"Look." Mom waved a flyer in front of the television. "Summer field trips for sixth-graders. Nature. Exercise. Fresh air."
"No, thanks," I said, still working the remote.
"You'll love hiking, Jimmy, she said. "Besides, couch potatoes need exercise."
"But —" "If you don't like the first one, you don't have to go again," she said before I could finish.
OK, I thought. Just one day.
That day was the hottest on record. The moment I woke up, I started to sweat. I got dressed. Long pants tucked into heavy socks, T-shirt, boots, backpack, water bottles. All required for the hike.
As we boarded the school bus, I met Mr. Hawkins, our guide. The bus finally stopped near a forest, and we got out. Our destination for the day was "the Lemon Squeeze." But I had no idea what that was.
We quickly started our hiking after we got off the bus. Ahead, some kid kicked an old tree stump. A girl suddenly screamed and ran. A buzzing noise grew louder. Wasps (黄蜂)! Mr. Hawkins drove away the wasps with his shirt and we managed to run away.
We continued hiking for another hour until Mr. Hawkins decided that we should stop for lunch. It was too hot for anyone to complain, because complaining would only make it worse. What's worst was more hiking. It was getting hotter and hotter. Mr. Hawkins kept telling us to keep drinking water to keep hydrated. We drank, and sweated.
Water was low. Up ahead was a crossroads.
"OK, folks," Mr. Hawkins said. "This heat is fierce. Do we finish, or do we take this shortcut back to the bus? It's a quarter mile uphill from here to our destination."
I closed my eyes. Please, someone, say GO BACK TO THE BUS! I didn't want to be the wimp (懦弱的人).
Paragraph 1:
However, nobody spoke.
Paragraph 2:
I stumbled (蹒跚) of the bus, dirty and tired.
