Splatmandu Paintball Club | Three Rivers, MI

News & Updates: November 3, 2008

Jen — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:35:04 +0000

Thank you to all BOO Actors for an AMAZING event this past Friday (Halloween). The scares were spectacular… and we raised a lot of money for the Domestic Assault Shelter to fill their cupboards and freezer this winter. In our ONE NIGHT ONLY event, 347 guests from the Community came through. We were able to raise $1,710.00 by entrance fee, and another $ 148.32 in spirit bag donations, for a grant total of $1,858.32.

Thank you everyone for an amazing year. Now that events are done for Splatmandu Paintball Club for the season, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. Pre-season work begins Saturday, February 7th 2009. We always need help preparing the fields for Opening Day, so any help would be appreciated. Remember, if we have no volunteers to keep this place running, there will be no more Splatmandu… so bring your hammers, nails and some mittens and see you Groundhogs in February!

October 27, 2008

Jen — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:40:21 +0000

HAUNT TIPS AND REMINDERS

Fellow Haunters:It’s time for the annual pep talk about SplatmanBOO! I am passing along lots of hints and reminders for our event this year. For those that haven’t participated in past years, please read… for those that have, this may seem a bit redundant; but hey, you never know what you might have forgotten from year to year. ALL ACTORS SHOULD PARK IN THE YARD if possible.

TIMES: Our event is running from 8:00pm until LAST GUEST. This could quite possibly mean that we will be running this event past the Midnight usual time-frame, depending on the crowd. If they are still in line and the group sizes are still large enough to accommodate, we will continue on. Group sizes coming through our event will never exceed 8, so keep that in mind. We release groups from the registration booth in the front yard every five minutes. This should mean that you will have a 5 minute break between groups… but depending on the actor in front of you, these times may vary.

DRESS WARM!!! So far, the weather forecast for Friday (Halloween) is high of 60 with LOWS in the mid to upper 30’s. This will be the coldest year yet, so dress in layers. Black is always a good thing… wear lots of it. It works with most of your costumes. In case we have a few no-shows, if we have to jostle some people around, you are half-way there already! Also, it’s a good idea to bring those hunting hand-warmers, blankets or other items that you can have handy between groups that will warm you up. Not all sets will have fire… but some have electricity. Can’t guarantee that there will be a plug available, but it’s never a bad idea to bring your own extension cord with whatever space-heater or other warming device you might want to use. Anything you can donate to others that might need it would be very nice as well.

ATTENTION CHAINSAW OWNERS: We are always in need of those talented individuals that can wield a chainsaw. Even if you are already assigned to a different set and have a chainsaw to donate, (or can take an hour shift running a chainsaw) please let us know and bring your chainsaw with you ready to go! (This means NO CHAIN, gassed up, and any additional spark plugs, etc. to keep your equipment operational for the duration of the evening). We already have several people assigned to Chainsaw duty, but the more people we know that are willing to help out, the better. It’s a tiring job running that saw, so if we know there are others willing to rotate in and out, it will save a lot of shoulders. BRING DARK SKI MASKS AND WEAR BLACK if you are a designate chainsaw guy/gal… or even if you’re not and have some to donate for the night!

GET TO SPLATMANDU by 6:30pm: It is always hectic right before 3..2…1. GO! Anyone who can get here earlier on Friday to help with any incidentals that might have gone awry, we would appreciate it. So far, we have got everything pretty dialed, but you never know what might happen at the last minute. You will need time to familiarize yourself with your set and area during the light, so that you know your “scare lanes” in the dark. Also, we always welcome help getting the lighting checked, generators going, or whatever else might need to be dealt with. Also, those needing assistance with makeup or costumes, Shannon and I are here to help, but we need time to help everyone, so please give us that time. ALL ACTORS NEED TO BE AT THEIR SETS READY-TO-GO by 7:30pm. If you are not, you will see what will happen.

TED AND KATHY: Ted is performing a wedding on Halloween, so both Ted and Kathy will not be available to help from 4-7pm. We need to make sure that everything is ready so that they only have to worry about their costumes and getting to their sets on time.

WE DO NOT RUN ON SPLATMANDU TIME FOR THIS EVENT: We are catering to the general public and whether we are ready or not, the first group WILL LAUNCH at 8:00pm SHARP. Be prepared.

