just thinking… it
would be real nice to wash up. Ain’t had a good wash since…well
before…”
I know what he means by before and I
don’t want him thinking about that so jokingly, I punch him in the
arm.
“ Aye, I know what you mean.
You smell worse than Cat.”
“ Hey!” He looks at me all
offended. “I ain’t that bad.” Cat raises her head and snorts like
she’s disagreeing.
“ Besides, you don’t smell no
better.”
I don’t take no offense ‘cause I know
it to be true. I shrug, “So let’s take a wash then.”
“ But…”
“ But what?” I
say.
“ Well…” he’s all embarrassed
and he sits up, dropping his gaze from me. “You’re a girl and I’m a
boy...” He trails off sheepishly.
I try not to laugh at him and I’m glad
he’s not looking at me so he don’t see my grin.
“ Tell you what, you can go
wash up that end and I’ll go over there.” I point to where a low
hanging tree is growing all sideways over the creek as if its
branches were reaching for the water, forming a wall almost.
“Besides, it’s real dark….and I promise not to peek.”
He mulls it over but the draw of the
water overtakes his shyness. Jumping to his feet he runs for the
creek yanking his tunic off as he goes. “Last one in is a mule
turd!”
The water feels real good. I wash off
the dirt and dust and maybe even some of the misery of the past few
weeks. I loosen my hair from its braid and duck underneath the
water wishing I had some of gra’das mint soap for scrubbin’ but
instead I have to make do with just running my fingers through my
hair. I come back up, sputtering and just let myself float. I can
hear Finn laughing at the other end ‘cause by now Cat is in the
water too and she’s thinking it’s play time. I listen to their
splashing and laughing and my mind starts conjuring up memories of
me and Ben back when we were young’uns at the swimming hole. I
think about how Ben used to challenge me for everything. He always
wanted to be the fastest swimmer, the deepest diver, the highest
climber. Most times I would beat him with little effort but
sometimes I would let him win just so I could watch his stupid
victory dance. I cain’t help but smile as I relive the memories,
one by one. But then that familiar pain starts blossoming in my
chest again so I shut them off. I don’t want to deal with it right
now. Angry, at myself, my weakness, I climb out of the creek and
busy myself with squeezing the water from my dripping hair. Takes
me a while to get dressed ‘cause of being so wet but finally
clothed I head up the slope. Finn’s still in the water.
“ I’m heading back,” I say,
picking up the iron shooter and two of the waterskins.
“ Hey! You said you wouldn’t
peek!” he yells, all offended and hunkers down behind Cat. Sighing,
I turn my back to him.
“ Sorry. Don’t stay much
longer. The snakes probably charred by now. And don’t forget your
waterskin.”
I leave him knowing he’ll be fine with
the beast guarding him and head back in the direction of the camp.
The smell of the cooking snake is guide enough but it ain’t long
‘til I see the light of our campfire flickering through the trees.
Before I reach it however I get a real strange feeling pounding
through my blood. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and
right away I know somebody is there, in our camp. We ain’t seen
hide nor hair of another soul for weeks but yet, sure enough, I see
a shadow moving around our campsite. Stepping softly so as not to
make the intruder aware of my presence, I sneak closer.
Shizen! We never thought twice about
leaving all our stuff just a laying there for easy picking. I
figured for sure there wasn’t another living soul in these dead
woods. I was so wrong. The man, least I think it’s a man, is
hunched over, pawing through my slingbag. At the sight of that all
my fear leaves me and I get red hot mad! Slowly I step into the
clearing, the iron shooter aimed straight
would be real nice to wash up. Ain’t had a good wash since…well
before…”
I know what he means by before and I
don’t want him thinking about that so jokingly, I punch him in the
arm.
“ Aye, I know what you mean.
You smell worse than Cat.”
“ Hey!” He looks at me all
offended. “I ain’t that bad.” Cat raises her head and snorts like
she’s disagreeing.
“ Besides, you don’t smell no
better.”
I don’t take no offense ‘cause I know
it to be true. I shrug, “So let’s take a wash then.”
“ But…”
“ But what?” I
say.
“ Well…” he’s all embarrassed
and he sits up, dropping his gaze from me. “You’re a girl and I’m a
boy...” He trails off sheepishly.
I try not to laugh at him and I’m glad
he’s not looking at me so he don’t see my grin.
“ Tell you what, you can go
wash up that end and I’ll go over there.” I point to where a low
hanging tree is growing all sideways over the creek as if its
branches were reaching for the water, forming a wall almost.
“Besides, it’s real dark….and I promise not to peek.”
He mulls it over but the draw of the
water overtakes his shyness. Jumping to his feet he runs for the
creek yanking his tunic off as he goes. “Last one in is a mule
turd!”
The water feels real good. I wash off
the dirt and dust and maybe even some of the misery of the past few
weeks. I loosen my hair from its braid and duck underneath the
water wishing I had some of gra’das mint soap for scrubbin’ but
instead I have to make do with just running my fingers through my
hair. I come back up, sputtering and just let myself float. I can
hear Finn laughing at the other end ‘cause by now Cat is in the
water too and she’s thinking it’s play time. I listen to their
splashing and laughing and my mind starts conjuring up memories of
me and Ben back when we were young’uns at the swimming hole. I
think about how Ben used to challenge me for everything. He always
wanted to be the fastest swimmer, the deepest diver, the highest
climber. Most times I would beat him with little effort but
sometimes I would let him win just so I could watch his stupid
victory dance. I cain’t help but smile as I relive the memories,
one by one. But then that familiar pain starts blossoming in my
chest again so I shut them off. I don’t want to deal with it right
now. Angry, at myself, my weakness, I climb out of the creek and
busy myself with squeezing the water from my dripping hair. Takes
me a while to get dressed ‘cause of being so wet but finally
clothed I head up the slope. Finn’s still in the water.
“ I’m heading back,” I say,
picking up the iron shooter and two of the waterskins.
“ Hey! You said you wouldn’t
peek!” he yells, all offended and hunkers down behind Cat. Sighing,
I turn my back to him.
“ Sorry. Don’t stay much
longer. The snakes probably charred by now. And don’t forget your
waterskin.”
I leave him knowing he’ll be fine with
the beast guarding him and head back in the direction of the camp.
The smell of the cooking snake is guide enough but it ain’t long
‘til I see the light of our campfire flickering through the trees.
Before I reach it however I get a real strange feeling pounding
through my blood. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and
right away I know somebody is there, in our camp. We ain’t seen
hide nor hair of another soul for weeks but yet, sure enough, I see
a shadow moving around our campsite. Stepping softly so as not to
make the intruder aware of my presence, I sneak closer.
Shizen! We never thought twice about
leaving all our stuff just a laying there for easy picking. I
figured for sure there wasn’t another living soul in these dead
woods. I was so wrong. The man, least I think it’s a man, is
hunched over, pawing through my slingbag. At the sight of that all
my fear leaves me and I get red hot mad! Slowly I step into the
clearing, the iron shooter aimed straight
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