Okefenokee

The three boys came out of the RV and pushed the canoes back into the water. Surfer looked at Beach with an inquisitive face but he just shrugged his shoulders. Her and Beach pushed off first followed by the others.

Beach commented on the lower water but Bart barked back at him, “We have no choice,” as he helped Yancy into the second canoe.

Yancy was sweating not from the heat but from nerves rattling him. They went out to the point where the water deepened and they could paddle better. They followed a snaking water path through the reeds. It seemed they were going as far a distance laterally as advancing toward the openness. Hours went by and all of them were getting uncomfortable with the heat and humidity. There were a lower number of flies then they encountered at the shoreline but they seemed healthier and were more active and brazen about making a meal out of the crews open skin. They were all wearing shorts and loose shirts exposing too much skin. Yancy wore a hat which protected his head from the insects and the sun.

Late morning they looked back toward the tree formation to see how far they had come. They used the position of the overhead sun as a bearing. Beach could barely make it out. At that moment when they stopped paddling Bart’s canoe was hit by something beneath the surface and made a thump sound from the fiberglass exterior. They weren’t moving so they knew it was something alive. Yancy put his hand on his revolver and looked all around to get a glimpse of what it was.

Surfer shouted, “There, over there,” she pointed and everyone looked to see an alligator’s head surfaced. It was hard to tell its full size because of the black water concealing it. It was stationary. Was it what they felt or were there more.

The crew was frightened by the site except Bart. He didn’t like seeing it but brushed it off and said, “Let’s push on,” when the alligator started to move toward the canoes and submerged.

Yancy pointed his revolver without Bart seeing him and tried to fire at the water line as it disappeared. He couldn’t release a shot. He was handling it loosely trying to figure out why, when it slipped out of his hands. Seemingly in slow motion to him, he tried to catch it before it plopped into the water and he almost went with it leaning over the side.

Bart turned, “What was that?”

Yancy felt like he was swallowing an insect when he gulped, “I dropped my revolver into the water.” He felt embarrassed like he over reacted.

Bart, “What, you fool. You can’t shoot that now. It would give our position away. Bart assumed they had only two revolvers left.

Yancy, “Hey, if I think my life is being threatened by a gator I will shoot. I don’t care about giving away our position.” He was angry.

Bart could feel his anger and decided what’s done is done, so he dropped his sharp tongue.

They paddled onward until Beach stopped and said, “I’m tired. I think we should have found it by now if we weren’t going around in circles.” They had been out there on the water all day.

Surfer, “Yeah.”

Yancy, “It’s going to getting dark. Shouldn’t we head back now?”

Bart, “Head back? We don’t know where we are much less which way is back.” He started laughing. He could see the fear in their eyes and he enjoyed having dominion over them. He was not afraid. “I guess we will sleep out here then.”

Yancy, “You expect us to sleep in this boat tonight? I won’t. I want to go back.” Beach and Surfer shared his concerns but did not speak up solidifying Bart’s control over them.

Beach, “How about we paddle out to the open looking lake and spend the night out there away from the reeds and the bugs.” They all agreed and did so.

“Yancy you better get comfortable before it gets dark. There won’t be any moving around in the canoe until morning once darkness is upon us,” ordered Bart.

After they got comfortable Surfer noticed the canoes were drifting apart and she shrieked, “Hey!”

Beach and Bart looked at each other from separate canoes. Bart, “There is nothing to anchor to out here but we should tie the canoes together so we drift the same way.” He grabbed the rope attached to his canoe and threw it to Beach who fastened it to his rope. The canoes were tethered together. The sun slipped away and darkness over came them. It was pleasant away from the reeds with less flying insects and the smell was cleaner. Soon sleep over took the exhausted uncomfortable wary travelers.

The next morning the Sun peeked above the horizon and the swamp came alive teaming with life for another day.

Beach was the first to wake and he looked around to get his bearing and noticed something above the reeds in the distance, “Look,” as he pointed toward the object. They all woke seeing the object and maneuvered to it.

Bart, “This was put here to mark this spot. It looks like they have something attached to those ropes entering the water. We found them.” He stood and carefully panned the horizons. He saw a faint white stream of smoke from some trees on higher ground going into the sky and dispersing. “That way,” he said pointing in the direction.” The canoes followed the clue.

When they got closer to the smoke stream Beach’s eagle eye caught a glimpse of a rough wooden structure. “That looks like their boat dock.” He made a gesture with finger to lips for quiet, looking at everyone. They approached and landed pulling the canoes out of the water.

