Everything became clear to Gabriel. His dad didn’t just jump into The River and abandon him. He never intended to strand his boy on the hill that day. He had slipped and fallen into the turbulent current.
The huge face of a beautiful dog came into view. With its eyes blinking and its tongue hanging out, Gabriel recognized him. It was Rio. The camera lens zoomed out, and he saw Rio standing over a dead snake on the day he met the dog that saved his life. Gabriel watched as the scene changed to several moments during his childhood when Rio comforted him on his hard days.
The scenes on the water screen disappeared, and a voice spoke again. Still held by The River, Gabriel closed his eyes and listened, more content and peaceful than he could ever remember.
“You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” the voice said. “I know you don’t understand everything that has happened. You can’t. I know you thought you were alone, but you’ve never been alone. Even when you can’t see me, I’m there. Even when you can’t hear me, I’m there. You were made for me, Gabriel. You were made for The River. Just like your father was made for me and your grandfather before him. You are mine. Your destiny is with me.”
The voice stopped. Gabriel looked intently as one more scene came into view—a scene of him looking over his shoulder on the day he turned twelve years old. It was the day he received the beautiful painting of The River from his teacher, Miss Collingsworth, who’d painted it for his birthday. He watched himself turn the painting over, and the image zoomed in on her handwriting. He saw this inscription etched into the misty water screen.
Always remember, you are a special, one-of-a-kind work of art. There will never be another you. Great River loves you.
Gabriel closed his eyes and experienced the sweetest rest he’d ever known.
“I can’t believe you guys did that!”
“That was amazing when Rollie tried to take you off the cliff with him.”
“I thought I’d never reach the water.”
The conversations grew louder and louder as the hikers emerged from the forest’s edge. Gabriel heard them faintly as he opened his eyes.
“Gabriel!” shouted Jimmy as he appeared through the trees. “You missed an amazing day!”
Jimmy approached as Gabriel rose to his feet. “You been sleeping all day?” he asked.
“Ah, no. I was just taking a little nap.”
“It’s nearly dinnertime. What did you do all day?”
That was a good question. Gabriel looked around. The camp looked exactly the same as when everyone left earlier that day. The fire was still going. The tents were in their places. Everything was dry, and The River looked normal. But earlier everything had been covered with water. What had happened? Was it a dream? It couldn’t have been a dream because it was so real.
The debris and rocks that he threw into The River were right back where they were before he had picked them up. He looked into the sky, but there was no sign of the hawk.
“I don’t know, man. I had the craziest dream.”
“Well, you look different—like something happened to you.”
Gabriel didn’t respond, and Jimmy said something about getting ready for dinner.
As the others filed into camp, Cig and Stink came by to say hello, which Gabriel appreciated. While everyone was changing out of wet clothes or getting ready for dinner, Gabriel walked over to The River and peered into the water.
Am I going crazy?
The sun was starting to set behind the canyon wall and caused bits of orange light to color the ripples in the water. About halfway across The River and downstream a good ways, he noticed something reflecting the sharp light of the setting sun. The brilliant flickering was coming from a crook in a large moss-covered rock—the size of a four-man pup tent—protruding through The River’s surface. He walked down the beach to get a closer look. He couldn’t quite make out what the sparkling object was. He jammed his hands into the pockets of his hooded sweatshirt, and without thinking, Gabriel waded into the water with his clothes and shoes on.
“Hey, man, what are you doing?” Jimmy called out.
“Oh, so now you go swimming,” Cig said sarcastically.
Stink issued a warning. “That current is faster than it looks, Gabriel.”
Everyone in the campground moved closer to the beach to watch Gabriel. A rising chorus asked if he was all right.
Gabriel wasn’t listening. He was completely focused on that rock. Undeterred, he kept moving. He plodded until he reached waist-high water, when the current suddenly lifted him off his footing.
Several girls screamed.