BRING FOOD/WATER ETC. Whatever items that you might deem necessary to have with you to keep you properly hydrated and fed, please remember to bring it. Mike the Hotdog Guy will be in the yard serving those delectable dogs we love so much, but for this event especially, there is NO ROAMING OFF YOUR SET. Kathy and possibly others will be floating around checking on everyone, and we will do our best to make sure you are ok, but don’t count on us to feed you. If you must leave your set for a bathroom break, boys – find the nearest tree if possible, otherwise talk with a key member about alternate ways to the house so the guests don’t see you. Bring comfortable seating, blankets, etc. for your down times. Also, everyone should have a lighter on them. If this is a windy evening (when have you ever seen a Halloween in Michigan that wasn’t) you might have to run out between groups and re-light a tiki-torch or two.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT: This year more than most, there will be guests coming through our forest who cannot handle the fear that we instill in them. If you see someone who is having a panic attack, faints, assumes the fetal position mid-trail, or is generally too terrified to continue… please notify our support staff who are roaming (if available) or you may have to break character to lead them out of the woods personally. This is not ideal, but safety first. There also may be a few people that make it past security that once in the woods, may have become a bit too inebriated to be here. We have had isolated occasions in past years where a guest becomes aggressive. If you see one if these guests – same rules apply. Find support staff, or walk them out.

SATURDAY ANYONE? Even though we scaled back this year, anyone local who is willing to help with the tear-down on Saturday or Sunday… we would be ever-so-appreciative. The hardest part about this event is the morning after… so if anyone can help …please do.

I know this is a lot of information, and I am sure I missed a lot too. Veterans to our event; please add any tips or suggestions that I may have forgotten to this thread.

Thank you all for your help… you will have a blast… and as always, we are helping out the Domestic Assault Shelter ONE MORE TIME this season, which is always a great thing. Thank you thank you!

Jen
Splatmandu Film Crew from April thru September
“Scare Coordinator” for SplatmanBOO Haunted Forest in October

HAUNTED FOREST BACK ON!

Jen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:47:13 +0000

Due to public and community outcry for our event, we have decided to run SPLATMANBOO HAUNTED FOREST this season for ONE NIGHT ONLY on Halloween Night, Friday, October 31st 2008. The cost: still $5.00 a person with all proceeds benefiting the Domestic Assault Shelter.

Time of operation: 8:00pm until last guest.

We hope to see you all there to show your support, and also to have a great scare! Any paintballers interested in helping out with this event, please call Ted and Kathy, or email Jen at jen@splatmandu.com for more information.

Images of Splatmandu: BIG GAME XII September 21, 2008

Jen — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:22:37 +0000

Images of BIG GAME XII : September 21, 2008

News & Updates: BIG GAME XII - September 21, 2008

Jen — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:56:19 +0000

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!! Thank you all for coming out and sharing it with us! 16 new club members signed up today for our 12th Annual BIG GAME. We would like to honor Jerry the Pig Guy, and Mike the Hotdog Guy our newest 110%er this season; thank you both for all of your efforts behind the scenes to feed our members. Also, Jen was honored with the first “Above and Beyond Award”, for her efforts helping keep the club running smoothly, so no one notices what goes awry!

For Splatmandu’s 12th Annual BIG GAME, The House of Apollo had 68 players, and the House of War had 67. This years’ scenario was a little different than in past years… there were no flag stations! The two hour game consisted of all gather-and-retrieve missions. As we had now returned to “present day” in our final installment of the TIME WARP Scenario, off the break, The House of War entered the field via the Witches’ Chateau, while the House of Apollo launched out of Fangorn.

In the two hours, The House of Apollo was successful in gathering/returning all five of the sealed missions earning their house 25,000 points. Now eligible for the Bonus mission, Captain Apollo (Alex) had to place the five missions in order, which he did successfully, earning an additional 10,000 points for their team. Unfortunately, Captain Apollo wasn’t as versed in the Language from the Knights vs. Darkness (2003) scenario as he thought, and was unable to answer the final bonus question of “what is this?” The answer was THE CODE OF CONDUCT… Apollo and Starbuck (Jon) answered HISTORY. Still a great guess… but a no-go on the final 5,000 points for that. In addition, The House of Apollo found and returned three of the five miscellaneous scenario objects from the field (Food, Robot and Pirate Flag) for an additional 6,000 points. Both Captain Apollo and Co-Captain Starbuck were both able to maintain ALL of their life cards, maintaining 2,500 points. The House was also able to eliminate Captain War and his Co-Captain James for 1,600 points. Last but not least, the House was able to eliminate The Red Fist Leader (Andrew) 1 time for 1,000 points, and his two subordinates (Karl and Tony) 2 times each, for an additional 2,000 points. This brought the final score for the House of Apollo to 48,100 for the day.

