Wilderness Reunion

Everyone appeared energetic and focused on the river and obtaining their goals as they entered the Mule Creek Canyon and hit Class III rapids at the entrance. She shouted out instructions so the men could use the extra paddles and assist in maneuvering the currents created from the rock walls on either side, and avoid the boils, then another Class III rapid within the canyon.

Once they were through the rapid, she should have been exhilarated but her palms grew sweaty as her anxiety increased.

Blossom Bar was next. She’d lost someone there...

Griffin shot her a glance. Nodded and gave her a thumbs-up, then palmed his paddles. She refused to release her oar but gave him a subtle nod in return. What choice did she have? They had to face the rapids like everyone else. Like she had, so many times in the past.

As they approached Blossom Bar, the roar of her pulse grew louder than the roar of the rapids. It was a churning Class IV rapid, not even as challenging as the Class V they’d yet to face. Boulders lined up on one side and could snag them. Those were called the Picket Fence. That’s where the problems could arise. People had died there.

Seven in one year. One on her watch.

If she could make this, just make this, she might be free of her terror forever. The men held on to their paddles to assist her, but she wasn’t sure she wanted their help. Might be easier to go this alone in case someone misunderstood which direction they needed to go and put them in the boil. She couldn’t see Sheriff Kruse’s eyes behind his sunglasses, but she had the distinct impression he watched her like a hawk even as he focused on the furious water around them.

She didn’t have time to worry as the rapids caught them up, splashing and soaking them where they sat in the raft. Alice worked her oars and avoided the rocks, guiding them through.

“It’s all good, Alice.” Griffin dug his paddle in. “We’re doing this.”

“We’re going to the left of the big boulders first, then we’ll have to make a quick right. We want the line of rocks called Picket Fence to our left. Everybody got that?”

The men focused on the river as she guided the raft through the rapids around the large boulders.

“Now! Right, keep to the right. We’re approaching Picket Fence. Need to catch that eddy before the rocks.” She shouted over the roar of the rapids, hoping the men would follow through or not paddle at all. The hole on the other side of the line of rocks could suck them in and never let them go.

When the raft rushed past the boulders of the Picket Fence, they all whooped and hollered as if they were tourists on the river for fun, which couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Still, Alice felt a measure of pure elation, and she wanted to share it with Griffin. Why, why, had her thoughts gone to him first?

Holding his paddle, Griffin pumped both his arms in the air. “You did it, Alice. I knew you could!”

She didn’t respond, but couldn’t hide her response when hearing his words made her smile even bigger. She continued to work the oars, preparing for the next set of rapids, Devil’s Staircase. After that, their stop—their point of entry into the wilderness—would be up ahead where the canyon opened up. The last rapid was minor compared to the deadly stretch she had just guided them through.

Then gunfire echoed through the canyon, bouncing off the walls. Her heart rate spiked. Alice jerked her gaze up, fear crawling over her. That hadn’t been meant for her, had it? Or for them as a group?

But she had no time to worry about that and quickly refocused on the approaching rapids and falls. Except she was the only one. The men stared up the walls of the canyon and moved from their positions. Sheriff Kruse had dropped his paddles and held his weapon out and ready.

“Focus, people! Hang on!” she called.

Another shot rang out.

Oh, God, please help us! How could this be happening?

The raft tilted and swirled as it carried them, tumbling over the rapids even as Deputy Edwards grabbed his arm and fell out of the raft and into the water. At the same moment, the raft’s balance shifted on the rapids, the white water lifted it on one end, dumping everyone into the river with Deputy Edwards.