by Melissa Good
“What was that?” Doug paused and asked her.
“Gypsy warning.” Janet sighed. “Thinks climber boy is going to screw with us.” She shook her head. “I mean, c’mon.”
Doug frowned thoughtfully. “They had some words this morning,” he said. “He knows she told the tribals about his little trip over the fence.” He shifted a rope over his shoulder. “She could be right, Jan. He’s a vindictive little jockstrap. I still think he put the glass in the loo.”
“That makes no sense, Doug. I told you that. PJ didn’t do anything to him, that’s psychotic.” Janet shook her head. “C’mon.”
He shrugged. “Well, let me tell you this, I’m going to check everything twice anyway, because I get the feeling that lady is kinda clue full.” He moved on toward the raft, leaving Janet to stand on the other side of the fire, hands in her pockets, frowning.
She regarded the table of clients through the fire and judged the relative satisfaction, seeing most plates emptied and sighing in a bit of relief at the smiles and laughter. She could see Todd and Amy at the end of the table, but even they looked okay and she dismissed the thought of them doing damage as somewhat overcautious speculation on their fellow travelers’ part.
With a faint shrug of her own, she continued around the fire and went over to the cooking area. “What do we have for dessert tonight, Chris?”
“S’mores.” Chris grinned. “Including roasted marshmallows.” He indicated a container. “Want to help assemble them?”
“Sure.” Janet opened a box of graham crackers. “That should cap the night off okay.”
“Yup, and tomorrow should be fun.” Chris grinned. “Looking forward to it.”
Chapter Five
KERRY LAY FLAT on the ground on her stomach, getting her camera about as even with the surface of the water as she could. She focused on the slanted red spear of light coming over the escarpment on the east side of the main river, catching dust motes and insects outlined in crimson.
A few feet away, PJ sat on a rock with her bandaged foot propped up, taking pictures of the sun as it started to come up over the ridge. “Nice.”
Kerry felt a bit of damp coolness through her shirt, and the pressure of some rocks but she remained where she was as the light changed, then rolled over onto her side and got a nice shot of the canyon they were in and the river beyond it. “It’s so beautiful here.”
“Right,” PJ said. “Like, all dramatic.”
It was dramatic. Kerry put the camera aside and just watched for a moment, as the shifting light caught on the rocks, trees, and the moving water.
Past them to the rear the crew was getting the raft ready to go, packing on the gear and getting ready to tear down the cook pit as soon as everyone had gotten their breakfast.
Kerry had finished hers, and Dar was wandering down the narrow strip of land between the creek and the cliff walls. She strolled casually and looked around at the beginning to glow canyon they didn’t see much of the previous day.
Down the coast the creek meandered and turned to the left, and Kerry saw, at the edge of her vision, a waterfall tumbling down the rock face. She sat up and let her elbows rest on her knees, composing a shot that included the dawn light, the water, the cliffs, a tiny bit of the waterfall and Dar’s profile as she stood quietly watching with her hands in her pockets.
There was a calm to the scene that almost made her hold her breath.
Then the air around her filled with chatter, and several of her fellow passengers clustered around the fire as the crew moved past carrying the folded tents. Kerry stood up and dusted herself off, letting her camera hang around her neck as Marcia came up to her.
The older woman was finishing up a breakfast wrap and she had a cup of tea in one hand. “Good morning.” She took a sip. “Sleep well? There must have been some kind of critter near our tent, kept waking us up.”
“Didn’t hear a thing,” Kerry said. “We were on the end there.” She turned and pointed to the far side of the landing. “Maybe the sound of the river washed it out.”
“White noise,” Marcia said, stifling a yawn. “Oh well, I hear it’s going to be exciting on the water today so it’ll keep us awake.” She moved past and climbed up onto the raft, going to the middle seats she and Don had selected.
Kerry went over to the cook fire and picked up a cup of coffee, and took a wrap with her as she joined them up on the raft.