He suddenly realized this might be dangerous since the falls were downstream just around the bend. He tried to regain his footing and stand up, but the water was too strong. A mild panic set in, and he attempted to swim against the current.
That’s when he heard a distinctive voice in the distance speaking directly to him.
“Don’t fight it, Gabriel. Just let it take you. Go feet first. You’ll land on the rock out there.”
Tabitha spoke with authority, as if she knew The River well.
Gabriel kept fighting against the current anyway, which was his natural impulse.
“Gabriel! Relax! Just let it take you!” Tabitha spoke more forcefully this time.
This time he listened to her command. He turned onto his back and floated downstream. In a firm and steady way, the current moved him over some dips in the riverbed and guided him right to the middle of The River, where he was delivered into a calm eddy. The water was shallow enough for him to stand up again.
With a slight grin, he gave a reassuring wave of his arm to everyone standing on the beach. Then he looked at a crook on the beach side of the rock and couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a marble. . . his marble. . . the distinctive blue-and-gray Aggie. Gabriel pulled himself onto the rock and grasped the shiny marble. He laughed to himself as he held the sparkling treasure.
“I found my marble,” he mumbled. “Hey, look. I found my marble! I found it!” he shouted back to everyone through his laughter.
“Looks more like he lost his marbles to me,” Cig said, causing a few chuckles.
Stink raised his hand to Gabriel. “Wait there! We’ll throw you a rope. You don’t want to end up in the falls.”
Stink ran to the van to retrieve the rope, and when he returned, he and several guys pulled Gabriel through the water and back to shore.
After they finished eating a pot of “hobo stew,” as Jimmy called it, they sat around the fire, drinking hot chocolate and exchanging stories from the day. Rollie had already found a girl to befriend. She was giggling and pawing at his arm with each comment he made. Cig had a little too much Ripple, so he retired early.
“Ladies, I’m headed to my palace o’ love if any of you would care to join me,” he slurred.
“That’s awfully nice of you, Cig,” said one girl with tons of sarcasm.
“Maybe next time,” chimed another.
With Cig slinking off to his tent, Jimmy made everyone laugh with his imitation of Stink jumping off the cliff earlier that day.
“Stevie looked like a giant stick man fighting his way through a spiderweb,” he said. Then Jimmy flailed his arms in a pantomime motion.
One by one, they trailed off to bed until it was just Gabriel and Tabitha sitting on opposite sides of the fire. Tabitha looked peacefully into the coals, the orange glow of the flames illuminating her face. Gabriel tried not to stare at her beauty, but he couldn’t help it.
“I don’t bite, you know.” Tabitha continued to stare into the fire.
Gabriel wasn’t sure what to say or do.
“I’ll go get another log,” he replied nervously.
He came back, sat down beside her, and gently laid the log down on the hot coals. A beautiful upward shower of sparks floated toward the sky. After a few moments he spoke up.
“How did you know about The River today? You know, when you told me to relax and let go.”
“I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve run The River all over this canyon. My dad actually runs a rafting operation nearby. Most people want to fight The River instead of trust it. It’s not what comes naturally, but it’s always what’s best.”
“The strength of the current took me by surprise. I was so focused on getting to that rock that I didn’t really think about it.”
“Yeah, what’s the story about that marble anyway?”
“I like to collect marbles. I know it’s stupid, but it’s something I’ve done since I was a kid. My dad used to play marbles with me.”
“I don’t think it’s stupid if it’s something you love.” Tabitha leaned over and rested her head on Gabriel’s shoulder. His heart pounded with excitement. As he turned and looked down, her soft hair pushed against his cheek. She smelled so good. . . like flowers. . . or strawberries. The moment ended quickly as she picked her head up.
“Hey, you’re going tomorrow, right?”
“What’s happening tomorrow? Jimmy never tells me anything. This whole trip has been a bit of a surprise.” He paused for a moment. “A pretty amazing surprise so far.”