The House of War started the day with a true advantage… the Keystone. On the back of the Keystone, when provided with a clear map of Splatmandu, the House was able to see the locations of ALL FIVE of their sealed missions right off the break, without having to wait for the missions to be released every ten minutes like the House of Apollo. The House was able to find and return two of the five sealed missions, earning an additional 10,000 points. In addition, The House found and returned two of the five miscellaneous scenario objects from the field (Teesa Bird and the Oracle Jug) for an additional 4,000 points. The House also was successful in completing the Teamwork Mission outside of the Hornet’s Nest for 10,000 points. Captain War maintained one of his life cards for 500 points and Co-Captain James was able to maintain 2 for an additional 400 points. The House was able to eliminate The Red Fist Leader (Andrew) 3 times for 3,000 points, and his two subordinates (Karl and Tony) 3 times total, for an additional 1,500 points. The House of War ended the game with the final score of 29,400 for the day. Unfortunately, a mask penalty deducted 500 points from the Gray Team, bringing the adjusted team total to 28,900.

BIG GAME XII FINAL SCORE:

Apollo: 99,100 and War: 63,900

It was a great day, and everyone Played with Honor. Thanks go out to our excellent support staff and referees for all your help today.. we couldn’t have done it without you.

During our Awards Ceremony, 2008 awards were as follows:

Winner of BIG GAME XII: The House of Apollo (BLUE) - Alex and Jon Baker

Sportsmanship - Jared (X.O.) Short of Team S.T.A.R.S.

Golden Crutch - Chuck Witek

Ted’s Reds Spotlight Award - “No Guts No Glory” Stephanie Haun

Funniest Moment - Dando’s Dash

MVP - Todd Tippett

Shot of the Year - Red Fist’s Alamo

On Monday, your donations were received by the Domestic Assault Shelter. The women were preparing the pantry and basement for the past few weeks in anticipation of our arrival; they were down to green beans, so your donations were a saving-grace to the home. We cannot tell you how appreciative these women and children are for your support. With the cash donations remaining, we are in the process of getting bids for the repair of the kitchen floor; something that is direly needed in the house.

Remember, there is still one Sunday left for play this season! We hope you will join us for one more weekend. Thank you again one and all for a wonderful FOURTEENTH season at Splatmandu Paintball Club.

Prelude to The Return

Jen — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:27:53 +0000

Ted looked at the floor as he walked briskly down the hallway. The loud clack of his boots echoed down the corridor around him as each step made contact with the cold granite surface. He stared at the divided slabs in the floor as he passed them, watching as his foot stepped on, or over the seams in the floor. Though he looked on as he walked, his thoughts were focused elsewhere. He was thinking about the assembly of delegates he was sent to meet this morning. Even though the mistakes that had been made at the conveyance were not his own, he knew the Commonwealth would be looking for a scapegoat. He was not too worried…he still had friends within the delegates. After all, it wasn’t his idea to put the conveyance in the Alamo district in the first place; let alone having its defenses so poorly equipped and under-manned. Had it not been for he and his men, the damages would have been much worse. His men succeeded in reprogramming the fourth dimension warp to a series of daisy chain drop zones. Ted grinned momentarily as he pictured the expressions on the faces of the House commanders when they learned of the time warp progression. From the reports he had received, the Houses had not done too much damage…nothing he couldn’t handle anyway. There was rumor that Apollo had obtained technology from the Ecology Wars era. He had studied the histories, and he was aware of the robots from that time. He knew the capabilities and the weaknesses of such machines, and therefore he could plan accordingly. What concerned him more was the unknown. The Guardian’s Code group was something that troubled him deeply. Since finding out about the rebel group, he had as of yet been unable to infiltrate them. From what his sources had told him, the Commonwealth was just as concerned, if not more so than he. He could only do so much to prepare for and defend against such an enemy. Therefore, he advised the council to find and protect any and all known artifacts that may have survived time. The Guardians of the Code would know the existence of such artifacts and they would be able to guide the Houses in discovering their locations. If the Guardians of the Code helped the Houses find the artifacts, it could mean the end of the Commonwealth. He knew it…the Commonwealth knew it…and worse, the Houses knew it. He believed that is why he had been summoned here today. At last, he reached the door to the audience chamber.

