A frantic ferryman waves you toward the riverbank as dark storm clouds gather overhead.
“The bridge washed away days ago,” he says. “The current is far too strong to swim, and my ferry has broken free from its moorings. On the far shore, a family is trapped before the floodwaters rise. If no one reaches them before sunset… they won’t make it.”
You take a deep breath and check your pack.
TO COMPLETE THE MISSION
Choose ONE item from your inventory. Describe how you rescue the stranded family. The more creative your solution, the better. Bonus: Can you save the family without getting wet?
As I watch the water rise and the families dread as well, I look through my (obviously huge) gear bag.
A chicken? Well, I could at least feed them and yeet the food over as a last meal. I sigh deeply. As much as I love cooking, I prefer to feed them after I find out a rescue attempt. After quickly lining items up I choose the only thing possible for this rescue. My Giant Kite. As a child I entered many competitions (this is true, we had kite day in my school for 4 years) building, decorating, and flying kites. Now is not the time to show off, our time is limited. I take out my giant kite (resembling a tetrahedron) “The Cygnet”. With skill and wind already available to me, I guide the kite over to the family. They seem to not trust my idea at all. So I prove to them. I climb on to the kite (after firmly tying a hitch knot to a local tree & explaining to the Ferryman how it works.) and glide over the raging waters to the family below. I use additional ropes (already attached to The Cygnet) to have the Father hold me in place as he ties it around his youngest child. I yell to the Ferryman - to pull us over using the techniques of the knot. Two at a time, I glide quickly for the family of 7 and young sheeps safety. (Everyone forgot about the sheep, since it was the reason they got trapped in the first place.) Runaway animals are always causing trouble for Farmers and their families right before storms and catastrophies. Fear resides in all creatures, it is up to those to overcome it with strength, willpower, and creativity.
The family is now safe, My kite, slightly weathered and splintering from the laborous task, is still in useable condition.
The End.
P.S. - This story is based off of some real life truths. Humanity has invented so many things that we forget how much more we can still do. Failing at something isn’t the end to that dream.
Learning from mistakes brings us one step closer to creating wonderful things. My late father’s words: “Learn at least one new thing a day, no matter what it is. Peeling a potato, meeting a possible friend, reading a book- etc knowledge is the best power to acquire.”
First, I place the massive tower shield flat on the mud at the top of the riverbank to use it as a sleek, makeshift bobsled. Then, I take the live chicken, tuck it tightly under my arm like a football, and point its tail feathers directly behind us toward our side of the river.
When I jump onto the shield-sled, the sudden movement startles the chicken. It lets out a loud, continuous, high-velocity squawk, unleashing an absurd amount of jet-propulsion wind power. This causes the shield-sled to shoot down the bank and hydroplane flawlessly across the top of the raging rapids at supersonic speeds, keeping us perfectly dry as we skim over the water.
We slide right up onto the far shore next to the trapped family. I pile them all onto the tower shield, turn the chicken around to face the opposite direction, and give its belly a gentle squeeze to activate “reverse thrust”—propelling the shield and the entire family safely back across the river before sunset.
Absolutely incredible stories!! Thank you for taking the time to compose replies, may you both revel in your title rewards from the stories you have crafted!!!
The Forgotten Ferry
TO COMPLETE THE MISSION
Choose ONE item from your inventory.
Describe how you rescue the stranded family.
The more creative your solution, the better.
Bonus: Can you save the family without getting wet?
Grappling Hook
Wooden Plank
Giant Kite
Tower Shield
Lantern
Live Chicken