Read Online Village E3: Survival of the Human Spirit by James Holler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Holler
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slightly. He raised his head
up, and turned it from one direction, to the other.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
"Do you hear Katie?" asked Hailey. "No, it sounds like
water," said John, standing to his feet. "Let's go," he said,
walking straight into the trees. Excited by what he heard, John was moving
quickly. "Slow down a little," pleaded Hailey. John heard her, but
didn't comply with her request. The terrain went from flat, to sloping
downward. John stopped and said, "Come on, come here," as he motioned
with his arm for Hailey to come.
When Hailey got to where John was
standing, she saw it too. In front of them was a clear stream of moving water,
with a rocky bottom. The water looked clean enough to drink, but they knew they
shouldn't. As they put their feet in, they were standing in shallow, swift
water. Looking just downstream, they could see it flowing into a deep pool
where just below, the water was faster and shallower again and had lots of fish.
There were small frogs all along the
edge of the water, in different shades of green and brown that reminded John of
the cricket frogs he used to catch when he spent the summers with his grandparents.
They started walking downstream, along the edge of the water. The persistent
sunshine that they had been trying to avoid all day was interrupted by some
unexpected clouds. They both looked to the sky behind them. "We better
head back, in case it rains," said John, turning toward where they came
from.
As soon as they got out of the trees,
they started across the clearing. Without having to worry about staying out of
the sun, their concern now was getting back as quickly as they could. In spite
of their thirst and fatigue, they walked at a fast clip through the thick, tall
grass, throwing it to the side with their hands as they went forward. They
walked at a fast clip, in spite of their thirst and fatigue. The grass they had
to walk through was thick and tall. Each of them checked the clouds from time
to time. Once across the clearing, they moved steadily, pausing only briefly to
holler out Katie's name and whistle for her.
In what seemed like a fourth of the
time the trip out took, they found the area they recognized as home. "I
hope Katie made it back while we were gone," said Hailey. "Yep, me
too," said John. However, Katie was nowhere to be seen around the fire pit
or the pool area. They both walked directly to their hut, hoping to see her.
They reached the doorway together, and found that Katie wasn't there. "Damn
it, I hope she doesn't get caught out in the rain," said John, remembering
that miserable night many months ago he had spent in the rain.
Hailey and John had one thing on
their minds now; they needed water. Without saying another word, they walked
straight to it. John picked up the container and Hailey picked up the cup,
which John filled for her. As she was drinking, John poured water directly from
the container into his mouth. He refilled Hailey's cup when
it was empty, and they continued to drink until half the water was gone.
"It might be a waste of time to start a fire now. We've got enough water
to last till tomorrow, and if it rains, we will have plenty more anyway,"
said John, looking up at the sky.
He was hoping that they would be back
in time to catch some fish for supper, but that would have to wait. Having
nothing better to do, and both being extremely tired, they walked to the hut.
Hailey walked to their pile of leaves on the floor, and quickly found a soft
spot to settle into. John followed her, and lay down right beside her as the
sky outside began to darken. They had spent so much energy today that neither
of them felt like talking.
In no time, Hailey's breathing told
John that she was asleep. Seeing her there beside him, he felt a contradiction
of emotions. He genuinely felt bad for her that she was stuck here with him,
but at the same time, he couldn't imagine life without her now. He wasn't sure
if what he felt was love, but he knew that
up, and turned it from one direction, to the other.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
"Do you hear Katie?" asked Hailey. "No, it sounds like
water," said John, standing to his feet. "Let's go," he said,
walking straight into the trees. Excited by what he heard, John was moving
quickly. "Slow down a little," pleaded Hailey. John heard her, but
didn't comply with her request. The terrain went from flat, to sloping
downward. John stopped and said, "Come on, come here," as he motioned
with his arm for Hailey to come.
When Hailey got to where John was
standing, she saw it too. In front of them was a clear stream of moving water,
with a rocky bottom. The water looked clean enough to drink, but they knew they
shouldn't. As they put their feet in, they were standing in shallow, swift
water. Looking just downstream, they could see it flowing into a deep pool
where just below, the water was faster and shallower again and had lots of fish.
There were small frogs all along the
edge of the water, in different shades of green and brown that reminded John of
the cricket frogs he used to catch when he spent the summers with his grandparents.
They started walking downstream, along the edge of the water. The persistent
sunshine that they had been trying to avoid all day was interrupted by some
unexpected clouds. They both looked to the sky behind them. "We better
head back, in case it rains," said John, turning toward where they came
from.
As soon as they got out of the trees,
they started across the clearing. Without having to worry about staying out of
the sun, their concern now was getting back as quickly as they could. In spite
of their thirst and fatigue, they walked at a fast clip through the thick, tall
grass, throwing it to the side with their hands as they went forward. They
walked at a fast clip, in spite of their thirst and fatigue. The grass they had
to walk through was thick and tall. Each of them checked the clouds from time
to time. Once across the clearing, they moved steadily, pausing only briefly to
holler out Katie's name and whistle for her.
In what seemed like a fourth of the
time the trip out took, they found the area they recognized as home. "I
hope Katie made it back while we were gone," said Hailey. "Yep, me
too," said John. However, Katie was nowhere to be seen around the fire pit
or the pool area. They both walked directly to their hut, hoping to see her.
They reached the doorway together, and found that Katie wasn't there. "Damn
it, I hope she doesn't get caught out in the rain," said John, remembering
that miserable night many months ago he had spent in the rain.
Hailey and John had one thing on
their minds now; they needed water. Without saying another word, they walked
straight to it. John picked up the container and Hailey picked up the cup,
which John filled for her. As she was drinking, John poured water directly from
the container into his mouth. He refilled Hailey's cup when
it was empty, and they continued to drink until half the water was gone.
"It might be a waste of time to start a fire now. We've got enough water
to last till tomorrow, and if it rains, we will have plenty more anyway,"
said John, looking up at the sky.
He was hoping that they would be back
in time to catch some fish for supper, but that would have to wait. Having
nothing better to do, and both being extremely tired, they walked to the hut.
Hailey walked to their pile of leaves on the floor, and quickly found a soft
spot to settle into. John followed her, and lay down right beside her as the
sky outside began to darken. They had spent so much energy today that neither
of them felt like talking.
In no time, Hailey's breathing told
John that she was asleep. Seeing her there beside him, he felt a contradiction
of emotions. He genuinely felt bad for her that she was stuck here with him,
but at the same time, he couldn't imagine life without her now. He wasn't sure
if what he felt was love, but he knew that
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