Challenge Accepted

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Artfully Adelie

“Hey Riley, betcha can’t make it to the top.”

“Just watch me!”

Wrapping my fingers around the first branch, I dig my shoes into the jagged trunk. The bark crackles and the limbs creak as I defy gravity, nearing the peak.

Finally to the point where the bending branches refuse to support my weight, I look down for Bobby’s acknowledgment of my feat. Though, his dropped jaw expresses panic, not admiration.

“Look out!”

My head snaps to the branch above me. No sooner do I see the lively nest than the eagle dive-bombs toward my head.

***This is my submission for Friday Ficioneers, hosted by the wonderfully inspiring, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. This week, I was able to keep my story to 96 words! This isn’t one of my better pieces, but I wanted to write a lighter story, for a change. However, I definitely find more enjoyment and ease in writing morbid pieces! Thank you so much for reading, and be sure to check out the other submissions!

52 thoughts on “Challenge Accepted”

andy1076 on March 26, 2014 at 3:12 pm said:

Yups I’ve done my fair share of climbing a tree and getting myself in some sort of trouble, Ah.. The innocent years 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 12:18 am said:
  
  Exactly! Wasn’t it awesome when we didn’t worry about breaking our bones, scraping our knees…or getting dive-bombed by eagles? 🙂 Thanks for reading!
  
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  - andy1076 on March 27, 2014 at 12:33 am said:
    
    Very lucky we didn’t lol! 😀
    
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    - artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 12:38 am said:
      
      Very true! I had some ridiculously close calls, though! :O
      
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      - andy1076 on March 27, 2014 at 12:54 am said:
        
        You were the daredevil among your childhood friends huh 😛
        
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      - artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 12:57 am said:
        
        Err more like the one who lacked common sense at times!
        
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      - andy1076 on March 27, 2014 at 1:10 am said:
        
        Ah looks like we’ll get along just fine then! lol 😉
        
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scrbwly on March 27, 2014 at 1:37 am said:

love how you pull the incoming -eagle-claws surprise 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 1:50 am said:
  
  Well, thank you! I can’t imagine anything more frightening than being attacked by a massive bird and having nowhere to go but down! Thanks for reading! 🙂
  
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Jim Kane on March 27, 2014 at 1:55 am said:

I liked the whole story. There are surprises in real life all the time, in the trees and on the ground!
Regards
Jim

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 2:00 am said:
  
  Jim,
  I greatly appreciate your reading and thoughtful comment! I agree with the abundance of surprises in life! Though, I think I’d rather meet them with my feet on the ground, rather than up in a tree!
  
  My sincerest gratitude,
  Adelie
  
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DCTdesigns on March 27, 2014 at 5:11 am said:

It’s called the wilderness for a reason. I remember just such adventures as a girl. I’ve was dive bombed by a robin protecting its nest. An Eagle is a bigger problem for sure.

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 12:07 pm said:
  
  Thanks for reading and for sharing your story! I can imagine being dive-bombed by any bird would be terrifying! Ooo, now I’m thinking of Hitchcock’s “The Birds!”
  
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  - DCTdesigns on March 28, 2014 at 12:04 am said:
    
    Right? Totally frightening.
    
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sustainabilitea on March 27, 2014 at 1:33 pm said:

Adelie, being attacked by any bird while hanging on a branch would be bad enough, but a bird the size of an eagle would be terrifying as well as probably ending badly. Not sure they’d be likely to be climbing in a tree where eagles nest, but hey, it’s fiction, right. A hawk would be scary enough and they’re all over.

janet

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 1:43 pm said:
  
  Hi, Janet! Thanks for reading and for the thoughtful comment. You’re right about the hawks. I have to chase them from traumatizing my beagle in the yard quite often! Those things are ruthless!
  
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  - sustainabilitea on March 27, 2014 at 1:53 pm said:
    
    They can be fierce, but I really like them. There’s something about their fierce and free spirit that catches me.
    
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MrBinks on March 27, 2014 at 3:18 pm said:

This has great rhythm, I really enjoyed reading it.

In fact. I’m going to read it again.

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 3:27 pm said:
  
  Aww thank you so very much for the kind comment and the wonderful reread! It warms my heart that you went in for round two!
  
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camgal on March 27, 2014 at 6:59 pm said:

Ouch* I love the pace of the story, just when you’re feeling accomplished lol. Nice take on the prompt here, I enjoyed it 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 7:08 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much for stopping by and for the thoughtful comment! Yes, I don’t think Riley is going to be climbing trees anytime soon! 😀
  
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  - camgal on March 27, 2014 at 9:31 pm said:
    
    Haha and I forgot to mention I love the How i met your mother title reference! if you watch it 🙂 you’re welcome too.
    
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg) on March 27, 2014 at 8:43 pm said:

Scary meeting an eagle out climbing.. better not fall.

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- artfullyadelie on March 27, 2014 at 8:51 pm said:
  
  I’m sincerely grateful that you took the time to read and comment. I agree with you; however, I might rather fall down a tree than hang on for dear life as an eagle claws my eyes out! 🙂
  
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wmqcolby on March 27, 2014 at 10:01 pm said:

Out of the frying pan, into the fire. I sure hope the kid gets down all right. Nice story!

