Last Saturday, we went as a group to the wonderful wilderness to escape our computers and enjoy the day. We started our adventure at a beautiful old castle about a 7 min drive away from Sigtuna. When we got there everyone was swept off their feet by the beauty of the area. The beautiful gardens that stretched as far as the eye could see were truly the show stopper, along with the beautiful wife and her soon to be husband who were taking photos. We ate our lunch of delicious sandwiches on the grass next to the castle, and then we spent the next our playing games and enjoying each other’s company.
After being at the castle we took a 39 min walk into what one could only call a place out of the Californien movies. The tall grass stretched towards the sun, and the sun stretches back warming our backs and encouraging us to move on forward to the amazing day we still had ahead. The birds flew around us circling us knowing the joy we would soon feel. We continued to walk forward and finally we got to a bird watching tower made of a dark wood that fit perfectly in its surrounding. We walked up to the top of the tower and saw a view one can’t even describe. Behind us one could see a rocky forest that called for an adventure. I for the of us we could see beautiful water that shined as bright as the stars. To the right one could see grass and hills as far as the eye could see, slipping and crashing into each other, reaching for the others company. To the left one could see more grass that swung in the slight breeze, dancing with the sun.
After about an hour in the shade of the tour, we went into the woods where we would spend the rest of our day. We got to the edge of the forest and the leaders announced something that could fulfill anyones childhood dreams. We were going to play capture the flag, in the woods. We all cheered with excitement and the mosquitoes cheers with us, sweeping and buzzing around us covering our bodies in small bites of excitement.
So the game begun. I was personally a part of team AK, which, slight spoiler, was the winning team. We choose the yellow t-short which proved to be the best choice as it camouflaged into everything around it. We ran to claim our territory, a small rock hidden behind cliffs would hide our shirt. Then we heard a sound boom through the trees, a sound that would change the course of the day, start.
We ran forward to define our land, the wind slapped us across the face, our eyes and ears snapped and could see and hear every creek, every movement, every mosquitoe . We rushed back and forced defending our land, some creeped as close to the ground as those in call of duty. One person tried to grab our flag, but instead we grabbed them. Thrown into the jail, they had to wait. We captured three more of the other teams players, and then it was time to attack.
Sprinting forward as fast as cheetahs, we ran to the others grounds. Nothing could stop us, not thorns, not holes, not mosquitoes. We sprinted forward our ears hearing every creek the others made, our eyes focused on the goal ahead of us, the flag. Then out of nowhere came something everyone was expecting, a defense line. We ran forward, remembering that teamwork makes the dream work, and we snatched the other teams flag. We ran back in slight victory, but the job was not done. We had to take the other flag the team had previously stolen from the other team. We ran forward again, like superhero’s entering war. We surrounded them, distracting their defense with talk and movement.
Then out of no where Malcolm stepped forward and snatched the last flag. He sprinted back, but they followed. Running as fast as his legs could follow him he tore through the forest caring about nothing expect for winning. The team started to surround him, he was being chased by millions, most of which were mosquitoes. He sprinted and sprinted, the wind smashed against his face, pulling his hair back so he could see. He jumped back into outlet territory. We had one. We all ran up cheering, feeling prouder than we had ever felt before. We had won.
We ran back to the camp, slightly worse for wear, but no one cared, we had won. We got all of our bruises healed and then we sat there talking forgiving each other for the brutal game we had just played.
Then we grilled vegan hotdogs as the sun set behind our heads. We thanked the sun for a beautiful day, and it welcomed us with the perfect warm mess on our backs.
// Maja Keatley