He stood silently in front of the door, assembling his thoughts. The delegates, lower House officers, the High Chancellor and possibly the Oracle were all waiting within. They would have questions for him and they would have demands of he and his men. No matter, he had been around the block a time or two before…he would have answers and assurances that would make them feel more at ease. As he raised his hand to knock, the door opened, revealing a pair of Witnesses that were floating quietly just inside the doorway. Most men probably would have wet themselves. Or, at the very least been extremely startled by the appearance of the two Witnesses. Ted was not most men, he was unshakeable as he stood perfectly still, regarding the pair with mild contempt. He knew, that if need be, he could dispatch these two with very little effort. These Witnesses might have had minor modifications; still, his personal best was single handedly defeating seven Witnesses in the Combat Training Simulator Modules. One of the black globes ran an iridescent red eye over his body, scanning for data. A moment later, an electrosonic voice emitted from one of the dark spheres “Please enter Commander…we have been expecting you.” “Indeed…” Ted bowed with a slight flourish as the two Witnesses hovered aside to permit his entrance.

Coming Home

Jen — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:27:20 +0000

Hard times had fallen upon the House of War. To make matters worse, General Hammer was MIA. Fortunately, Colonel Dando had proven his prowess in battle and was able to fill the vacancy and assume the title of General. Though morale was weak, a new spark was growing within the House…kindled by the realization that not all was lost. Indeed, there was still much yet to gain. The recent success in the land of the Rising Sons was just the push they needed…and now the troops were coming home. Already, they had accumulated vast amounts of supplies with which to aid their loved ones. All they could do was hope that their people had not suffered to extinction under the brutal oppression of the Commonwealth. The House of War had their doubts regarding their sparse accomplishments in the Fourth Dimension. Yet, when weighed against the achievements of their rivals in the House of Apollo, they realized they were not alone in their failures. Though Apollo was able to keep a step ahead of them in the daisy chain of the time warp, it amounted to nothing more than a mere head start. Some may think that the Houses would have been better off fighting the Commonwealth united as one rather than warring against each other in an ultimate power struggle. Alas, the differences between the Houses were too great. Most knew that even if such a union could be made in order to defeat the Commonwealth, it would only last for so long. Eventually, the principles that guided each House would tear them apart and civil war would ensue. So…what was left then? Other than the much needed supplies, what was left to show? The Hose of Apollo had obtained technology. The robot was a prized possession and aside from the mysterious vial that the House of War had obtained, it was the only viable off-world technology that had been recovered during their travels. It was feared that one day the House of Apollo could use the technology of the robot to build powerful war machines capable of horrific devastation. Such thoughts were disheartening to the House of War. Yet, they still had one saving grace. Since the beginning of the struggle through the time warp, War had been able to do one thing that Apollo had not…secure the Guardian’s Code. Maybe…just maybe the House of War could use the code to help build their own conveyance. The House of War had much to do in order to make this possibility into a reality. First, they had to unlock the secrets that lay hidden within the Guardian’s Keystone. Once they reached home they would use this information. Then they could settle the score with Apollo, with the Commonwealth and with the world. Time would tell if they could achieve their goals…and for once, time seemed to be on their side.

News & Updates: September 14, 2008

Jen — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:35:16 +0000

What wet weather! No one braved the torrential downpour to play this Sunday… that’s Ok, we don’t blame you! Thank you to our 110%ers and Key Members who showed up for our Fish Fry appreciation dinner on Saturday. Thank you especially to Karl and Shannon for the wonderful fish (as always). Everyone got to cut loose and have a great time. Thank you each and every one of you for all the help you have given the Club this year… this place couldn’t continue without your efforts.

Getting excited for BIG GAME yet? We sure are! The weather is supposed to be beautiful, so we really hope that you will join us for a great game, and great food! Hope to see you all on Sunday, September 21, 2008!