The rising sun splashed over her and she fished her sunglasses out and put them on, enjoying the beauty of the scene and the moment. Her enjoyment intensified when Dar returned from her stroll, leaned over the back of the chair, and kissed her on the back of her neck. “Mmm.”
“Mmm,” Dar echoed her, as she came around and sat down next to her. “Pretty.”
The raft rocked as more people joined them. Todd and Amy climbed on, holding hands, and went back to their far aft seats in silence.
Dar looked ahead of them and saw the whitecaps in the river. She smiled in anticipation, glancing over as Kerry handed her half of her wrap. She could smell the water, and as the sun dappled over it reflected rainbows popped into view.
“Okay, everyone, get your jackets on please, and make sure you all have your things tied down.” Doug came up the center of the raft. “We’re in for a wild ride. Look at those rapids just ahead of us.” He watched the passengers all rummaging for their protective floating vests. “Please hang on tight today, unless I tell ya not to.”
Several of the crew chuckled a little as they walked around securing the tie downs. They all wore their own jackets themselves.
“So, let’s just say this,” Doug said. “If we do tip, or if you fall off, please, please, please, just relax. The vests will float you. If you stay loose, and relaxed, you’ll come through the rapids just fine.”
“He’s right,” Rich said. “I fell off the last time. If you tense up you’ll bounce off the rocks. If you relax, you slide over them. Sliding is lots less painful. Trust me.”
The crew all nodded, and so did Doug. “I’ve got a motor, I know how to use it, and every single one of the crew is certified in water rescue. Soon as we’re clear of the rapids all of us will come after you, it won’t be a problem. You won’t end up at the Hoover Dam. I promise.”
Kerry fit her camera into its case and sealed it, then settled back in her chair and wrapped her legs around the supports. “Woo.”
Janet went around counting heads, then sat down in the small jump seat in the third row and buckled up her own jacket as they pushed off from the shore, and moved out into the narrow creek that flowed back into the main river.
As soon as they pulled out into the river Kerry felt the difference. The turn almost tipped them to one side, and PJ screamed a little in surprise. Sally lunged after her coffee cup that went flying. Once Doug straightened them out they moved at a rapid clip, and the raft flexed under them in a powerful, restless way.
“Woah.” Dar re-settled her sunglasses on her nose.
They were in a long straight stretch, and it was full of whirlpools and ruffles, thick rushing plumes showing where the walls narrowed a little.
The sun lit the top of one wall, but the level they were at was still in shadow. As a blast of white ruffled green surged over them it was a shocking and breath taking chill. Kerry felt the water soak into the fabric of her shirt and she shoved herself back against the back of the chair and tightened her hold.
Rich was already soaked and he yelled in excitement as the raft plunged down and sideways a bit, and a green wall of water washed right over him, and the two others on either side of him. It came up and over the front row of seats and then through the rest of the craft at about knee level.
Kerry grimaced a little as the cold water hit her kneecaps.
They plunged through another ripple, past a side canyon that let a blast of sunlight through and it felt warm and wonderful, but only lasted a moment and then they were pitching up again and sideways.
The raft unexpectedl
y spun in a circle. In reflex Dar reached over to grab Kerry’s arm as they were thrown sideways, and the raft was then going backwards down the river.
“Hang on!” Doug yelled, from his position now in the front. “Hang on!”
A wall of water came up over him as the back of the raft plunged downwards. He ducked, as the water lifted over his head and crashed down on top of the back row of chairs. Then he gunned the motor and it bucked and thrummed as the raft went sideways through another whirlpool and then was going straight again.
“Fuck!” Todd let out a yell.
Sally and Marcia laughed in delight, and behind her, Dar heard Janet chuckling as they came straight again and sped up, heading for a narrow whose roar they could hear clearly.
Kerry put her camera down and shook her the wet hair out of her eyes. “That was fun.”