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- artfullyadelie on March 28, 2014 at 12:29 am said:
  
  Thank you very much for reading and for the witty and kind comment! I have a feeling he goes down with a few broken limbs, but time (and a healthy dose of therapy) should help him heal. 🙂
  
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Sorchia D on March 28, 2014 at 12:41 am said:

Ahh, tree climbing. Stuff happens up there. Good story.

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- artfullyadelie on March 28, 2014 at 12:40 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much for reading and for the kind comment! Yes, climbing trees can be great fun, but it can also be terrifying…especially if you find you’re not in the tree alone!
  
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elappleby on March 28, 2014 at 9:17 am said:

Lovely story. Apart from the eagle – run!!!

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- artfullyadelie on March 28, 2014 at 12:38 pm said:
  
  Ahh, Thank you so much for reading and for commenting! Yes, I do believe that bird means business! 🙂
  
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gurpreetksekhon on March 28, 2014 at 7:00 pm said:

Interesting, you have done it! 100 words and a bird with a ‘twisted tale’ 😉

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- artfullyadelie on March 28, 2014 at 8:31 pm said:
  
  Thank you so very much for reading and taking the time to leave a wonderful comment! 🙂
  
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chattinatti on March 28, 2014 at 9:57 pm said:

Loved this! Climbing trees was one of my favorite things growing up. I STILL look at a lovely climbing tree as a challenge. The last time I climbed one was a few years ago on campus at university. I still got it! 😀 Love your work.

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 3:38 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much for reading and for the thoughtful comment! I truly admire you, as I definitely don’t have the guts to climb trees anymore! 😀
  
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  - chattinatti on March 31, 2014 at 4:39 pm said:
    
    You’re welcome!
    Lol, it’s like “riding a bike” you don’t forget how. Only thing is you’re probably a bit more fearful than when you were a kid and fearless but it’s still. Try a little tree. LOL!
    
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atrm61 on March 29, 2014 at 10:00 am said:

Eeps!I have been attacked by a crow-not realising it had it’s nest nearby on window sill-not on a tree though but by God it was scary and it hurt! Loved this story,Adelie-kids are so fearless-we were too 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 1:56 pm said:
  
  Glad to hear you survived the battle with the crow! That had to be terrifying!!! Thanks so much for reading and leaving such a wonderful, and entertaining, comment! 😀
  
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  - atrm61 on April 2, 2014 at 6:20 pm said:
    
    Ha!ha!Yes,it left me mentally scarred for life though ;-)JK!
    
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rochellewisoff on March 29, 2014 at 10:08 am said:

Dear Adelie,

What is it about the shortened form that has some of us constantly going to the dark side?

With my fear of heights you’d never have found me climbing a tree as a kid. Then to be dive bombed by an eagle? Good story, though. I enjoyed it. I could hear and see these two boys. Well done.

Shalom,

Rochelle

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 1:54 pm said:
  
  I’m truly grateful for your thoughtful and kind comment. It’s funny, I didn’t have a fear of heights until I grew older. Ahhh to be a reckless child again!
  Thanks, Rochelle! 🙂
  
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siobhanmcnamara on March 29, 2014 at 10:15 am said:

Very well written – I suspect the boy will be telling his eagle attack story for years to come. Just as well he had a witness. Hope he made it down in one piece!

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 1:51 pm said:
  
  Thank you so very much for reading and for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment. It’s amazing what interesting stories can be inspired by nature!
  
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Linda Vernon on March 29, 2014 at 4:50 pm said:

Now you made a real story out of this!! Well done! 😀

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 1:50 pm said:
  
  Oh, thank you so much for reading and for the encouraging words! I’ve definitely come to love FF. I get to read the work of so many interesting and talented writers (such as yourself) and get to improve my skills! 😀
  
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K.Z. on March 29, 2014 at 5:34 pm said:

i hope the kid gets down safely! the alternative is too horrifying to contemplate 🙂 great take on the photo

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 1:04 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment. I truly appreciate your kindness! 🙂
  
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Judah First on March 29, 2014 at 11:11 pm said:

Nice little tale! Gotta love the impetuosity of youth. 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 12:50 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much or reading and for leaving such a sweet comment! I felt like doing a more lighthearted story this time! 🙂
  
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Nan Falkner on March 30, 2014 at 7:28 am said:

Good writing – very enjoyable! Boys will be boys, but if this kid lives, he will have a story to tell to his grandchildren! All of the feathered beings protect their young. Good job! Nan 🙂

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- artfullyadelie on March 31, 2014 at 12:46 pm said:
  
  Hello, Nan! Thank you so much for reading and for the delightful comment. I do believe the boy made it out ok, with the exception of chronic Ornithophobia. Though, I read there’s a six step process on wikihow to get rid of his fear of birds…so I think he’ll be fine! 😛 Thanks, again!
  
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Properly Ridiculous on April 1, 2014 at 2:34 am said:

Every single time I read your fiction I get that much more eager to dabble in it!

I assume I am hesitant because I am so picky about the fiction I actually read – I like your type of writing, the description is wonderful. Paints a picture, which is exactly what fiction should do.

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- artfullyadelie on April 1, 2014 at 6:42 pm said:
  
  Well then, I better write some more fiction so that I can have the chance to read yours! I was hesitant for quite some time as well, but I’ve found that prompts can really help get the ball rolling…and the 100 word limit makes it less daunting. It sounds odd, but sometimes it’s easier to express myself through the stories of others. So, I think you need to just dive right in there- I know it’ll be awesome! 😀
  
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