BIG GAME XII Rules

Jen — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:23:15 +0000

TIME WARP 2008
SPLATMANDU’S 12TH ANNUAL BIG GAME September 21, 2008
RULES AND REGULATIONS

CODE OF CONDUCT:

1. I will not wipe paint.

2. I will follow the rules of the game and accept the referee’s decision as final.

3. I will treat every paint gun as if it were loaded, and follow the rules of safe paint gun handling.

4. I will keep my goggles on while a game is in progress.

5. I will not deliberately make aggressive physical contact with another person; I will be polite and respectful to others.

************************************************************
TIME WARP 2008 - BIG GAME SCENARIO OUTLINE
************************************************************

ONE “BIG GAME” FIELD (boundaries are twined)

GAME TIME: - TWO HOURS continuous play ¬-

BRIEFING STARTS AT 1:00pm. Those players who do not attend the briefing at 1:00pm will have to sit out of the game.

BLUE TEAM AND GRAY TEAM: Arm bands to be worn on both arms of each player. TAG to be worn around neck and to be visible at all times. TOP FIVE to additionally wear team tunic.

LIMITED PAINT: Players are limited to the amount of paint they can carry onto the field as follows:

1 Hopper and 2 Torpedoes: Full Loader Play.

Players who run out of paint can receive paint from a living teammate during game play. Players can also return to the NEUTRAL ZONE at any time to restock their paint/gas. HOWEVER, REENTRY OF PLAYERS WILL BE BY REINSERTION LINE!

RULES: Paint and/or equipment can be passed to a teammate by a living player.

“DEAD MEN” do not pass paint/guns, etc.

“DEAD MEN” do not talk.

When a player is eliminated, the player must report to the NEUTRAL ZONE. While in the NEUTRAL ZONE, wipe off all paint from clothes/gun (so that you are not called out on old paint.)Re-supply paintballs/gas. Be prepared to re-chrono your gun. REENTRY OF PLAYERS WILL BE BY REINSERTION LINE!

REENTRY: Players will be reinserted into the game via a re-entry line to the team’s established HOME BASE. During REENTRY, players are not targets. During REENTRY, players cannot fire their gun.

REENTRY ZONE: Both Teams will provide a “driver” for their re-insertion line. The line can leave with a minimum of 10 players (maximum 20 players). WALKING LINES ONLY…NO RUNNING.

NOTE: As GRAY successfully got MAC’S VIAL through the TIME TUNNEL in September’s Scenario, one member of the GRAY team may enter the field without a reinsertion line (ONE TIME ONLY) when they present the vial to AMY, the NEUTRAL ZONE REFEREE.

HOME BASES: GRAY TEAM (House of WAR): WITCHES’ CHATEAU

BLUE TEAM (House of Apollo): FANGORN FORTRESS

NOTE: You cannot goal-tend an opposing team’s HOME BASE. If you’re too close, the HOME BASE REF will tell you so!

CAPTAINS/CO-CAPTAINS - 5,000 points possible

The BLUE and GRAY Captains will each carry 3 “Life Cards.” Each life card is valued at 500 points.

Co-Captains will each carry 5 “Life Cards,” valued at 200 points each. If a Captain or Co-Captain is eliminated, (by anyone), they must return to the NEUTRAL ZONE and present to AMY one of their life cards. THIS INCLUDES “FRIENDLY FIRE.”

At the end of the game, the Life Cards still in the possession of the Captains and Co-Captains will count for their team; the life cards in the possession of AMY will be awarded to the opposing team.

“THE RED FIST”- 8,000 points possible

The RED FIST are roaming the land to cause trouble for the Houses. The RED FIST LEADER has 4 life cards (1,000 points each), and his 2 SUBORDINATES also carry 4, valued at 500 points each. If you eliminate a RED FIST, hold on to his life card until the end of the game to collect the points.

MISSIONS - 60,000 points total possible

TEAMWORK MISSION: TO BE ANNOUNCED DURING BIG GAME. (10,000 points possible)

ONLY THE FIRST TEAM TO COMPLETE THE TEAMWORK MISSION WILL BE AWARDED THE POINTS!

FIVE WINNER-TAKE-ALL MISSIONS - 10,000 points possible

Located on the field of play are (FIVE) OBJECTS from past scenarios. We aren’t going to tell you where they are, but if you stumble upon them, each object is worth 2,000 points, and must be returned to your team’s HOME BASE REFEREE for a score.