“Here we go! Hang on!” Doug sang out. “We’re gonna pop off the top there!”
They were at the narrows, and the speed increased as they approached what they could now see as a dip and then a rise that then dropped down sharply. Rich let out a howl as he scrambled to take hold of the ropes on the pontoon as they dropped and then surged upward.
Kerry’s eyes widened. “Oh crap.”
The raft came up out of the water and then shot off the top of the underwater ridge, going momentarily airborne as screams rang out. Then the front of the raft dropped sharply and went under water, thrusting back up and bucking like a bronco as wave after wave came up over the top of the raft, soaking everyone and everything with a frothy green thoroughness.
“That’s just the start!” One of the crew yelled. “It gets better now!”
KERRY RUBBED HER arms. “Brr. Wish we’d brought our rubber.”
“No sense in drying off.” Dar braced herself as they moved through a slightly calmer stretch of water, with at least the comfort of sun overhead now warming them. She finished wringing out her wet t-shirt and put it back on, then raked her fingers through her hair and exhaled.
They were drenched, the raft was drenched, the crew was drenched, water was sloshing back and forth between the seats. Kerry took the opportunity of some calm to swap out the digital card in her camera, tucking it into the waterproof bag before putting the camera back into its case.
Then she sat down and got herself arranged, tugging the straps on her vest a little tighter.
It was too rough for mugs, but one of the crew was scurrying around with sealed tubes that were warm to the touch and smelled of hazelnut. Dar tentatively sipped at hers and grunted approval, resuming her seat and wrapping her legs around the chair supports again.
Behind her, she heard Todd griping, but she resolutely remained facing forward as they moved over a rippling surface at a good clip.
“Once we get past the next set of big rapids, we’ll find a place to tie up for lunch,” Janet said as she walked between the seats. “There are a few slot canyons we can climb up into.”
PJ pouted.
“But there are lots more rapids after that,” Janet assured her. “We’ll be stopping late tonight and I can guarantee you everyone’s going to get a good sleep.”
A soft chiming sounded, and she turned, with a surprised look. “What the what?” She went over to the lock box on the side of the raft and unlatched it, throwing it open and pulling out a satellite phone. “Hello?”
She listened, then turned away and shielded her mouth with her hand, facing out along the port side of the raft.
Kerry was leaning back in her chair watching. “Hm.”
“Hm,” Dar said. “Sat phone calls are probably not good.”
Sally came up between them. “Probably not. Or could just need a supply drop or something.” She smiled. “Sometimes a carrot is just a carrot, you know?”
Janet put the phone back in the box and secured it, then made her way along the port side of the raft back to where Doug was leaning against the big rear storage chests. He leaned closer as she came up next to him and listened as she spoke.
Doug looked sharply behind him, then he waved Janet forward and called over two of the mates.
“Not good,” Kerry said.
They both felt nervous energy suddenly surround them as Janet moved to a spot in the middle of the raft and they turned to watch her.
“Okay, folks,” Janet said. “We just got word they had to release water from the dam. A lot of it is coming up behind us so we’re going to get past this stretch and see if we can duck into one of the slot canyons to let it pass.”
“What do we need to do?” Sally asked.
“Get up off the pontoons.” Janet said. “You three? Come on back up here and stand between the lockers.”
Rich and the other two scrambled up off their perches and climbed up past the first row of seats, coming to stand behind them.
Kerry eyed the roughly frothing water and took her camera off, keeping it in its case but putting it into her day bag as Dar slipped off her seat and stood between it and Kerry’s, taking hold of the back rail.
They were in between two tall canyon walls and on a straightaway. Dar could see a fair way behind them and though she hadn’t much experience she thought she could detect the water behind them coming up into a boil.
“Shit,” Rich muttered. “That’s not funny.”
“What did they do?” Kerry asked.
