All right, all right. I've really become the hypocrite that I hate,
promising a story, and then not posting. Sorry, life has gotten pretty
hectic. I hope you all will enjoy this.
* * *
In record time the group managed to grab whatever they had in reach and scramble out of the vehicle. Within seconds they were soaked. They began a mad dash up the valley wall, which seemed to impede all their efforts. The rain pounded down on them seeming to drive them back with its force alone. The steep embankment had become a giant mudslide making each step extremely difficult. After quite a battle with only 3 meters to show for their effort Warrick asked, "Are you sure we should have left the car? It seems that we were relatively safe in there, and out here any misstep will send us back into the river." Nick nodded in agreement. "If we stayed in the car we would have no chance. As soon as the current grabs it, there's no telling where it will flow. You have failed to consider all the rapids and waterfalls that form in these flash floods. Right here and now, at least we have a fighting chance." Any further explanation was interrupted by Sara suddenly doubling over and hurling up her lunch. Catherine gently supported her and tried to keep her hair back. She glared at the boys, signifying that this argument was over. Whatever was done was done, and now they had to get out of this mess. "You OK hon?" she asked soothingly. Sara offered an embarassed smile and curt nod in return. She immediately straightened her shoulders and continued the climb up. She looked back over her shoulder challengingly. "You gust coming?" She wavered a bit, but found her balance again and continued. Catherine arched her eyebrow at Grissom, but he just shrugged and gave her his 'that's Sara' smile. They all followed.
Halfway up they came across an overhang in the valley wall. Further inspection showed it to be a small cave. Grissom looked down, judging the distance. "We seem to be far enough up. Let's wait out the storm in here." The group piled in and gratefully gave into their exhaustion. "Dump your things in the middle. We've got to figure out what we have." Catherine emptied here purse into which she had managed to dump the contents of the dashboard. Lipstick, eye shadow, a compact mirror, her wallet, and road map. Not too encouraging. Grissom had his field kit, for some reason he had it next to him at all times and somehow had managed to keep hold of it throughout their trek. Warrick surprised himself by pulling the cell phone out of his pocket. He hadn't even realized that that was what he had grabbed when his hand blindly snagged anything within reach. His other pocket revealed a Discman. Sara's eyes lit up. "Awesome, I thought it was a gonner." She grabbed it from Warrick and quickly popped it open revealing the latest Alanis Morrissette CD. She took it out and lovingly polished it. "Perfect, not a scratch. Thanks Warrick." A little dumbfounded, all he could do was nod in return. Sara gently put the Discman down and revealed here treasures. A survival kit and a novel. Not to be outdone, Nick quickly cried, "And, last but not least, my backpack." He grinned with delight at their blank looks. Sara put her book safely away and decided to bite. "OK, what's so special about your backpack?" "Nothing, except for the fact that its full of food!" and with the air of a mayor cutting the ribbon over a new bridge he dumped the bag's contents over the cave floor. Out tumbled what seemed to be a lifetime supply of Doritos, kitkats and aeros. "Alright!" Warrick gave a high five to Nick as he made a move to snag a bar for himself. "Not so fast." Warned Grissom. "This is all the food, if I may call it that, that we seem to have, and we don't know how long we might need it for." "More important," interrupted Catherine, "is the fact that we're going to need water." Sara broke into a grin. "Now its my turn to save the day." She unzipped the survival kit and took out a folded piece of plastic. Once unfolded it turned out to be a 5L jug for water. Triumphantly she stood up to fill it up with rainwater. A few steps away from the exit she suddenly turned green and rushed out madly. Worried, they all followed. Outside, they found her bringing up the rest of the contents of her stomach, leaving her weak and wobbly. By her feet the dropped jug began to float away on a river of mud. Warrick launched himself at it as Nick collected Sara before she collapsed. She tried to brush him away but found she couldn't support herself. "Come on Sara, you're in no shape to be stubborn." She gave in, but glared at everyone to show that she wasn't happy about it. Warrick spluttered back up to them all covered in mud, happily waving the jug above his head. Grissom and Nick took Sara inside, while Warrick and Catherine stayed outside to collect the water and clean off.
"Sara, lie down," commanded Grissom as he went through his field kit. "Really, Gris, I'm fine. The fall just twisted my stomache around." "No, your symptoms are concurrent with those of a concussions." Retrieving a flashlight he turned to her. "Look at me." Defiantly she stared at Nick. He wouldn't let her get away with it. "Do as he says." Two against one. With a sigh she gave into Grissom's inspection of her pupils. "Well, they're equally responsive, but we can't be sure. When you go to sleep someone's going to have to wake you every 20 minutes." "Come on Gris, I'm not a baby." "Then stop acting like one!" Grissom snapped in frustration, as he broke under his concern for her. He seemed taken aback by his own outburst. Sara just stared at him in shock before retreating to a corner to nurse her hurt pride. Catherine and Warrick rushed back in. "Man, we caught that water just in time. The storm just cleared up." "Yeah" agreed Catherine. "You can actually see the sun now. In a few minutes we're going to get a beautiful sunset." "Now we can get out of here. Where's the map? Who can show me where we are?" asked Nick as he eagerly rubbed his hands together. Catherine tossed the map to him. "We're on the road just north of that main highway." She pointed it out. "We followed it for the last 2 hours, which would leave us somewhere around here." Nick frowned. "I know it's not near any populated areas," she amended. "But we can just stop any passing cars for help." "That's not the point. There won't be any cars passing us." "What do you mean?" "Cath, the road you've indicated is just a fold in the map. For the past 2 hours we've faithfully followed a crease in this paper!"
* * *
There (patting myself on the back), that's done! I really have all the episodes written in shorthand, it's getting them onto a computer that's proving to be a problem. And then there's the schoolwork. I can't handle that and this. Maybe I should drop the school thing.