Tabitha nudged closer. “Tomorrow we’re rafting the Big Water. It’s going to be amazing. Trust me. I’ve run this portion of The River dozens of times. You can’t even imagine what a rush it is. To feel the power and the speed of the water as it lifts you through the canyon. . . the waterfalls. . . the beauty of the landscape. . . and the waves crashing over you.”
Tabitha had spoken dramatically and passionately. “I let you off the hook today, but you have to come with me tomorrow.”
Gabriel considered her request. “Actually, I’ve never done anything like that. A river run sounds a bit out of my league.” He could feel those butterflies in his stomach again.
“You can do it. You can’t fully experience The River from the banks, Gabriel. You have to get in. . . all the way in.”
Before he could respond, Tabitha stood up, dusted off the back of her pants, and adjusted the shawl draped over her shoulders. She took a deep breath through her nose and let it out.
“I love coming to The River.”
She leaned closer, and her hair fell down onto his neck.
“Tomorrow is going to change your life,” she whispered in a flirtatious tone. He could feel her breath in his ear. He didn’t dare move. She turned and walked toward her tent. Looking back over her shoulder, she signed off for the night. “Good night, Gabriel Clarke.”
THIRTEEN
Samuel and Big Water
Adventures
MORNING BROKE WITH A WARM GLOW FILLING THE canyon. Most of the camp started to stir before eight a.m. in anticipation of their big day.
Around the breakfast campfire, those who’d done it before said that running The River through Whitefire Canyon would be the highlight of the trip. The veterans said this year would be an especially good run because an unusually warm and early spring had melted the winter snowpack and produced very high water.
High water meant fast water, they said. Some obstacles in The River would be easier to maneuver, but many others would be more difficult due to the speed of the water.
Gabriel listened, not saying much. He was excited and scared all at the same time.
After a Cig-cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs, Jimmy announced they were rolling out in fifteen minutes.
“We’ve got to meet Samuel and everyone else at the put-in at eight forty-five sharp,” he said loudly. Jimmy always kept everyone on schedule.
Gabriel thought of all the excuses that would get him out of this river rafting experience. He knew he had none, but he wanted to be with Tabitha anyway. She had already informed him she wasn’t taking no for an answer. The time had arrived to get past his fear.
It was time to really live.
They packed their things and zipped up the tents so the animals wouldn’t get to their food. Gabriel sat in the front passenger seat of Jimmy’s van, staring at the rubber floor mat, trying to psych himself up for what lay ahead. On the way to her van, Tabitha tapped on his window.
Gabriel looked up to see her smiling face and quickly rolled down the window. Tabitha reached in and grabbed his forearm, giving it a shake. “You ready for this?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Gabriel issued a half-cocked grin, shaking his head as if to say, I can’t believe I’m doing this.
“It’s gonna be awesome!” Tabitha’s eyes opened as wide as possible.
The vans rumbled along the state highway for a half hour until they got to their turnoff. Jimmy told the others that he knew exactly where they were going because he’d made the trip two years ago.
“Gabriel, you’re going to love this, bro. I’m telling you, the first time I rafted Whitefire, it changed my life. You’re going to wet your pants. It’s that much fun.”
“Nice,” Gabriel replied. “At least my pants will be warm. That water is seriously cold.”
Jimmy laughed. “So what about Tabitha, huh? Huh?” He punched Gabriel in the arm. “Man, is she sweet on you or what?”
Gabriel couldn’t contain his smile. “I’m not sure why she’s hanging out with me, but I’m not complaining.”
“She knows these waters like the back of her hand. She could actually guide one of these boats if she wanted to. She’s been around The River all her life.”
“Yeah, that’s what she told me. She’s really something.”
“Here we are, folks!” Jimmy made the last turn down a narrow gravel road to the put-in. That was where the boats would launch for the all-day excursion through Whitefire Canyon.
They got out and stretched their legs while they took in the view. The River, which was maybe a hundred feet wide with a slight current, looked harmless. The vista was memorable, though, because of the way the sun’s rays blasted through the treetops, illuminating the flow.
