Alaska Spark, стр. 40

“Seriously? It’s hotter than Satan’s house cat.” Angela waved her hand at her face.

Liz wiped her brow. “Sure is.”

“This is our good-will gesture for this community. I understand the Chinook Fire Station firefighters participate in the town’s July 4th festivities, so told them I’d help out.” Colonel Sanders picked up Smokey the Bear’s head. “Two of you put on the suits and the third will give out candy.”

“It really is too warm for this,” muttered Liz, lifting Smokey’s bottom and peeking inside as if it contained maggots.

Angela stooped to pick up Woodsy Owl. “This is heavier than a bag of boulders.”

Colonel Sanders folded his arms. “Are you ladies refusing this assignment? If so, I could have you fired for refusing a directive.”

“This old-schooler thinks it’s the military,” breathed Liz, so only Tara and Angela could hear.

“Are you threatening us if we don’t do this?” Angela smiled sweetly, turning on her Southern charm.

Colonel Sanders straightened. “Fire isn’t a democracy. When your superiors give you a directive, you do it or else you're gone. A good firefighter isn’t intimidated by a little heat.”

Tara placed her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you ask some of the guys to do this? You know, in the spirit of equality.”

He stared hard at her. “They were assigned other duties.” He held out Smokey’s head. “Climb in the truck bed and put this on.”

Tara considered walking away. She didn’t believe AFS would send the three of them home for refusing to wear the bulky costumes in this heat. Then again, she could envision this guy being a stinker about it. She didn’t want to risk her job or be considered a bad sport.

“All right.” Tara blew out a sigh, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I’ll be Smokey.”

“That’s the spirit,” erupted Colonel Sanders like a coach in a Superbowl game.

Colonel Sanders turned to Liz. “Blondie, you can be Woodsy Owl,” he said, as if bestowing Liz with the congressional medal of honor. He winked at Angela. “Alabama can give out the candy.”

“North Carolina,” Angela corrected. She pressed her lips together and picked up sacks of candy.

“Let’s get this over with.” A corner of Liz’s mouth twitched as she dragged Woodsy over to the truck behind the one Tara was to ride in. Liz put on the Woodsy Owl suit, complete with the Robin Hood cap and oversized feather poking out of it.

Tara laughed as she bent to pick up Smokey’s dusty blue jeans, hairy top, and the oversized head. She tossed them in the truck bed, then climbed in. She pulled the heavy suit over her Nomex. The minute she put on Smokey’s head a reeking stinky-socks odor smacked her nostrils. Her gag reflex kicked in. She swallowed it back.

Tara peeked through her eye holes and it struck her as funny to see a stripper decked out as Woodsy Owl. Despite her own discomfort she burst out laughing.

It didn’t take long for the Smokey sauna to drench Tara. Sweat poured from her, worsening the odor, like an unshowered, overripe hockey team occupied Smokey with her. She had her hair pinned up, but it didn’t help. Her scalp oozed sweat along with everything else.

Colonel Sanders hopped up in the truck bed and sat on a folding chair next to her.

“Hot in here,” muttered Tara.

“Suck it up, buttercup.” Colonel Sanders’ voice pierced her suit.

“May I please have some water?” Tara’s mouth had become cotton.

Smokey’s head lifted, and ice water slapped her face. She inhaled droplets, causing her to have a coughing fit.

“I meant to drink,” she choked out.

“Wave to the kids,” bellowed Colonel Sanders, oblivious.

She didn’t see any kids. Through her costume, she could see their truck had pulled out of the compound and was driving along Chinook’s main gravel road.

“Hey Smokey, how about some candy?” Hudson’s voice sounded from the side of the road. Tara put her oversized, furry paw into a tub of wrapped candies, unable to grab them. Colonel Sanders yanked her paw and slapped candy on it. She stepped back like a pitcher winding up for the Cubs and flung them hard as she could.

“Ow,” whined Hudson.

Good.

It didn’t take long for Tara to overheat. She lifted Smokey’s head to suck in cooler air. Oh, sweet relief!

“No peeking. You’ll ruin it for the kids,” Colonel Sanders hollered.

The truck with Woodsy Owl followed close behind. Liz had to be as miserable as she was. Tara glimpsed Angela’s head bobbing alongside the truck, throwing candy to people on the side of the dusty road.

“Angie,” Tara hollered. “Come here a minute.”

Angela moved toward her. “How are you doing under there?”

“Get me a bottle of water. I’m dying in here.” Her voice sounded muffled inside the stinky head.

“Smokey doesn’t talk!” Colonel Sanders barked at her eye holes.

“I’m so done with this.” Tara pushed off Smokey’s head and let it land on the truck bed. “Smokey may not talk, but I sure do. Stick a fork in me, I’m done.” She waddled to the rear of the truck bed to jump out.

“Get back here, Smokey. You are not finished until I say you are.”

As Tara prepared to jump out, Smokey’s foul-smelling head plunked down over her own, disorienting her. The truck lurched and she fought for balance. Angela ran up with a water bottle, holding it up to her. “Tara, grab it.”

 She bent to grab the bottle and stumbled.

 “Smokey is drunk,” someone shouted, followed by waves of laughter.

 Still fighting for balance, Tara rocked back to grab the bottle. She became disoriented and stumbled around the bed of the pickup. Her heart sped and her head throbbed. Unable to catch her breath, a tingling sensation swept her. She tipped sideways and had the sensation of falling through the air. She landed hard on her back. What the hell?

“Ow!” She lay there motionless, trying to catch her breath.

“Smoky is down!” Someone yelled.

“Tara?” Angela’s voice and the scales of laughter faded to black.