In record time the group managed to grab whatever they had in reach and scramble out of the vehicle. Within seconds they were soaked. They began a mad dash up the valley wall, which seemed to impede all their efforts. The rain pounded down on them seeming to drive them back with its force alone. The steep embankment had become a giant mudslide making each step extremely difficult. After quite a battle with only 3 meters to show for their effort Warrick asked, "Are you sure we should have left the car? It seems that we were relatively safe in there, and out here any misstep will send us back into the river." Nick nodded in agreement. "If we stayed in the car we would have no chance. As soon as the current grabs it, there's no telling where it will flow. You have failed to consider all the rapids and waterfalls that form in these flash floods. Right here and now, at least we have a fighting chance." Any further explanation was interrupted by Sara suddenly doubling over and hurling up her lunch. Catherine gently supported her and tried to keep her hair back. She glared at the boys, signifying that this argument was over. Whatever was done was done, and now they had to get out of this mess. "You OK hon?" she asked soothingly. Sara offered an embarassed smile and curt nod in return. She immediately straightened her shoulders and continued the climb up. She looked back over her shoulder challengingly. "You gust coming?" She wavered a bit, but found her balance again and continued. Catherine arched her eyebrow at Grissom, but he just shrugged and gave her his 'that's Sara' smile. They all followed.
Halfway up they came across an overhang in the valley wall. Further inspection showed it to be a small cave. Grissom looked down, judging the distance. "We seem to be far enough up. Let's wait out the storm in here." The group piled in and gratefully gave into their exhaustion. "Dump your things in the middle. We've got to figure out what we have." Catherine emptied here purse into which she had managed to dump the contents of the dashboard. Lipstick, eye shadow, a compact mirror, her wallet, and road map. Not too encouraging. Grissom had his field kit, for some reason he had it next to him at all times and somehow had managed to keep hold of it throughout their trek. Warrick surprised himself by pulling the cell phone out of his pocket. He hadn't even realized that that was what he had grabbed when his hand blindly snagged anything within reach. His other pocket revealed a Discman. Sara's eyes lit up. "Awesome, I thought it was a gonner." She grabbed it from Warrick and quickly popped it open revealing the latest Alanis Morrissette CD. She took it out and lovingly polished it. "Perfect, not a scratch. Thanks Warrick." A little dumbfounded, all he could do was nod in return. Sara gently put the Discman down and revealed here treasures. A survival kit and a novel. Not to be outdone, Nick quickly cried, "And, last but not least, my backpack." He grinned with delight at their blank looks. Sara put her book safely away and decided to bite. "OK, what's so special about your backpack?" "Nothing, except for the fact that its full of food!" and with the air of a mayor cutting the ribbon over a new bridge he dumped the bag's contents over the cave floor. Out tumbled what seemed to be a lifetime supply of Doritos, kitkats and aeros. "Alright!" Warrick gave a high five to Nick as he made a move to snag a bar for himself. "Not so fast." Warned Grissom. "This is all the food, if I may call it that, that we seem to have, and we don't know how long we might need it for." "More important," interrupted Catherine, "is the fact that we're going to need water." Sara broke into a grin. "Now its my turn to save the day." She unzipped the survival kit and took out a folded piece of plastic. Once unfolded it turned out to be a 5L jug for water. Triumphantly she stood up to fill it up with rainwater. A few steps away from the exit she suddenly turned green and rushed out madly. Worried, they all followed. Outside, they found her bringing up the rest of the contents of her stomach, leaving her weak and wobbly. By her feet the dropped jug began to float away on a river of mud. Warrick launched himself at it as Nick collected Sara before she collapsed. She tried to brush him away but found she couldn't support herself. "Come on Sara, you're in no shape to be stubborn." She gave in, but glared at everyone to show that she wasn't happy about it. Warrick spluttered back up to them all covered in mud, happily waving the jug above his head. Grissom and Nick took Sara inside, while Warrick and Catherine stayed outside to collect the water and clean off.
"Sara, lie down," commanded Grissom as he went through his field kit. "Really, Gris, I'm fine. The fall just twisted my stomache around." "No, your symptoms are concurrent with those of a concussions." Retrieving a flashlight he turned to her. "Look at me." Defiantly she stared at Nick. He wouldn't let her get away with it. "Do as he says." Two against one. With a sigh she gave into Grissom's inspection of her pupils. "Well, they're equally responsive, but we can't be sure. When you go to sleep someone's going to have to wake you every 20 minutes." "Come on Gris, I'm not a baby." "Then stop acting like one!" Grissom snapped in frustration, as he broke under his concern for her. He seemed taken aback by his own outburst. Sara just stared at him in shock before retreating to a corner to nurse her hurt pride. Catherine and Warrick rushed back in. "Man, we caught that water just in time. The storm just cleared up." "Yeah" agreed Catherine. "You can actually see the sun now. In a few minutes we're going to get a beautiful sunset." "Now we can get out of here. Where's the map? Who can show me where we are?" asked Nick as he eagerly rubbed his hands together. Catherine tossed the map to him. "We're on the road just north of that main highway." She pointed it out. "We followed it for the last 2 hours, which would leave us somewhere around here." Nick frowned. "I know it's not near any populated areas," she amended. "But we can just stop any passing cars for help." "That's not the point. There won't be any cars passing us." "What do you mean?" "Cath, the road you've indicated is just a fold in the map. For the past 2 hours we've faithfully followed a crease in this paper!"
* * *
There (patting myself on the back), that's done! I really have all the episodes written in shorthand, it's getting them onto a computer that's proving to be a problem. And then there's the schoolwork. I can't handle that and this. Maybe I should drop the school thing.