"Shawn, this was a bad idea, coming all the way out here."

I sighed. "Gus, don't be a bruised banana. We've only been walking for five minutes."

Gus glared at me. "But we haven't had lunch yet. You know how much I hate walking on an empty stomach."

I snorted. "C'mon, Gus, just think about all the excercise we're getting! It's good for you! Besides, JUst think how cool the big reveal is gonna be out here. These woods look like they're straight out of Lothlorien! I get to be Frodo!"

"I'll be Legolas. I've always wanted to use a longbow," Gus said.

I stopped suddenly, sniffing the air. "What's that smell?"

Gus inhaled sharply through his nose. "Smells kind of like...a swamp."

I stared at him. "A swamp? Really, Gus? How would there be a swamp out here in the woods?"

I strode forward a few steps - and immediately froze.

"Gus..."

I heard Gus gasp behind me.

"Shawn! Shawn, don't move!" He yelled.

I looked down slowly. My feet were slowly sinking into what looked like quicksand. The cold, stinky stuff was already well over my ankles.

"Shawn, just hang on, I'm gonna get you out of there!" I heard Gus yell.

I stood there, trying not to panick as I sank up to my knees. I wanted to thrash and kick, but I knew that I would only sink faster.

"Gus!" I yelled, my voice shaky with panic.

"Shawn, grab hold!"

I craned my neck around and saw Gus reaching out over the mud with a long tree branch. I wanted to grab it, but my position presented a small problem. Since my back was to Gus, the only way I was going to be able to grab hold was to tip backward. The muck was to my waist now and I knew I didn't have much time.

Taking a deep breath, I leaned back, almost as if I were trying to lay down, gasping a little as I sank up to my chest. Turning slowly onto my side, I looked up. Gus was leaning as far as he dared, branch extended toward me.

"Grab it!" Gus shouted, fear evident in his voice.

I lunged for the end of the branch and my fingertips brushed against it, but I missed and sank up to my shoulders. The mud pressed against my chest, making it hard to breath. I was gasping now, and fear had begun to consume me.

"Try again!"

It was Gus who had spoken, but suddenly I could hear my father's voice in my head.

Focus, Shawn. Focus.

I gathered the deepest breath I could manage and reached for the branch again. The mud was up to my chin now and I knew that if I didn't grab hold now it would be too late. My groping hand found the end of the branch and my fingers grasped it. I hung on for dear life, holding my breath as the mud closed over my mouth and nose. For a second, I remained unmoving, almost completely submerged in the mud. But then I felt a tug on the branch and I began to rise. Just when I thought I couldn't hold my breath any longer, my head and shoulders broke the surface of the mud. I tried to gasp for air but only inhaled a mouthful of sludge. Coughing and spitting, I tipped my head back and sucked in a deep lungful of air, then began choking as more mud found it's way down my throat. My fingers were starting to slip and I squeezed the branch tighter, but I was getting tired.

"Almost there!" Gus grunted from somewhere above me. "Shawn, give me your hand!"

I couldn't see anything due to my eyes being shut against the mud caked on my face. I shook my head in an effort to get some of it off and managed to pry my eyelids open. I could see the blurry form of Gus above me, hand reaching out. With enormous effort, I wrenched my hand out of the mud and grabbed for Gus' hand. His fingers grasped my wrist and held fast. I let go of the branch and used my free hand to try to pull myself out of the mud. Gus grunted and panted as he strained to yank me free.

Finally, he got his hands under my arms and dragged me out of the mud, pulling me high up onto solid ground. I collapsed on my hands and knees, coughing mud out of my lungs and wheezing in little gasps of air.

"Shawn, are you okay? Talk to me!"

Gus helped me sit up as I fought to slow my breathing.

"T-That was too c-close," I gasped, staring at my bare feet. My shoes and socks were long gone, having been pulled off in the mud. I was grateful that my pants hadn't joined them.

"You know that's right," Gus said, patting my shoulder.

We sat in silence for a moment. As the adrenaline began to wear off, I began to shake, partly from the cold mud covering my body, and partly from shock.

"C'mon," Gus said. "Let's get you back to the Blueberry."

"Not so fast."

I flinched as the barrel of a pistol was suddenly right in my feild of vision.

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what do ya'll think? should I continue? I am thinking of maybe doing a bit of a flashback to explain the case they are working on so that the next part makes more sense - think I should do it? please let me know!