A Day With Gracie Taylor

"Gracie time to get up." Mom knocks on my door.

"I'm already awake." I say coming out of my room in full armor for my morning walk around the perimeter fence.

"You are," She sounds surprised lately I had been sleeping in but then again I did have KP duty every night in the last two weeks expect last night today is my last day of active duty then I have a whole week off. All I have today is my survival class with the fifth graders.

"Morning Bug," Dad said pulling my ponytail.

"Morning Daddy," I say sipping my juice Mom is the only one not in uniform she doesn't have to report to Dads command center till we get back from our patrol on the fence.

"Ready?"

Gulping the last of my juice "Yep. See ya' Mom." The perimeter walk is the father/daughter time in my family. I mean dads, mamas a solider all my Uncles are soldiers or cops. So, it was natural that I would be a solider.

"Gracie did you ever want other then a solider."

"What?" I understood the question I just didn't know Dad ask it.

"Did you ever want to be anything else?" He seems serious, some one Malcolm probably put this thought in his head.

"No," I want my tone to sound cool but my tone is surprised. "Dad your a solider, Moms a solider, all my Uncles are or were at some point solders, and was disabling your gun when I was eight."

"But did you ever want to be a teacher or something."

"I'm teacher survival school today and tell Malcolm he's full of it."

He laughed "I'll...How did you know."

"Would anyone else we know put that thought in your head," I challenge.

"No." He admits.

)()(

"Welcome to survivor school," I say cheerfully to the fourteen fifth graders in my class. This was my fourth year teaching OTG survival to the kids of Terra Nova.

"Hello Caption Taylor." They say in awed voice. For most of them this is the first time they've gone OTG without a parent.

"Now before we go into the jungle there are a few rules." The word rules get there attention. "Rule number one: We stay in the group at all times. Lieutenant Reynolds will be at the back of the group in case anyone wonders off." I'm looking at Reynolds twins when I say the last part. "Rule number two: No eating any anything unless I say so. Rule Number three: Keep your hands to yourself no touching insect of plant. There are many dangers so please keep your eyes open and your mouths shut. Any questions?"

One girl raise a hand "Miss Caption?"

"Yes," I read her name tag "Maggie."

"What do we call you?"

I chuckle "You call me Caption Taylor."

"Okay," She said going back into a group of girls.

"That's get started today we'll be hitching to the Lucas Falls that's two miles north. Who can tell me which way is north?" I ask starting the lesson.

"I can," A boy with read, Max said quickly.

"Come on Max," I wave him forward. If he's right we should turn left toward the sun.

"That way," He points to the left.

"Good job." I pat him on the shoulder." But how did you know that?"

He said in a small voice. "The moss of that tree, moss grows on the north side of tree's."

"You are."

His face breaks into a huge smile "Thank you."

"Alright north to the future." I lead the group north Max stay's close to me.

)()(

"This is what kind of tree?" Four hands go up into the air, Max, Maggie, and the Reynolds twins. "James Reynolds"

"Its a Baobob tree," Henry said.

"Thank you, Henry." I say evenly knowing the difference between the Reynolds was something Dad taught me years ago.

"How did you know?" He asked in awe. It is a fact that only six people could tell them apart.

"Magic." I say shortly ending the conversation. "You are right this is a Baobob tree. One the most important trees for the colony. Can anyone tell me why?"

"Oh," A girl Sophia "They're fire-resistant our house are made of them."

"Good," I pick a fruit from the ground. "What is this and can I eat it?"

"Its called "monkey bread," A boy, peter said with serenity. "And you can eat it."

"Correct. Any thing else?"

"The bark of the baobab is used for cloth," A anther girl, Amber said.

"You would know that your Mom is a seamstress if I remember.

"Yep but the bark can also make rope," She added.

"And medicines," Using my knife I open the fruit. "This is the best natural sun block you can find. If your lost out here for more then a n hour it would behoove you to spread on your skin." Fourteen heads nod.

"Now since we're here in this shady place I think a bathroom/water break would be nice." Lieutenant Reynolds said remaining me that children were not soldiers and had needs.

"Yes, girls follow me. Lieutenant you can handle the boys." I say going to the left of the tree along with seven girls.

"Is there toilet paper?" Millie asked before I could open my mouth.

"No," I point to a leaf. "This is a Maple leaf its soft and not poisonous to the skin like the that." Tapping the poison Ivy with my boot.

"Wait we have to use this," Millie ask in shock.

"This isn't vacation." I say serious as heart attack. "This what you need to know. If you ever want to go OTG as a sicenstic, as solider or just for a day. You could get lost your rover could die or a dinosaurs could attack. Leaving you wounded or lost. Then your day turns into night if survive night the next morning your going need food, water, and way home."

Seven girls nod their heads but only Amber said "We understand."

"Good." I smile "I'll let you do your business."

)()(

We make it back to Terra Nova no worse then before Mom's are ready to pick up kids. Maggie stayed close to me all day and takes me right to y her Mom. " . Mama, I ate a bug." She said very proudly.

"You what?"

"Caption Taylor showed us a a bug that you could eat if you were ever lost in the wild. She ate it. Then said that if anyone else wanted to could try and I wanted to so I do." Maggie said hugging her Mom.

"I've never had anyone do it before." I say trying to laugh it off.

"It was fun." Maggie said again said in a big voice that surprised her mother. Then she spoke again the shy little girl I took with me was talking fiercely. "Captain said there was another class can I come back?"

"I guess if you want to." She doesn't sound to sure.

"I'll be teaching the class along with Lieutenant Reynolds. She'll be safe at all times just like today."

"Fine."

"Thanks Mom." Maggie said hugging her mother.

"Maggie be back here next Sunday afternoon for class."

She nods "I will do."

"And," I pull up a sheet of my plex. "Mrs. Weis you need to sign this."

"This is what?" She asked already signing is.

"Its a parental agreement form. See when my class graduates we spent two days OTG living off the land."

"How long do I have to sign this." She asked putting her pen down.

"Two months."

"Okay, Maggie."

I'm the first one home and I crash on my bed armor and all "Bed."

"That bad Bug," Mom asked she's already got armor off.

"Just tired." I say taking off my boots.

"Maybe I should get you to the clinic for a check-up." She mused the idea.

"Great," It was a well know fact that Taylors didn't like doctors. Even Elizabeth who was one of my many "Aunts" she and Skye were the only doctors I ever enjoyed seeing.

"Fine, I'm going to start dinner," She leaves me to undress.

"I'll help." Knowing Dads offer to help was to avoid the kitchen when ever we were cooking.