“I guess the storm dumped too much water down,” he said. Rich was just behind Dar, and he was watching the same direction. “So, they open the gates, you know? Let the run off just come down the river.”
Kerry sensed the nervousness in his voice and she also got up, finding comfort in pressing her body against Dar’s as the raft started moving faster, and dipping from side to side as they lunged unexpectedly toward one wall.
Doug called over one of the crew and they stood together, fighting the surge of the water while the rest of the crew scrambled over the raft tightening the ropes.
Todd got up and watched them, for once without a sneer. He picked up a rope lying nearby and tied it off in front of the seats he and Amy were sitting in, bracing himself against the locker and tightening the straps on his vest he’d only been casually wearing before.
The raft slid sideways and they were all thrown roughly to one side and the next moment it felt like something big was shoving them from behind. They slammed against the rock walls and the raft spun.
“Oh boy.” Kerry grabbed the back of the seat as Dar spread her legs out a little, bracing herself and Kerry. The raft tilted to the right and they were thrown together.
“Hang on!” Doug yelled out suddenly. “Oh shit!”
The raft tilted, and then hit some rocks and the front of it went under water. Before they had a chance to react the craft tipped over and they went with it, in a painful thrash of equipment and water.
It was so sudden. So violent.
Kerry barely had time to suck in a breath before she was in the water and the raft was riding over her, aware that the back of her vest was gripped. She felt the shock of the cold and then she was under. She held her breath and tucked her arms and legs into her body as the raft slammed into her back and drove her far down under the surface.
She opened her eyes and saw rocks and branches as she bumped upward and was hit again by something. She felt the pressure in her chest to breathe start to mount.
Then she got the sense whatever was over her was gone and she was rising in the water, her arms tangling with boxes and supplies banging against her as her head broke the surface and she sucked in a relieved breath.
Dar’s arms went around her and they were swirling in the water together as the current pulled them quickly through the rapids, turning them around and around in the white froth, tumbling repeatedly.
She heard screams. The water was taking her in a spiral and she kept going under repeatedly until she was pulled over onto her back and she could take a breath again and see the sky.
So, blue. So calm looking against the roar of the river exploded into
presence around her as the water drained from her ears and she could hear clearly.
Wow.
She coughed a little, then turned her head to see Dar next to her in the rushing flood, one arm wrapped around her body, the other outstretched to ward off rocks, calm and self-possessed as always, a little blood on her skin from a scrape just under her cheekbone.
A second later Dar turned her head and met Kerry’s eyes, shaking her head a little and sticking her tongue out.
“Thanks, hon!” Kerry turned over and kept herself upright, her vest keeping her afloat. She looked around and saw the raft, still upside down, careening ahead of them. Behind them were bobbing figures amidst the white water, along with floating boxes and crates.
“That sucked,” Dar said. “We lost the whole damn raft.”
“And all our stuff.” Kerry said. “Unless we can find it and grab it.”
They saw Doug heading after the raft, swimming strongly in the current along with several of the crew, while the others were grabbing the trailing ropes and tie downs. Janet took hold of a kayak they hadn’t realized they were carrying and got into it.
“Looks like they’re on the ball,” Kerry said.
The progress through the water was cold, but less rough when you were in it than when you were on it and Dar found by twisting her body around she could avoid the boulders in the center of the river and let the current take them without too much thumping.
“Shit!” Rich tumbled by, gripping a line that had a box attached to it that was slamming into him.
The water was rising rapidly and though it caused a thunderous roar, they realized that the greater volume of water let them avoid most of the rocks, but that had also made the raft disappear into the distance, around a curve they could just see ahead of them.
“Are you all right?” Janet paddled with an expert’s touch back and forth and now she neared them.
“We’re okay,” Dar answered. “We got a plan?”
Janet shook her head and paddled past. “Just stay together and stay on top!” she yelled over her shoulder, moving on to the next clump of passengers, four together that were holding onto each other, and a second group of six ahead of them.
