’ll be back in LA with a million questions for Finn. I also realize that I’m feeling down and I can’t quite put my finger on why.
“So what’s our next mission?” I ask Karl as the jungle streams by.
“I don’t know. That’s up to Finn. You’ll probably be heading to Hawaii and I’ll get Antarctica again. Finn has a wicked since of humor.” Karl says.
“You mean we don’t go together?” I ask with more disappointment than I hoped in my voice.
Karl responds slowly, “There are only 2 Acquisitioners in the world now, not counting Finn. The only way we can meet the demand is to divide and conquer. It takes a long time for Finn to make a new stuffocator and as far as I know he hasn’t even started on the next one. You’re his guinea pig for the new design. He’ll want to test it out a while before he builds another one.”
The rest of the trip back to the hut is quiet. When I get there I collapse in my hammock for an uneasy sleep that is haunted by excitement and disappointment about the uncertain future of my new chosen occupation…Acquisitioner…Finn was right, I’m hooked!
Sponsored by: www.StuffedZoo.com