Bart looked at the rowboat next to a trail head and said to beach, “Not much here except that trail. Can you sneak up there and see where they are?”

Beach nodded clutching his revolver for his own safety and making sure the safety latch was off. He hunched over as he disappeared. The path looked well traveled with no small plants growing due to foot traffic. He walked on the randomly turning path until he saw an opening ahead. He crept around the edge of the camp in the bushes viewing every angle. The biting bugs were bad in the woods. They were worse then out in the canoe. Smaller yellow flies with a bite that left what felt like a bee sting. It was all he could do not to let out a yell while slapping at the small pests.

Cyndi and Rob were in the tent relaxing. Junior was off on one of his hikes. He climbed the bluff to take a swim in the deep clear water of the pond. He dove in from the cliff and tried to see how far down he could get. It was so peaceful down there. It was like his troubled thoughts could not handle the additional pressure and floated hopelessly like a gas bubble escaping to the surface.

He was in great physical condition from the island life style but the other boys that he met were older and larger physically. Surfer was closer to his size. Their usual day consisted of laying around lazily until it was time for skateboarding so he could outrun, out climb and of course out swim them.

After his swim he dried off in the sun feeling clean and refreshed.

Beach had what he came for and so he returned to the gang scratching the itching bite marks as he walked. He could walk upright after turning the bend in the path leaving the camp no longer visible. It was only a short walk when at a full stride compared to creeping. He said, “It’s only a couple of hundred feet. I didn’t see or hear anyone. They may be sleeping in a tent or away.”

Bart, “We need a plan. If we go in and they are not there we might give away the benefit of surprise. We will sneak up and enter the tent quietly and hopefully we catch them there. We only have the two hand guns thanks to Yancy, but it will have to do. If they are not there we will retreat back to the dock and wait while we keep an eye out for them. Any questions?”

Yancy looked on almost relieved that he no longer had a revolver. He wasn’t sure he could shoot anyone. Then they moved out, single file quietly with Beach leading the way, then Bart limping followed by Surfer and Yancy also limping. Once at the campsite they approached the tent like an army unit on patrol. Bart opened the screen door and went in first and stood looking at Cyndi and Rob in separate cots sleeping. He put his hand over Cyndi’s mouth trying not to have her cry out. She struggled to wake Rob. Bart stood back with his gang standing behind him.

He said to Cyndi, “Who’s he?”

She pushed her wild long hair out of her face and said, “This is my husband Rob.” Rob remained quiet using his army skills to access what was happening.

Bart, “Husband? You said it was just you and the boy living out here.”

Cyndi, “I didn’t think you had any need to know about him. He was sick after being bitten by a bear that attacked him. We went to town to find medicine for his wound. We couldn’t allow you to hold us. His life was at stake.”

“So you shot me. You could have told us.”

“I didn’t trust you. I didn’t want to harm you but felt you left me no choice.”

“And you think that excuses you from what you did?”

She didn’t respond.

Beach, “Where is the boy?” Surfer and Yancy remained quiet.

Cyndi, “I’m not sure. He might be fishing. He often goes into the woods alone. He was raised out here and it is second nature to him. He had never seen anything like a town before the other day.”

Bart, “Does he have the weapon with him?”

Cyndi, “Probably,” she said knowing she was putting his life in jeopardy but hoping they wouldn’t hurt him.

Bart, “Well this is more complicated then I hoped for. I am going to caution you that you don’t try to signal him when he returns because if he pulls that gun out you will leave us as you said, no choice. Do you understand me?”

Cyndi, “Yes, please don’t hurt him.”

Rob, “Can I ask you a question now?”

Bart, “What is it?”

“What are your intentions? Why did you follow my family back here? Was it for revenge? You are not innocent here. You kept them against their will. We mean you no harm.”

Bart lifts his foot, “No harm, huh.” He looks at Surfer and says, “Stay in here with them. If they try to leave the cots give a shout out.

Beach, “Should we tie them up for our safety?’

Bart, “Yeah, find some suitable rope and tie there hands securely behind their backs.” Bart and Yancy leave the tent and get set to entrap Junior on his return by hiding in the insect laden bushes.

Beach and Surfer tied up the two and then Beach said, “I don’t want your boy harmed so I am going to restrain you from crying out to him.” He took some shredded cloth and gagged both of them. “Can you breathe OK?” he asked. They both nodded up and down and were relieved by what he said. Their troubled eyes were fixed on one another no longer being able to talk.