The five objects are:
TEESA BIRD, FOOD, ORACLE JUG, ROBOT and PIRATE FLAG

FIVE SEALED MISSIONS - 25,000 points possible

TO BE ANNOUNCED DURING BIG GAME. Missions will be released every 10 MINUTES after the game starts by the HOME BASE REFEREE. Once completed, these missions are to be submitted for points to the team’s HOME BASE REFEREE.

NOTE: AS THE GRAY TEAM HAS MAINTAINED POSSESSION OF THE KEYSTONE EVERY MONTH, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GENERAL LOCATION OF EACH OF THE FIVE SEALED MISSIONS!!! (FLIP OVER THE KEYSTONE… SUPRISE!!!)

BONUS MISSION: ONLY RELEASED IF ALL FIVE SEALED MISSIONS ARE COMPLETED. This BONUS MISSION is worth 10,000 points, and is to be completed at the HOME BASE under the supervision of the HOME BASE REFEREE to count for team score.

Additional BONUS available if BONUS MISSION COMPLETED and question answered correctly (5,000 points)

GRENADES/LANDMINES: If you are hit with ANY AMOUNT of grenade or landmine paint, you are eliminated.

PENALTY: PENALTY POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR THE FOLLOWING:

FLAGARANT SAFETY VIOLATIONS: - 500 points each
Safety Violations involving GUN or MASK.
Safety Violations involving OVERSHOOTING.
Outright Violation of the SPLATMANDU Rules,
WHICH INCLUDES UNSPORTSMAN-LIKE CONDUCT!

A Full explanation will be supplied to both the BLUE and GRAY Captains regarding the PENALTY POINTS.

NOTE: It will be each Captain’s responsibility to make sure that each player on his team is aware of:

(1) The RULES of the game,
(2) The RULES of SPLATMANDU and
(3) Those VIOLATIONS that will result in a PENALTY. (i.e. loss of points for the team total)

AS ALWAYS, PLAY WITH HONOR, RESPECT THE RULES AS THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN, AND MOST OF ALL, HAVE FUN!

Prelude to Teesa: Time Warp 2008

Jen — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:16:27 +0000

Tommy hunkered down within a thicket of bushes. He had picked out this spot to ambush his brother, Brier. He heard a rustling of leaves and twigs crackling as his quarry approached. He held his breath and brought his stick up to his shoulder aiming carefully down its length. He gently fingered the hollowed out knot of wood that protruded underneath. He had spent the better part of his morning whittling away at the knot until he had a nice trigger guard formed. “Not bad craftsmanship if I do say so myself,” Tommy thought. He was ready to pull the trigger at any given moment. “Soon…my target should be coming from that direction, over there.” A moment later, Brier entered the clearing clutching a stick tightly to his chest as he looked from side to side. Pointing his weapon swiftly, first at a bush, and then at a large tree as if daring an enemy to leap out at him. Brier snickered to himself, “Surely my brother is near, I know this is the direction I saw him heading.” Brier knew he was supposed to have been hiding his eyes and counting when his brother left, but he couldn’t help peeking a little. He giggled again at the prospect of catching Tommy off guard. Just then an abrupt noise sounded off to his left. He spun toward the sounds of his brother’s shouting, “BANG–BANG! I got you Brier! BANG–BANG!” Brier lurched to his right and did a barrel roll over a pile of sticks. He looked over to where Tommy lay nestled among the bushes and shouted. “Nu-uh, you missed! BANG–BANG! You’re hit Tommy, call out!” This proceeded to go on for a few more minutes before Tommy finally gave up. He knew that he would have had Brier dead to rights in the first place…there was just no way he could prove it. Tommy called out to his brother as he walked into the clearing, “I quit!” Brier stood up and ran over to his brother with a big grin on his face. As he reached his brother, he tossed his stick aside, deciding he would look for a new weapon later; he had spied a stick with a branch that would serve nicely as a fore grip. “So what you wanna’ do now Tommy? You wanna’ go see if Dad is back from the hunt?” Tommy thought about it for a moment, “Nah, they went to the Eastern Province…they prolly’ won’t be back ’till dark.” The boys’ father was one of the warriors in the village. The warriors traditionally went out on Sundays to hunt for the Teesa. The Teesa was a native bird to these lands and it was prized for its feathers. Should one find the Teesa, they may also be fortunate to find one of its golden eggs nearby. A golden egg was said to contain great power and those who possessed it were said to live long and prosperous lives. Tommy daydreamed of what it would be like to find a Teesa. He fantasized bringing a Teesa and its golden egg to the village. The people would cheer and hoist him up on their shoulders in praise of his deeds. “Well?” Brier interrupted the fantasy, bringing Tommy back to his mundane reality. Shrugging his shoulders he said, “We could go hunt too…” Brier was dumbfounded by this suggestion as he looked wide-eyed at his brother.” We can’t do that Tommy, Dad would kill us for sure. ’Sides…the Teesa is dangerous, we’d prolly’ get ripped to shreds ’fore we got two feet with one of them golden eggs.” Tommy had a rueful look on his face. He knew that getting the bird or the golden egg was not a possibility. Yet, there were other things they could find…regular Teesa eggs were plentiful in the forest, and there was little to no danger in collecting those. The Teesa birds did not guard those eggs like they did the golden ones. “We’ll go collect regular eggs Brier.” His brother looked thoughtful for a moment, scratching his head while considering this new proposition. “Well…I guess that would be OK…Race you to the ridge!” Without waiting for an answer, Brier took off at a dead run. Tommy sighed briefly and then took off after him.