As they made their way to the water’s edge, Gabriel found himself getting more and more nervous. He was imagining everything that could go wrong. Once they shoved off, there was no turning back.
Five pale yellow rafts were sitting in the dirt near the water’s edge. On the side of each raft were the faded words Big Water Adventures in white-stenciled lettering.
Big Water Adventures. Seeing the words in print gave him a mix of feelings he couldn’t describe. Familiarity. Chills. Ache. Dad.
The guides were talking among themselves and completing the necessary paperwork. When they were finished, they walked over toward the campers with clipboards in hand. One guy was obviously the leader.
“How’s everyone doing today?” The lead guide sounded a bit like a college football coach with his husky voice.
“We’re ready, baby!” Stink thrust an arm in the air as others whooped and hollered in agreement.
“Yeah, let’s do this!” Cig chanted.
“Now that’s what I like to see—an enthusiastic bunch!” The lead guide grinned, looking around at the other guides.
“It’s going to be big water today, folks. Seriously big. You’re in for the ride of a lifetime. I just need everyone to sign the waiver before we launch. It’s standard stuff—says you’re running The River at your own risk and you realize that this is a dangerous activity.” He passed around the clipboards with the waivers.
“After you’re done signing, join me over at that flat rock. We’ll get you together with your guide, get your safety gear, do a little safety talk, and then you can hit The River.”
The campers huddled around the guides and waited for their turn to sign their lives away.
“Anxious?” Tabitha came up beside Gabriel. He hoped she couldn’t see the fear in his eyes.
“I’ve never done anything like this.”
“I was nervous my first time—and I grew up here. But once you get into the boat and hit the first rapid, you’ll find your courage. It’s like The River gives it to you after you take the first step, but a lot of people don’t know that because they never get in the boat. If you don’t get
in, you’ll never know what you’re missing.”
Tabitha quickly changed gears. “Hey, Samuel! I want you to meet somebody.” She pulled Gabriel over to where the guide was standing and introduced him as the most experienced guide on The River.
“Gabriel is a first-timer. He’ll be in our raft.”
We’re going to be in the same raft? Gabriel’s heart leaped at the news.
The guide smiled. “Great, man. You’re going to have a blast. Looks like our boat is mostly experienced rafters, so this is what I call an ‘Allstate ride.’ You’ll be in good hands. I’ve got a great track record.”
Samuel looked to be a serious-minded guy in his midthirties. He was about five feet, ten inches tall and built like a welterweight boxer. Not an ounce of fat on him. He had short, dark brown wavy hair with a little bit of gray at the temples and a scruffy beard. “Welcome to The River, Gabriel. I better finish getting everyone paired up with their guides.”
They announced the teams, and each of the rafters gathered around their respective guides. Tabitha, Gabriel, Stink, Jimmy, and Samuel would be rafting together. Samuel led everyone to a company van, which was hooked up to a box trailer that carried their safety gear.
“Go ahead and find a PFD that fits you and grab a brain bucket.”
“PFD and a brain bucket?” Gabriel said.
“For you rookies, that’s a Personal Flotation Device and a helmet. Pick up a paddle too. This isn’t a pleasure cruise. You’re gonna have to work a little.” To Gabriel’s ears, it seemed that Samuel enjoyed that part of the speech.
“Once we get going, we’ve got about a thirty-minute float before the action begins, so I’ll do our big safety talk on the water.”
Tabitha came over to Gabriel as he was putting his life vest on and helped him cinch the straps tight. Then she grabbed the top of his vest on each side and pulled hard a couple of times. Her close proximity thrilled him.
“Gotta make sure it’s tight enough in case someone has to pull you out of the water.”
Samuel was directing traffic. “Hey, Gabriel, you look like a strong guy. Let’s have you and Jimmy in the front of the boat. I’ll explain why that’s important in a few minutes.”
The River Page 11
