Special disclaimer: The books mentioned in this chapter are Downriver and River Thunder by Will Hobbs.
chapter 16 DownRiver
She felt the water, yet even as she forced her hand up to block head she was kicking upwards. Fun, she'd thought the water was much shallower. Still as her head broke the surface she could hear shouts and then as she lifted her hand to clear the sodden hair from her eyes she found Leo dog paddling a few feet away.
"Good to see you decided to rejoin the land of the living
"You don't look much better she shot back and only then remembered the kayak.
Turning her head she caught sight of the red vessel rapidly making its way down the river.
"Oh no…" She groaned and moved to go after it when she felt the fear hit her, there were snakes in the water, and there were big ugly snakes…
"Stay there!" One of the counselors called and she did, half afraid that there was a viper just to her left or something. Then she watched Leo unworried, coming to tread in the water beside her. Together they waited until Jenny neared them.
"You two get up on the island and wait for one of us." She called and when Leo asked whey they couldn't go after the craft she replied that the river was too uneven and slippery and there were too many snakes in the area.
Always worried about the snakes Kendrix was all too happy to get out of he water, until she remembered that most local reptiles could swim and live on land. Then she was almost frozen by fear, until she felt the hand on her shoulder that is.
It was Leo who managed to get her to move, paddling to the shore and then they were in relative safety.
"Hey you really ok?" He asked and Kendrix nodded nurvicely. "It will be ok, they'll find it and then we'll get back to camp." Kendrix wanted t o believe Leo, and she tried to but she just kept seeing that critter on the rock.
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Leo knew Kendrix was scared, why shouldn't she be? Things had suddenly gotten more complicated and now they were sort of stranded on a little island in them idle of the river, with or without her worst fears.
Thinking quickly he searched for a topic that would take her mind off of their predicament.
"Hey brains, I was just thinking that this kind of reminds me of this book I had to read in school." He said and she turned to face him, her eyes slightly lightening as if he was on the right track so he went on quickly. "It was about a bunch of trouble makers sent on a rafting trip."
"I remember that one, it was downriver."
"Yeah, I really liked it. You know that guy Troy in the book?"
"Yeah, he was a jerk."
"Yeah well so were most of the characters." Leo shrugged.
"No, I liked Jessie."
"'come on, she was doing whatever she could to rebel."
"Yeah but she wasn't' like Troy or the others, she wasn't' really you know bad or anything."
"Him guessing you never had to read the second book?"
'There was another one?"
"Umhum, you know how at the end it kind of seemed like some of the kids had changed?"
"'Yeah."
"Guess again. They were still total brats."
'Then what was the point of the first book?"
"Entertainment?"
"Maybe, but maybe Hobbs was trying to show how in reality there are no real happy endings."
"What makes you say that?"
"Leo, think about this summer, look what's all happened. Yeah there has been a lot of nice stuff but there's also been a lot of rotten stuff."
"Well, Misty's going to get hers and as for the others…" Leo shrugged.
"Yeah, true. I just hope things really do get better." She aid wistfully and he nodded, reaching out to touch her arm.
"They will, I have a feeling." The gleam in Leo's green eyes said more than words ever could.
All of a sudden there was some shouting, and then one of the counselors, Jeff came through the trees behind them.
"'Did you find it?" Leo asked and Jeff nodded.
"Yeah, 'I shored it up a little ways. Come on." With that he started off on what Kendrix now saw was an actual path. She looked to Leo and he nodded, taking her hand as if afraid her fears would resurface.
They did but Kendrix managed to go on anyway. She had too, they couldn't stay there indefinitely. Besides, there were some creepy things there too.
They walked a ways before coming to a slightly wider spot in the path.
Kendrix took in the scene ahead of her, there was a large puddle, more like a little pond and over it's far side and right on the other side of the path was a huge fallen log. She had no clue how she'd be able to get over that.
Leo had no trouble, actually doing a vault any gymnast would have been proud of. Still she just stood there, trying to figure out what to do.
"Just jump it." Leo called and she shook her head.
"'I'll never make it." She told him and Jeff rolled his eyes.
"Look take a big step, and then you'll be on the log you can jump down on the other side." He said from beside her and she knew she had no choice and so braced for it.
She managed to large step but when her left should have made it onto the log it missed and she fell right into the murky water.
As she felt the water all around her fear ceased her and she looked up but from where she sat she couldn't quite see Leo.
That's why he didn't come, he probably couldn't see her. Jeff did and he was there, then, stepping into the water and offering her a hand up.
"If something jumps up and bites me in the but your in big trouble."
Kendrix couldn't help but giggle at that image and so she barely even teetered as she stepped over the fallen log.
TBC
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So what do you think? Was it what you expected? PLZ R&R.