Tommy carefully moved forward another pace. He strained to make no sound as his feet felt their way through the thick undergrowth of the forest; it was a painstaking process. “The woods sure are quiet today,” Brier whispered behind him. Tommy nodded in agreement as he listened to the hollow and empty sound of the forest. Normally the creatures of the forest would be a little more lively. A squirrel or bird chirping, leaves rustling with the breeze…anything besides the eerie silence that surrounded them. “Not today though,” thought Tommy. As if answering his thought, Brier remarked, “The forest is as still as death.” Just then, Tommy felt a needle prick on the back of his neck. His hand reflexively reached back and slapped the spot where he had felt the pain. He brought his hand back around and looked at the splotch of blood on his fingers and the mangled remains of a mosquito. “Well, I guess the entire forest isn’t dead…” Tommy grinned wickedly. “Or, at least it wasn’t till now.” Brier laughed at his brother’s humorous remark. Tommy flicked the dead insect off his hand and wiped the small blood stain off on the back of his pants. The two boys continued making their way forward to where a small clearing could be seen. The clearing spanned about 15 meters in diameter and the tall yellow-emerald shrubbery that covered the ground was aglow from the sun. The rays of light shown down vividly from high overhead through the patchy tree cover above. “A perfect spot for a Teesa to leave its eggs,” Tommy thought. As the boys reached the edge of the clearing, they peered in through the maze of greenery. Parting the tall weeds with their hands, they poked their heads in. Their faces showed with excitement as they saw a group of stark white Teesa eggs nestled on the ground. “Wow Tommy…three eggs…Wow!” “Not a bad find, eh Brier?” Granted they were not golden eggs, or even a live Teesa…even so, these white Teesa eggs would be a welcome prize to take back to the village. “OK,” Tommy bent down and carefully cupped one of the eggs and passed it gently into his brother’s hands. “Now be careful Brier, these break easy.” “Yeah, I know.” Tommy bent down and picked up another egg, cradling it in his hands. All of the sudden Tommy’s whole body shuddered as a loud boom sounded overhead. Looking up, the boys could not see the source of the noise through the sparse openings in the thick canopy of leaves. Yet, they did catch some glimpses of odd coloration filtering down. At any rate, they knew the sound of a storm when they heard one. “C’mon Brier, lets get back home.” With that, Tommy and Brier made their way back to village, cradling their two eggs. As the boys’ silhouettes disappeared among the trees, they were unable to see the razor thin flash of light split the air where they had been standing just moments before. The line of light widened into a door-size shimmering mirror. Almost immediately, strange men, clad in blue uniforms, stumbled forward through the mirror. Many of them collapsed and began shivering or shaking on the ground, showing obvious signs of sickness. Soon after, a stout man appeared, adorned in a blue uniform with a white crested letter ‘A’ and a golden star. Breathing heavily, the figure hunched over as he gained his composure with deep ragged breaths. While bent over, the man noticed a round white object on the ground. As his breathing slowed into a soft wheeze, he reached down and picked up the object with a stifled grunt. Standing erect, he breathed in several very deep breaths, letting the fresh air fill and expand his lungs with an exhilarating energy. The white object could be seen, reflected in the fiery eyes of the man as he held it before him. During his examination, a wicked smile spread across his face and with a triumphant tone in his voice he exclaimed, “A Teesa Egg I presume.”