in some spots.
Ezra cut a willow branch and started to sharpen the end with his knife while everyone watched him. “There are tons of different ways to catch fish other than using the overpriced fishing pole you can buy at a tourist trap sports shop.”
The group laughed.
“Today, I will teach you two methods.” He held up the finished willow stick. “You can spear the fish. Make sure you tie some cording around this to retrieve it.”
“Where are we supposed to get the cording?” Bruce crossed his arms over his chest.
“Use a shoelace, whatever is available.” Ezra then demonstrated how they could catch fish by luring them into a net with bait. “Okay, choose the method that you think you can be the most successful at. Look for the calm eddies where the fish are likely to congregate. We’ll regroup back at the camp in two hours. Be aware of your surroundings, take note of the landmarks and don’t wander too far from this point.”
Bruce grabbed a willow branch from the bank and disappeared around the bend. Leonard and Ken walked away, their heads bent close together as they pointed at a smooth spot in the river.
Jan pulled Clarissa along the bank. They crossed the river on a fallen log and disappeared into a cluster of trees. He could hear the women laughing and talking. Their voices faded as they made their way up the rocky shore. Ezra was tempted to follow them, but decided against it. Though he continued to look for a chance to talk to Clarissa, he had other clients to think about. He made his way in the opposite direction, upriver, to check on Bruce, who seemed insistent on doing everything alone. Ezra had to find a way to draw him back into the group.
He hiked a quarter mile with no sign of Bruce. The sky had turned a deeper shade of gray, and a few drops of rain landed on his shoulders. Shouts from downriver caused him to turn and run. He recognized Jan’s screams, and he quickened his pace. The cries were coming from the other side, so he hurried over the log and strode toward them.
The screaming had stopped by the time he found Jan and Leonard huddled by the shoreline. Ken was dripping wet.
“Guess who fell in?” Ken offered Ezra a wry smile.
“Jan, take him up to the campsite. The fire should still be going. Get him dried off and warmed up. Where’s Clarissa?”
Jan pointed farther downriver. “She wandered off that way. Said she needed quiet to catch the fish.”
“Leonard, can you head upstream to find Bruce? We’ll meet back at camp.” Ezra stared down at the angled willow stick that held the one small fish Leonard had caught, then tilted his head, looking at the ominous dark clouds. “This storm is moving in fast. We might have to postpone the fishing lesson.” Ezra pulled his rain poncho out of its tiny package and slipped it over his head.
Leonard handed the fish to Jan. “You can take this with you.”
Ezra hurried down the river in search of Clarissa. Suspicion plagued his thoughts as he rounded bend after bend and didn’t find her. Maybe she was meeting up with her “friends” again.
Lightning flashed in the sky, and the sprinkle of rain became a downpour. He continued along the bank, searching for Clarissa. His mission had changed from wanting to talk to her to knowing that he needed to get her back to the camp so the group could get prepared to deal with the storm, which was getting worse by the minute. They were going to have an impromptu lesson in staying warm and dry in a bad storm.
* * *
Clarissa looked around at the trees, trying to get her bearings. Rain soaked through her thin jacket. Once she’d broken away from Jan, her plan had been to travel far enough downriver to avoid notice, and then head back to the camp to retrieve her backpack. The thick brush she had to push through had gotten her turned around, muddling her sense of direction. She worked her way back to the river to try and figure out which way to go.
The water has risen and was rushing
Ezra cut a willow branch and started to sharpen the end with his knife while everyone watched him. “There are tons of different ways to catch fish other than using the overpriced fishing pole you can buy at a tourist trap sports shop.”
The group laughed.
“Today, I will teach you two methods.” He held up the finished willow stick. “You can spear the fish. Make sure you tie some cording around this to retrieve it.”
“Where are we supposed to get the cording?” Bruce crossed his arms over his chest.
“Use a shoelace, whatever is available.” Ezra then demonstrated how they could catch fish by luring them into a net with bait. “Okay, choose the method that you think you can be the most successful at. Look for the calm eddies where the fish are likely to congregate. We’ll regroup back at the camp in two hours. Be aware of your surroundings, take note of the landmarks and don’t wander too far from this point.”
Bruce grabbed a willow branch from the bank and disappeared around the bend. Leonard and Ken walked away, their heads bent close together as they pointed at a smooth spot in the river.
Jan pulled Clarissa along the bank. They crossed the river on a fallen log and disappeared into a cluster of trees. He could hear the women laughing and talking. Their voices faded as they made their way up the rocky shore. Ezra was tempted to follow them, but decided against it. Though he continued to look for a chance to talk to Clarissa, he had other clients to think about. He made his way in the opposite direction, upriver, to check on Bruce, who seemed insistent on doing everything alone. Ezra had to find a way to draw him back into the group.
He hiked a quarter mile with no sign of Bruce. The sky had turned a deeper shade of gray, and a few drops of rain landed on his shoulders. Shouts from downriver caused him to turn and run. He recognized Jan’s screams, and he quickened his pace. The cries were coming from the other side, so he hurried over the log and strode toward them.
The screaming had stopped by the time he found Jan and Leonard huddled by the shoreline. Ken was dripping wet.
“Guess who fell in?” Ken offered Ezra a wry smile.
“Jan, take him up to the campsite. The fire should still be going. Get him dried off and warmed up. Where’s Clarissa?”
Jan pointed farther downriver. “She wandered off that way. Said she needed quiet to catch the fish.”
“Leonard, can you head upstream to find Bruce? We’ll meet back at camp.” Ezra stared down at the angled willow stick that held the one small fish Leonard had caught, then tilted his head, looking at the ominous dark clouds. “This storm is moving in fast. We might have to postpone the fishing lesson.” Ezra pulled his rain poncho out of its tiny package and slipped it over his head.
Leonard handed the fish to Jan. “You can take this with you.”
Ezra hurried down the river in search of Clarissa. Suspicion plagued his thoughts as he rounded bend after bend and didn’t find her. Maybe she was meeting up with her “friends” again.
Lightning flashed in the sky, and the sprinkle of rain became a downpour. He continued along the bank, searching for Clarissa. His mission had changed from wanting to talk to her to knowing that he needed to get her back to the camp so the group could get prepared to deal with the storm, which was getting worse by the minute. They were going to have an impromptu lesson in staying warm and dry in a bad storm.
* * *
Clarissa looked around at the trees, trying to get her bearings. Rain soaked through her thin jacket. Once she’d broken away from Jan, her plan had been to travel far enough downriver to avoid notice, and then head back to the camp to retrieve her backpack. The thick brush she had to push through had gotten her turned around, muddling her sense of direction. She worked her way back to the river to try and figure out which way to go.
The water has risen and was rushing
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