PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
“Mrs. Peavy, don’t go into your room! “
“What? Why not?”
“HORNETS!” replied Ronnie. ‘Hundreds of ’em! All over!”
Ronnie was a known prankster, but he seemed genuinely upset.
Mrs. Peavy gathered her class and sent them to the gym. Then she contacted the janitor, who came with his hands full of various anti-hornet sprays.
He was the school hero for several days, especially to Mrs. Peavy. One sting could have sent her into shock, could even have killed her.
The hive was knocked down overnight, and everything settled back into its normal, boring routine.
Just Writing! 
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to notice the hive… Some people are very sensitive to the stings. The janitor was the hero, but even mischievous Ronnie was a bit of a hero in this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, he was. I pictured him as a red-haired, freckled kid with big blue eyes and a charming grin, shoelaces untied, socks hanging down, torn knees on his jeans, and a streak of mud across his cheek 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t spot the nest. Well done
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Neil. I wasn’t positive what kind it is, but it doesn’t really matter 🙂
LikeLike
Full marks for observation! I didn’t notice that was a hive. Well done.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Sandra. I’m terrified of hornets!
LikeLike
This reads like memoir – did it happen to someone you know? It has a ring of truth to it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, Penny, it happened only in my imagination. . . . .but it COULD be real somewhere 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So that’s what it is! It sounds like they need a bit of excitement now and again.
Click to read my FriFic tale!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Every classroom needs a little excitement now and then 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stirring a hornet’s nest is terrible.
Glad it is under control 🙂
Have a great week!
The Familiar Face – Anita
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading and commenting, Anita 🙂
LikeLike
Hmm, was Ronnie genuinely upset or pretending to be genuinely upset? Seems like a prank to add a bit of excitement to their boring routine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most kids of that age are rather nervous about hornets. I pictured him as mischievous, but not ornery at all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ronnie saved the day…with a ‘little’ help from the janitor…
Well done, Linda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dale. Fun to write 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A little bit of excitement that they will all remember!
LikeLiked by 1 person
In my imagination, they were all watching for any stray survivors of the swarm and not paying too much attention to the teacher 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so nice that all that trouble could be averted with only a fairly little effort
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes. My husband has taken down more than one hive with the sprays that are available these days 🙂
LikeLike
That’s really good to know. Those bugs can be nasty
LikeLiked by 1 person
Janitor was a hero for right reason. It is not easy to get rid of hornets, that too angry ones.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, they can be angry. And janitors don’t get a lot of recognition for what they do. They deserve a little applause now and then 🙂
LikeLike
A lucky escape. So that’s what that thing at the upper window is? I thought it was something else but a hive is more plausible 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t sure either, but it looked more like a hive than anything else I could think of, so that’s what I went with 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, you and Na’ama came close with this one! I can’t see what’s on the window, but now wonder if it’s a wasp nest? What a scary thing at a school! Nice job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, especially when there are those who have serious reactions to the sting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Linda,
Hornets are beastly things that serve no purpose that I know of. I thought that thing hanging from the window was a hive of some sort but wasn’t sure. Well done take on the prompt. Glad no one was actually stung in the process.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLiked by 2 people
They play an important part in the ecosystem, Rochelle. Like every critter… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Something eats them, I suppose, but not fast enough!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Birds do, I think. But more importantly, they eat other insects, and pollinate. Here’s a short article:
https://sciencing.com/benefits-hornets-8741480.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting and informative. If only they’d keep their stingers to themselves 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They rank right up there with mosquitos in uselessness 🙂 Thanks for your comment, Rochelle.
LikeLike
She seems to have an allergy, her fear is understandable. The poor insects though 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ll never convince me to feel sorry for hornets. Bees, at least, make honey. Hornets just make misery 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No they don’t. 😀 See my previous post with the link.
LikeLike
Gotta love a student who remembers his teacher’s allergy and saves her life for it. Great story!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jelli 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wasps and bees love my garden, trouble is they love it so much that each year they build nests. If only I could send for a janitor
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now, there’s an idea. Having one’s own, on-call janitor! Hmm. Maybe you’ve laid the idea for a new industry, Michael 🙂
LikeLike
It is a relief that everybody is safe and no one was stung! Credit to the student also that he was sensitive enough to warn his teacher.
https://evergreenleaf.blogspot.com/2019/02/home.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your lovely comment, Kislaya.
LikeLike
Oh my, I would be in trouble if I was stung. This tale is so real in the way you unfolded it, Linda.
Nicely created story,
Isadora 😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great write with well-crafted characters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mrs. Peavey was fortunate to have Ronnie around that day as well as the janitor. Good write!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Sascha.
LikeLike
I hope the incident doesn’t give Ronnie ideas for a future prank – nobody likes to settle back into a boring routine after a bit of excitement. Well told.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think Ronnie was just as scared as everyone else–probably will be a long time before he’s willing to mess with hornets 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Theres something to be said for boring. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, there surely is 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have gobs of hornet nests in our upper eaves so I noticed that right off the bat. You did a splendid job of pulling it into your story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Several have said they either didn’t see it, or wasn’t sure what exactly it was. Funny how that goes. It’s the first thing I saw. I have no idea if it’s a hornet, wasp, mud daubber or bee hive–I just know it’s a hive for stinging bugs 🙂
LikeLike
Ronnie went from a prankster to a hero overnight! I really like the way you ended the story. Kids often complain about school being BOOOORING. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they do, and sometimes it is. I think we all need to learn that sometimes we have to deal with boring. It’s a part of life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
An excellent point. That reminds me of the following quote from Blaise Pascal: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” If more of us accepted boring times without creating unnecessary drama to entertain ourselves, this world would be much more peaceful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great that the prankster was believed… this time. Not a Peter and the wolf case.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. Must have been something different in his face/voice to persuade his teacher this was not a joke 🙂
LikeLike