From de minute Wilar announce it, Pike Street know there wasn’t going be no peace.
“Dem hatching dis week,” Wilar say, standing like a man delivering national news. “My aunty duck sitting on twelve egg.”
Speedeet cut he eye. “You sure is twelve?”
“Was thirteen,” Wilar say. “One disappear.”
“Disappear how?”
Wilar shrug. “Duck business.”
From dat minute on, de two boys take up full-time duty as supervisor of de whole duck situation.
De Waiting
Every afternoon, dem squat down by de lil wooden pen behind Wilar yard, watching de mother duck like she owe dem money.
“She move,” Speedeet whisper.
“She always moving,” Wilar whisper back.
“Dat one shake.”
“Dat is breeze.”
“You sure she not faking?” Speedeet ask.
Wilar gasp. “You accusing a duck of lying?”
“I just saying… nothing happening.”
For three whole day, nothing happen.
On day four, everything happen.
De Hatching
It start with one tiny crack.
Then another.
Then pure chaos.
“IT HAPPENING!” Wilar bawl, nearly knocking down de pen.
Speedeet drop flat on he belly for a better view. “I see beak! I SEE BEAK!”
One by one, damp, confuse ducklings push dem way into de world.
Some come out bright yellow.
Some come out yellow with brown patch.
De boys went silent.
Dis was serious.
Dis was important.
Dis… was opportunity.
De Draft
Speedeet stand up first. “I taking de clean yellow ones.”
Wilar fold he arm. “Why you taking de better ones?”
“How you know is better?” Speedeet shoot back.
“Because plain always superior,” Wilar say, confident.
“Dat don’t even make sense,” Speedeet say.
Dem stare at each other.
Then at de ducklings.
Then back at each other.
“Alright,” Wilar say. “We splitting teams.”
“Agreed.”
“You team name?”
Speedeet ain’t hesitate. “Team Speedeet.”
Wilar nod slow. “Predictable.”
“You team name?”
“Team Wilar Elite.”
Speedeet blink. “Elite?”
“Yes.”
“You just make dat up just now.”
“Greatness is spontaneous,” Wilar say.
De Naming Ceremony
De boys get straight to work.
Speedeet point at de yellow ducklings.
“Dat one is Speedeet Prime.”
“Dat one?” Wilar ask.
“Speedeet Turbo.”
“Dat one walking backwards?”
“…Speedeet Reverse.”
Wilar nod with respect. “Strong lineup.”
Then he turn to he own.
“Dat one is Wilar Original.”
“Dat one with de brown patch on de eye?”
“Wilar Vision.”
“Dat one just fall over?”
“Wilar Resilient.”
Speedeet laugh. “You naming based on struggle now?”
“Character matter,” Wilar say.
De Competitions Start
Inside twenty minutes, things get out of hand.
Event 1: De Walk-Off
Dem line de ducklings up.
“From here to de bucket,” Speedeet say.
“No pushing,” Wilar add.
“No shouting.”
Dem nod.
Then one time start shouting.
“COME SPEEDEET PRIME!”
“WILAR ORIGINAL DON’T LISTEN TO HE!”
De ducklings ignore every single instruction and wander sideways.
One sit down.
Another chase a leaf.
One walk straight into de wrong team.
“Dat is sabotage!” Speedeet bawl.
“Dat is migration,” Wilar correct.
Winner: Nobody.
Event 2: De Water Entry
Dem put out a shallow basin.
“Natural habitat advantage,” Wilar say, confident.
Speedeet frown. “Dat sound bias.”
De ducklings approach de water.
Pause.
Then all of dem jump in at once.
Splash everywhere.
Pure chaos.
One duck climb out one time.
“Dat one quit,” Speedeet say.
“Dat one strategic,” Wilar reply.
Winner: Both teams (dem declare it demself).
Event 3: De Food Dash
Dis one get serious.
Dem sprinkle feed.
“First to eat wins,” Speedeet say.
De ducklings rush forward.
Then stop halfway.
Then turn.
Then follow de mother duck instead.
Both boys watch in disbelief as ALL de ducklings ignore de competition completely.
De mother duck ain’t even look back.
De Realization
De boys sit down in de dirt.
Cover in feed.
Surround by ducklings who clearly got dem own agenda.
Speedeet sigh. “Dem not listening.”
Wilar shake he head. “Dem independent.”
“Dem don’t care about teams.”
“Dem don’t care about elite neither,” Wilar admit.
One duckling—Speedeet Reverse—wander over and climb on Wilar foot.
Another one—Wilar Vision—sit down next to Speedeet.
De boys look at each other.
Then burst out laughing.
De Final Rule Change
“Alright,” Speedeet say, wiping he eye. “New rule.”
“No teams,” Wilar agree.
“Just ducks.”
“Just ducks.”
Dem sit there quiet as de ducklings waddle around, ignoring every plan dem make for dem.
After a while, Speedeet say, “Still think mine faster.”
Wilar nod. “Still think mine smarter.”
Dem both watch as one duck walk straight into de pen wall.
“…we go give dem time,” Speedeet say.
“Plenty time,” Wilar agree.
From dat day on, de ducklings ain’t had no teams.
But every time one of dem do something slightly impressive…
Speedeet or Wilar would quietly claim it.
And de whole argument would start back over again.